# Are liberals really more "evolved" than conservatives? Scientific study suggests answer is yes. **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 23, 2011, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-liberals-really-more-evolved-than-conservatives-scientific-study-suggests-answer-is-yes/572383 "2011-02-23T21:18:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-liberals-really-more-evolved-than-conservatives-scientific-study-suggests-answer-is-yes/572383/41 "2011-02-24T01:46:21Z")
> [@Una\_Persson](#): > > Grunt. Og thank. Not Og! You Wo-Man! Get more syllables for name! ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-liberals-really-more-evolved-than-conservatives-scientific-study-suggests-answer-is-yes/572383/42 "2011-02-24T01:48:36Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Not Og! You Wo-Man! Get more syllables for name! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-liberals-really-more-evolved-than-conservatives-scientific-study-suggests-answer-is-yes/572383/43 "2011-02-24T02:01:42Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > Which he did not do-especially since most accounts of him were written by opponents of his rule. In addition times were different than from now, you can’t expect people in 200 BC to act like modern liberals. True. Many people of 2011 CE aren’t smart enough to act like modern liberals. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-liberals-really-more-evolved-than-conservatives-scientific-study-suggests-answer-is-yes/572383/44 "2011-02-24T02:05:49Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > True. Many people of 2011 CE aren’t smart enough to act like modern liberals. Because most of the world outside of North America, Europe, and Oceania are untouched by many ideas of modern liberalism. ---
**Author:** ![Kozmik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-liberals-really-more-evolved-than-conservatives-scientific-study-suggests-answer-is-yes/572383/45 "2011-02-24T02:41:18Z")
> [@Blalron](#): > > \*\*\*\*Cognitive neuroscience \*\*\*\*seems to be showing us that conservatives are **less empathetic** , less rational, less likely to correct errors in their thinking, more likely to gather around like minded people and shut out conflicting opinions, and more prone to fear than liberals. Will the day come when we recognize conservatism as a personality disorder that should be treated? :eek: The implications behind this study are chilling. Not that some humans are less empathetic - but that, specifically, conservatives are less empathetic than liberals. > [@Revenant\_Threshold](#): > > “More evolved” is a nonsense phrase. Evolution is about context, and not something that can be said to be better in and of itself. The “more evolved” conservatives have no empathy. Otherwise known as elected or appointed officials. :eek: :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-liberals-really-more-evolved-than-conservatives-scientific-study-suggests-answer-is-yes/572383/46 "2011-02-24T04:31:45Z")
> [@Una\_Persson](#): > > So those of you who are supporting this notion, especially the OP, please post the citation for or a direct link to the paper which you read, because doggone it I can’t find it. Maybe it’s because I’m one of those Evil Conservatives who hasn’t evolved enough to do research? I do not have a link for anything the OP proposed but I did post about a different study in Post #9. If you are evolved enough I imagine you can find more on that research. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-liberals-really-more-evolved-than-conservatives-scientific-study-suggests-answer-is-yes/572383/47 "2011-02-24T04:45:36Z")
Actually, one _could_ argue that one population is more evolved than another, contemporaneous, population. For instance, it can reasonably be said that cockroaches are more evolved than humans, since the cockroach line is a greater number of generations past the point of common ancestry than the human line is. So the question then would be, are conservative generations on average shorter or longer than liberal generations? ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-liberals-really-more-evolved-than-conservatives-scientific-study-suggests-answer-is-yes/572383/48 "2011-02-24T04:48:21Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > Can conservatives and liberals still interbreed? Conservatives certainly can. /rimshot ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-liberals-really-more-evolved-than-conservatives-scientific-study-suggests-answer-is-yes/572383/49 "2011-02-24T04:56:48Z")
Have we now, finally, reached the point of absurdity? Isn’t it enough that you think you’re better, now there are studies that “prove” it? What’s next, studies show that liberals are made of sugar and spice and everything nice while conservatives are made of snips and snails and puppy-dog tails? It’s just getting childish now. ---
**Author:** ![Inbred\_Mm\_domesticus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/aca169/32.png) [@Inbred\_Mm\_domesticus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inbred_Mm_domesticus)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-liberals-really-more-evolved-than-conservatives-scientific-study-suggests-answer-is-yes/572383/50 "2011-02-24T05:06:00Z")
I have read a lot of threads on this board. I have never read a thread that raped neuroscience, evolution, genetics, and WMDs in Iraq. I think a lot of the worst offenses were meant to be serious posts. Good job. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-liberals-really-more-evolved-than-conservatives-scientific-study-suggests-answer-is-yes/572383/51 "2011-02-24T05:17:38Z")
So consider the following and note that ALL of the following are things supported/advocated by members of the US Congress (or viable and serious candidates) and State Governors (because yeah…you can find loonies on every side but these loons are elected representatives, or nearly so, writing our laws…who voted them in?): Birthers: > [@](#): > > Salon has here in its (virtual) hand a list of 17 names of members of Congress who have either expressed support for, or refused to oppose, the idea that America has a foreign president problem. You’d be surprised how hard it is to get a member of Congress to say that Barack Obama is a natural-born citizen with the right to be president. > > SOURCE: [The Birthers in Congress - Salon.com](http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2009/07/28/birther_enablers) Death Panels: > [@](#): > > **Grassley Endorses “Death Panel” Rumor: “You Have Every Right To Fear”** > > Appearing at a town hall in his home state of Iowa, Sen. Chuck Grassley told a crowd of more than 300 that they were correct to fear that the government would “pull the plug on grandma.” > > SOURCE: [Grassley Endorses "Death Panel" Rumor: "You Have Every Right To Fear" | HuffPost Latest News](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/12/grassley-endorses-death-p_n_257677.html) Sharia Law: > [@](#): > > Forget the looming debt ceiling. Forget repealing ObamaCare. Forget trying to turn around our moribund economy. What congress should really be focused on is fighting the infiltration of Sharia (Islamic) law in America. > > At least that’s what new member Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) says. West spoke with radio host Frank Gaffney: > > “I think one of the critical things that we must come together and understand is that there is an infiltration of the Sharia practice into all of our operating systems here in this country as well as across Western civilization. So we must be able to recognize that enemy. We cannot have a national security strategy that does not recognize it in specific and understand its goals and objectives. So once again, we can tailor you know, our internal goals and objectives, as far as our security systems, our political systems, economic systems, our cultural and educational systems, so that we can thwart this. And it comes back to one of those strategic goals and objectives previously mentioned, about reducing the sphere of influence of this Sharia, you know, ideology that is tied into Islam. But I think that is the most threatening part, is the Sharia philosophy.” > > SOURCE: [World Class Marketing and Consumer Insights | Prodege](http://www.sodahead.com/united-states/should-the-new-congress-address-the-threat-of-sharia-law/question-1423925/) Intelligent Design: > [@](#): > > The Santorum Amendment was an amendment to the 2001 education funding bill which became known as the No Child Left Behind Act, proposed by former Republican United States Senator Rick Santorum from Pennsylvania, which promotes the teaching of intelligent design while questioning the academic standing of evolution in U.S. public schools. Though the amendment only survives in modified form in the Bill’s Conference Report and does not carry the weight of law, as one of the Discovery Institute intelligent design campaigns it became a cornerstone in the intelligent design movement’s “Teach the Controversy” campaign. > > SOURCE: [Santorum Amendment - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santorum_Amendment) Seccession: > [@](#): > > Perry is making headlines for suggesting yesterday that people in his state are so fed up with high taxes and President Obama’s stimulus spending that breaking away from the Union might be an option. > > Later, Perry backed away from his earlier comments, however. He emphasized in an interview with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that he never specifically stated that Texas should think about seceding. > > SOURCE: [http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544\_162-4950073-503544.html](http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-4950073-503544.html) Armed Rebellion: > [@](#): > > **Sharron Angle floated possibility of armed insurrection** > > Here’s another one that could be tough for Sharron Angle to explain away: In an interview in January, Angle appeared to float the possibility of armed insurrection if “this Congress keeps going the way it is.” > > I’m not kidding. In an interview she gave to a right-wing talk show host, Angle approvingly quoted Thomas Jefferson saying it’s good for a country to have a revolution every 20 years – and said that if Congress keeps it up, people may find themselves resorting to “Second Amendment remedies.” > > What’s more, the talk show host she spoke to tells me he doesn’t have any doubt that she was floating the possibility of armed insurrection as a valid response if Congress continues along its current course. > > SOURCE: [http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2010/06/sharron\_angle\_floated\_possibil.html](http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2010/06/sharron_angle_floated_possibil.html) Masturbation = Adultery: > [@](#): > > “It is not enough to be abstinent with other people, you also have to be be abstinent alone. The Bible says that lust in your heart is committing adultery, so you can’t masturbate without lust.” > > SOURCE: [http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5921686/the\_new\_queen\_of\_duh.html](http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5921686/the_new_queen_of_duh.html) I could keep this up for a long time and I haven’t even started with the likes of Beck or Palin. Can someone here produce a similar list of batshit crazy from the liberals? Liberals who are in Congress or are Governors or were at least serious candidates for office? (So “Rent is Too Damn High” guy does not really count.) ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-liberals-really-more-evolved-than-conservatives-scientific-study-suggests-answer-is-yes/572383/52 "2011-02-24T05:31:21Z")
I don’t see anything wrong with the last one. Its the truth. ---
**Author:** ![Inbred\_Mm\_domesticus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/aca169/32.png) [@Inbred\_Mm\_domesticus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inbred_Mm_domesticus)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-liberals-really-more-evolved-than-conservatives-scientific-study-suggests-answer-is-yes/572383/53 "2011-02-24T05:32:20Z")
Here’s some crazy democrats: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraq\_Resolution](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraq_Resolution) Of Sharia Law, Intelligent Design, Masturbation , etc. vs. killing a whole bunch of Iraqis, which batshit crazy belief was more harmful? ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-liberals-really-more-evolved-than-conservatives-scientific-study-suggests-answer-is-yes/572383/54 "2011-02-24T06:48:32Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > I don’t see anything wrong with the last one. Its the truth. It makes people miserable and can create dangerous or outright predatory behavior due to extreme sexual frustration. Or more commonly, self hatred due to guilt. > [@Inbred\_Mm\_domesticus](#): > > Here’s some crazy democrats: > [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraq\_Resolution](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraq_Resolution) > > Of Sharia Law, Intelligent Design, Masturbation , etc. vs. killing a whole bunch of Iraqis, which batshit crazy belief was more harmful? Democrat and liberal aren’t the same thing. Most of the time they aren’t even close to the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-liberals-really-more-evolved-than-conservatives-scientific-study-suggests-answer-is-yes/572383/55 "2011-02-24T06:49:24Z")
> [@Inbred\_Mm\_domesticus](#): > > Here’s some crazy democrats: > [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraq\_Resolution](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraq_Resolution) > > Of Sharia Law, Intelligent Design, Masturbation , etc. vs. killing a whole bunch of Iraqis, which batshit crazy belief was more harmful? Huh? Bush lied to his Secretary of State. Why does Dems voting on the basis of Bush lies make them crazy? And why are they crazier than Republicans in this case? > [@](#): > > **Colin Powell ‘was lied to and used by George Bush to add credibility to invasion of Iraq’** > > Colin Powell was lied to and ‘manipulated’ into supporting the invasion of Iraq, it was claimed last night. > > The former Secretary of State was deliberately not told that information he used to make his famous speech justifying the war was bogus, a former colleague claimed. > > Instead the George W Bush White House abused his good reputation to give the push for war much-needed credibility. > > Read more: [Colin Powell 'was lied to and used by George Bush to add credibility to invasion of Iraq' | Daily Mail Online](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1357934/Colin-Powell-lied-used-George-Bush-add-credibility-invasion-Iraq.html#ixzz1ErAV7yY1) ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-liberals-really-more-evolved-than-conservatives-scientific-study-suggests-answer-is-yes/572383/56 "2011-02-24T07:32:56Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > I don’t see anything wrong with the last one. Its the truth. Whose “truth”? I can guarantee you this is not a fundamental truism. If it is how you want to live your life great…knock yourself out but realize it is your own, personal view. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-liberals-really-more-evolved-than-conservatives-scientific-study-suggests-answer-is-yes/572383/57 "2011-02-24T08:49:48Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > I don’t see anything wrong with the last one. Its the truth. No, it’s an insane idea that primitive bronze-age men thought of. Those guys smelled like sour sweat and shit and never once flossed their teeth. I would suggest not taking the word of those dudes unless it’s about something they actually understood. Like wiping your ass with a rock or going crazy-ape hysterical at the sound of thunder. ---
**Author:** ![SeldomSeen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ba0ec/32.png) [@SeldomSeen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeldomSeen)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-liberals-really-more-evolved-than-conservatives-scientific-study-suggests-answer-is-yes/572383/58 "2011-02-24T14:22:10Z")
> [@](#): > > Masturbation = Adultery: > > Quote: > “It is not enough to be abstinent with other people, you also have to be be abstinent alone. The Bible says that lust in your heart is committing adultery, so you can’t masturbate without lust.” Qin Shi Huangdi > [@](#): > > I don’t see anything wrong with the last one. Its the truth. No, it isn’t. Christine O’Donnell simply didn’t know what she was talking about - in this as in much else. Adultry [by definition](http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adultery)can only take place if one or more parties are married. The sin of adultry (if such it is) is not sex, but the violation of the marriage vows. \*\* QSH\*\*, assuming you’re not married (unlikely at your age) you are free to masturbate without guilt, provided you do not fantasize about a married woman while doing so. SS ---
**Author:** ![Inbred\_Mm\_domesticus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/aca169/32.png) [@Inbred\_Mm\_domesticus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inbred_Mm_domesticus)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-liberals-really-more-evolved-than-conservatives-scientific-study-suggests-answer-is-yes/572383/59 "2011-02-24T14:35:20Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Democrat and liberal aren’t the same thing. Most of the time they aren’t even close to the same thing. He just pointed out a bunch of republicans. As we get more liberal than democrat you start getting into peta/anti-free trade/Eastern philosophies make superior medicine/corporate conspiracy territory. > [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > Bush lied to his Secretary of State. Why does Dems voting on the basis of Bush lies make them crazy? And why are they crazier than Republicans in this case? Awe poor little innocents. They were lied to and just didn’t know any better. Why didn’t they use all their super logical brains to see the truth? Maybe they voted because their amygdala had them sensing their political death if they didn’t. As **Der Trihs** pointed out. When you discuss Democrats in this country, you are mostly discussing centrists. Liberals are chock full of insane beliefs and we are fortunate they rarely have a chance at office. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-liberals-really-more-evolved-than-conservatives-scientific-study-suggests-answer-is-yes/572383/60 "2011-02-24T14:45:13Z")
> [@Inbred\_Mm\_domesticus](#): > > When you discuss Democrats in this country, you are mostly discussing centrists. Liberals are chock full of insane beliefs and we are fortunate they rarely have a chance at office. So, the democrats spot the batshit lunatics on the left and do not vote them into office while the republicans are happy to put their nutjobs in control of the country? Thanks for making my case for me and supporting the premise of the OP. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-liberals-really-more-evolved-than-conservatives-scientific-study-suggests-answer-is-yes/572383.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-liberals-really-more-evolved-than-conservatives-scientific-study-suggests-answer-is-yes/572383.md?page=4)