# Are liberals dumber than conservatives? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 16, 2001, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-liberals-dumber-than-conservatives/58188 "2001-03-16T05:11:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bill\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@Bill\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_H)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2001, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-liberals-dumber-than-conservatives/58188/1 "2001-03-16T05:11:26Z")
After all, conservatives on average have more money than liberals, and we all know that money is a measure of success and intelligence is a big component of success. Not that I espouse this view, you understand. I’m just curious to hear both sides. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2001, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-liberals-dumber-than-conservatives/58188/2 "2001-03-16T08:41:54Z")
You might be confusing cause and effect. ---
**Author:** ![Ms2001](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ms2001/32/18463_2.png) [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2001, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-liberals-dumber-than-conservatives/58188/3 "2001-03-16T08:44:06Z")
After listening to Comedy World Radio Network discuss celebrity tonight, I’ll say that although having more money doesn’t make conservatives smarter, it definitely means they’re better people. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2001, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-liberals-dumber-than-conservatives/58188/4 "2001-03-16T09:22:54Z")
Well, since a whole bunch o’ dat dough is inherited, I think that particular argument falls all to pieces. o/~ I…fall…to… pieces…o/~ Oh! :eek:Sorry, I was having a Patsy Cline moment… ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2001, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-liberals-dumber-than-conservatives/58188/5 "2001-03-16T10:04:34Z")
“Are blacks dumber than whites?” “Are liberals/conservatives dumber than conservatives/liberals?” “Are three-toed monkey-banging horseshoe-throwers dumber than inbred scotch-drinking hamster-raping underwater-basket-weavers?” The answer to all these questions, and more, is a resounding “HELL-EFFING-NO!” So STOP ASKING THEM. Can’t you wonder about what words end with “gry”? ---
**Author:** ![Kalt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Kalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalt)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2001, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-liberals-dumber-than-conservatives/58188/6 "2001-03-16T10:15:27Z")
it has nothing to do with the money, but the answer to the question is yes… liberals are indeed dumber, on average, than conservatives. However, when conservatives start spewing jesus crap from their orifices, they make things about even, intelligence-wise. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2001, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-liberals-dumber-than-conservatives/58188/7 "2001-03-16T11:12:30Z")
And, once again, Kalt blesses us with his pearls of wisdom. (Here’s a tip for everyone out there… if a statement includes such gross overgeneralizations as the one above without large amounts of proof to back that statement up, it’s probably not true.) ---
**Author:** ![David\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/51bf81/32.png) [@David\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_B)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2001, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-liberals-dumber-than-conservatives/58188/8 "2001-03-16T12:18:24Z")
Kalt said: > [@](#): > > the answer to the question is yes… liberals are indeed dumber, on average, than conservatives. OK, I know this is probably pointless, but what the heck: Prove it. ---
**Author:** ![Ned](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/848f3c/32.png) [@Ned](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ned)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2001, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-liberals-dumber-than-conservatives/58188/9 "2001-03-16T12:23:42Z")
This question is loaded with irony. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Phobos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Phobos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phobos)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2001, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-liberals-dumber-than-conservatives/58188/10 "2001-03-16T13:35:19Z")
what color is the sky in that little world of yours? > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bill H. \* > After all, conservatives on average have more money than liberals reference please getting back to the cause n’ effect statement…does being Conservative bring in more money or does having more money make one Conservative? > [@](#): > > and we all know that money is a measure of success Not everyone would agree. But certainly there are many other measures of success too. > [@](#): > > and intelligence is a big component of success. reference please There are certainly plenty of rich people with only average intelligence or less. I doubt you’ll find a correlation of wealth to intelligence. ---
**Author:** ![pldennison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@pldennison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pldennison)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2001, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-liberals-dumber-than-conservatives/58188/11 "2001-03-16T13:49:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Stoid \* > \*\*Well, since a whole bunch o’ dat dough is inherited, I think that particular argument falls all to pieces. > \*\* Cite, please, which demonstrates that, among wealthy (let’s say, income of $500,000 or more per year) Republicans, that any significant portion of their income is inherited, on average. ---
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2001, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-liberals-dumber-than-conservatives/58188/12 "2001-03-16T16:40:44Z")
Once again, for the benefit of all: There is empirical evidence to indicate that the higher one’s level of education, the more likely one is to be socially liberal. Conversely, the higher one’s income, the more likely one is to be economically conservative. Beyond that, not much can be said. ---
**Author:** ![Pariah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/41988e/32.png) [@Pariah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pariah)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2001, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-liberals-dumber-than-conservatives/58188/13 "2001-03-16T16:57:15Z")
“Are [**INSERT SPECTRUM OF EFFORTLESSLY AND ENDLESSLY TARGETED PUNDITS OF [_INSERT UNSCRUPULOUSLY BROAD-BRUSHABLE PARADIGM_]HERE**] [**INSERT DIVISIVE DEROGATORY AND SUBJECTIVE ADJECTIVE HERE**] than [**INSERT SPECTRUM OF EFFORTLESSLY AND ENDLESSLY TARGETED PUNDITS OF [_INSERT UNSCRUPULOUSLY BROAD-BRUSHABLE PARADIGM_] HERE.**]?” **Enough** with the _insertions_, already. _Interpret that how you will, O gentle reader._ ---
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2001, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-liberals-dumber-than-conservatives/58188/14 "2001-03-16T17:00:06Z")
Are star-bellied Sneetches on beaches smarter than those without stars? ---
**Author:** ![Necros](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/necros/32/11086_2.png) [@Necros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Necros)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2001, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-liberals-dumber-than-conservatives/58188/15 "2001-03-16T17:51:34Z")
It’s not really a question of who’s smarter, **Scylla**. It’s just a question of whether those without stars are worse than those with stars upon thars. Wait, are you saying there’s a machine that could turn liberals into conservatives and vice-versa? That would be a wonderful thing to see. Where’s that McBean character when you need him? ---
**Author:** ![Pariah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/41988e/32.png) [@Pariah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pariah)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2001, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-liberals-dumber-than-conservatives/58188/16 "2001-03-16T18:06:08Z")
> [@](#): > > Where’s that McBean character when you need him? Remember? He took off when he ran out of money. He must’ve been a _liberal_ because he couldn’t manage his money. Either that, or he was a _conservative_ who left because he was ashamed–_he had no mo’ money._ Or maybe he was…_Rue McClanahan._ ---
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2001, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-liberals-dumber-than-conservatives/58188/17 "2001-03-16T18:10:25Z")
Actually McBean took off after he had all the Sneetches’ money. Which makes him a conservative 😉 ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2001, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-liberals-dumber-than-conservatives/58188/18 "2001-03-16T18:55:07Z")
Conservatives can’t be _that_ smart if their best response is a copycat topic… 😉 Now, if you ask, “Are conservatives more ruthless than liberals?”, I’ll agree wholeheartedly in a nanosecond. After all, isn’t that what enables them to screw over everyone else and amass said wealth of theirs? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Pariah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/41988e/32.png) [@Pariah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pariah)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2001, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-liberals-dumber-than-conservatives/58188/19 "2001-03-16T19:33:17Z")
**Scylla** > [@](#): > > Actually McBean took off after he had all the Sneetches’ money. Argh! You’re right! I forgot! I guess he’s not Rue McClanahan after all… _Anna Nicole Smith_, however… ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@Bill\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_H)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2001, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-liberals-dumber-than-conservatives/58188/20 "2001-03-16T19:40:44Z")
**SPOOFE Bo Diddly** wrote > [@](#): > > “Are blacks dumber than whites?” > “Are liberals/conservatives dumber than conservatives/liberals?” > “Are three-toed monkey-banging horseshoe-throwers dumber than inbred scotch-drinking hamster-raping underwater-basket-weavers?” > > The answer to all these questions, and more, is a resounding “HELL-EFFING-NO!” So STOP ASKING THEM. Can’t you wonder about what words end with “gry”? Well, that was what I really meant. I just like my little jokes, even if noone else appreciates them. I have comments about **Gadarene** ’s and **Stoid** ’s comments, but stating them would only imply that I actually believe the OP to be true, which I don’t. In another context maybe we can debate those points. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-liberals-dumber-than-conservatives/58188.md?page=2)