# Are political leanings just a matter of brain wiring? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [July 23, 2011, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-political-leanings-just-a-matter-of-brain-wiring/590083 "2011-07-23T15:33:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Carsten\_Stroud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f19dbf/32.png) [@Carsten\_Stroud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carsten_Stroud)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-political-leanings-just-a-matter-of-brain-wiring/590083/1 "2011-07-23T15:33:23Z")
I’m watching the utter intransigence of the duelling parties in Washington DC and their avatars in the various media and on the net and I find I’m wondering if, at the heart of it, these warring factions are just not capable of reaching an understanding, much less a compromise, because they are fundamentally wired in radically different ways. By way of full disclosure, I’m a moderate libertarian and right now I’m with Mercutio - “A plague on both your houses”. Carsten Stroud ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-political-leanings-just-a-matter-of-brain-wiring/590083/2 "2011-07-23T15:48:28Z")
I think that’s part of what I was trying to say a few days when I started a thread about where wealth comes from: I think liberals tend to view their wealth as having been earned through a variety of historical accidents, and sometimes crimes, injustices, etc. and feel a degree of empathy for the less wealthy than do conservatives, who tend to think that their earned every red cent of their money by the sweat of their own brow, and by their natural superiority to others, so they refuse the gummint’s right to confiscate it and distribute to the lazy slobs who deserve to live in poverty. I’m not sure if this is exactly the wiring problem you’re discussing, but certainly two groups of people starting out in such radically different places are going to find it hard to agree on very much. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-political-leanings-just-a-matter-of-brain-wiring/590083/3 "2011-07-23T15:59:44Z")
**Carsten** : Then how do you explain people who, over time, make radical changes in their political (and other) thinking? **Pseudo** : In my experience, most conservatives believe that their convictions, if put into practice, would benefit poor people as well. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-political-leanings-just-a-matter-of-brain-wiring/590083/4 "2011-07-23T15:59:50Z")
> [@Carsten\_Stroud](#): > > I’m watching the utter intransigence of the duelling parties in Washington DC and their avatars in the various media and on the net and I find I’m wondering if, at the heart of it, these warring factions are just not capable of reaching an understanding, much less a compromise, because they are fundamentally wired in radically different ways. > > By way of full disclosure, I’m a moderate libertarian and right now I’m with Mercutio - “A plague on both your houses”. The Democrats have already compromised by offering a wide range of budget cuts. The Republicans have refused to reciprocate. I hardly think the current situation is symmetrical. (Although it’s certainly in the Republican’s best interest to have people believe that it is.) ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-political-leanings-just-a-matter-of-brain-wiring/590083/5 "2011-07-23T16:32:08Z")
Here’s a recent thread with some relevance [Is this why I have trouble with politics? - In My Humble Opinion - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=615982) ---
**Author:** ![DJ\_Motorbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90ced4/32.png) [@DJ\_Motorbike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DJ_Motorbike)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-political-leanings-just-a-matter-of-brain-wiring/590083/6 "2011-07-23T16:48:27Z")
Political leanings aren’t hard-wired. Most children tend to take the politics of their parents and stick with it. I don’t believe that there is a genetic component, however. It has more to do with what you learn. If as a youth you always hear Regan is evil, you tend to accept it and fit it into your world view. I once voted for Dennis Kucinich and far-left congresswoman Tammy Baldwin. My political leanings began to shift to the right around 2006 due to collected experiences. I voted for Scott Walker and Ron Johnson last November. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-political-leanings-just-a-matter-of-brain-wiring/590083/7 "2011-07-23T17:15:28Z")
Moving to Great Debates from GQ. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Love](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Dr.Love](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Love)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-political-leanings-just-a-matter-of-brain-wiring/590083/8 "2011-07-23T17:35:29Z")
IMO, all beliefs, opinions and preferences and written in the brain wiring. But this statement doesn’t really mean anything in the context of this thread–brain wiring changes all the time. > [@DJ\_Motorbike](#): > > Political leanings aren’t hard-wired. Most children tend to take the politics of their parents and stick with it. I don’t believe that there is a genetic component, however. It has more to do with what you learn. If as a youth you always hear Regan is evil, you tend to accept it and fit it into your world view. I’m reading [Selfish Reasons to Have More Kids](http://www.amazon.com/Selfish-Reasons-Have-More-Kids/dp/046501867X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1311442197&sr=8-1) by Brian Caplan, who cites studies indicating that much of the difference in political beliefs is explained by genetic heredity. Studies that removed the genetic component (by studying twins and adoptees) show that political labels are affected by upbringing, but not political beliefs. That is, if your parents were Democrats (or Republican) you’re more likely to call yourself a Democrat (or Republican); but once you take out the genetic effects you’re no more likely to have liberal (or conservative) beliefs than anyone else. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-political-leanings-just-a-matter-of-brain-wiring/590083/9 "2011-07-23T17:46:30Z")
> [@DJ\_Motorbike](#): > > Political leanings aren’t hard-wired. Most children tend to take the politics of their parents and stick with it. I don’t believe that there is a genetic component, however. It has more to do with what you learn. If as a youth you always hear Regan is evil, you tend to accept it and fit it into your world view. Right. There is no such thing as a 5 year old Republican or Democrat, just as there is no such thing as a 5 year old Christian. But once grown up, people tend towards the persuasion focused on as a child. ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-political-leanings-just-a-matter-of-brain-wiring/590083/10 "2011-07-23T17:48:02Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > I think that’s part of what I was trying to say a few days when I started a thread about where wealth comes from: I think liberals tend to view their wealth as having been earned through a variety of historical accidents, and sometimes crimes, injustices, etc. and feel a degree of empathy for the less wealthy than do conservatives, who tend to think that their earned every red cent of their money by the sweat of their own brow, and by their natural superiority to others, so they refuse the gummint’s right to confiscate it and distribute to the lazy slobs who deserve to live in poverty. That explanation can easily be shown to be false. Conservatives in this country and others give a great deal of time and money to charities that help the poor. ---
**Author:** ![J\_Cubed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@J\_Cubed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J_Cubed)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-political-leanings-just-a-matter-of-brain-wiring/590083/11 "2011-07-23T18:45:51Z")
> [@ITR\_champion](#): > > That explanation can easily be shown to be false. Conservatives in this country and others give a great deal of time and money to charities that help the poor. Cite? Specifically, showing a difference between political categorization, normalized for wealth. ---
**Author:** ![kaltkalt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bb73d2/32.png) [@kaltkalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaltkalt)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-political-leanings-just-a-matter-of-brain-wiring/590083/12 "2011-07-27T15:59:19Z")
They are a matter of brain wiring (neurological disease) when religion is involved, and they are about money, or at least the perception of saving money, in all other cases. I say perception because many people vote republican thinking they will save them money, when in reality it should be perfectly clear that republicans will cost them money. ---
**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:** [July 27, 2011, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-political-leanings-just-a-matter-of-brain-wiring/590083/13 "2011-07-27T17:12:39Z")
There’s this: > [@](#): > > Die-hard liberals and conservatives aren’t made; they’re born. It’s literally in their DNA. > > That’s the implication of a study by a group of researchers who wanted to see if there was a biological basis for people’s political attitudes. > > They found to their surprise that opinions on such contentious subjects as gun control, pacifism and capital punishment are strongly associated with physiological traits that are probably present at birth. > > The key is the differing levels of fear that people naturally feel. > > SOURCE: [Born to be conservative?](http://articles.latimes.com/2008/sep/19/science/sci-politics19) ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-political-leanings-just-a-matter-of-brain-wiring/590083/14 "2011-07-27T17:29:05Z")
> [@ITR\_champion](#): > > That explanation can easily be shown to be false. Conservatives in this country and others give a great deal of time and money to charities that help the poor. Well, they might give a (small) contribution to charities that indoctrinate and proselytize and intimidate people. But that’s just how their brains are wired–“This is mine, I choose to give to you of my own free will, having satisfied myself that you will be exposed to my Church’s teachings along the way, and that I’m getting a certain benefit from this investment which as I say is made totally voluntarily.” ---
**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:** [July 27, 2011, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-political-leanings-just-a-matter-of-brain-wiring/590083/15 "2011-07-27T18:23:47Z")
> [@ITR\_champion](#): > > That explanation can easily be shown to be false. Conservatives in this country and others give a great deal of time and money to charities that help the poor. No, they put a great deal of time and effort into organizations designed to propagandize the poor into the True Faith by blackmailing desperate people into listening to their sermons. It’s no more about compassion than converting the slaves to Christianity was. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-political-leanings-just-a-matter-of-brain-wiring/590083/16 "2011-07-27T19:21:47Z")
I occasionally wonder if humans would be less inclined to imprint strongly on a religion/philosophy/political party if we were equipped with a strong enough sense of smell to be able to determine who is Pack and who is Not Pack by scent. Or maybe just who is antagonistic and who is not. ---
**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:** [July 27, 2011, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-political-leanings-just-a-matter-of-brain-wiring/590083/17 "2011-07-27T19:34:42Z")
> [@Yllaria](#): > > I occasionally wonder if humans would be less inclined to imprint strongly on a religion/philosophy/political party if we were equipped with a strong enough sense of smell to be able to determine who is Pack and who is Not Pack by scent. Or maybe just who is antagonistic and who is not. Or maybe governments could create reflexive loyalty in their populace with the release of artificial scents. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2011, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-political-leanings-just-a-matter-of-brain-wiring/590083/18 "2011-07-31T06:43:58Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Or maybe governments could create reflexive loyalty in their populace with the release of artificial scents. You’ll know you’ve arrived when you get the clearance to use Big Dog after shave. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2011, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-political-leanings-just-a-matter-of-brain-wiring/590083/19 "2011-07-31T07:43:32Z")
> [@](#): > > **ITR champion** : …Conservatives in this country and others give a great deal of time and money to charities that help the poor. > [@](#): > > **Der Trihs** : No, they put a great deal of time and effort into organizations designed to propagandize the poor into the True Faith by blackmailing desperate people into listening to their sermons. It’s no more about compassion than converting the slaves to Christianity was. You two generalize much? Even though I don’t necessarily agree with ITR champion’s comment, your response, **Der Trihs** , ignores the conservatives who are not fundamentalists, evangelicals, Christians, or even religious at all.