# Liberals more intelligent? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [June 24, 2001, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-more-intelligent/69933 "2001-06-24T03:05:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Spiritus\_Mundi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c68b51/32.png) [@Spiritus\_Mundi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiritus_Mundi)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2001, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-more-intelligent/69933/101 "2001-07-03T04:48:22Z")
> [@](#): > > I have moved my position from satire to disdain. Ah, yes, the change in tone is most noticeable. ---
**Author:** ![uglybeech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/82dd89/32.png) [@uglybeech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/uglybeech)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2001, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-more-intelligent/69933/102 "2001-07-03T04:55:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sam Stone \* > \*\*I would like to point out what this thread is not about whether Republican or Democratic policies are stupid, but whether or not Republican human beings are less intelligent than Democrats. > > \*\* I infer that one who supports a stupid policy is, in fact, stupid. > [@](#): > > \*\* > It’s clear that a number of people here actually believe that it’s true. Which does nothing but illuminate their own small-minded prejudices. > \*\* I’m not sure that it’s entirely small-minded prejudice to judge someone’s intelligence based on the policies they support. ---
**Author:** ![gEEk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ed8c4c/32.png) [@gEEk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gEEk)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2001, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-more-intelligent/69933/103 "2001-07-03T12:46:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by uglybtch \* > \*\* > I’m not sure that it’s entirely small-minded prejudice to judge someone’s intelligence based on the policies they support. \*\* This assumes that there are any policies that can be considered to be objectively stupid. I would be interested to know what policies you think are either unquestionably smart or dumb, your choice. I hasten to add that bigotry and racism, while abhorent, are probably poor predicters of intelligence. Do you think that Thomas Jefferson and the rest of the founding fathers were idiots because they believed blacks were inferior to whites? I would also like to point out that just because someone is smart doesn’t mean they’re interested in politics. People, even smart ones, can be lazy, especially about things that do not interest them. As a result, often people support policies that they’ve never really thought about enough to make an informed choice. gEEk ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2001, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-more-intelligent/69933/104 "2001-07-03T13:01:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Spiritus Mundi \* > \*\*Maybe if your tongues weren’t so far up our cheeks things would be more clear. > \*\* I’ll thank you to keep your tongue in your OWN cheek, buddy. ---
**Author:** ![MrO](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/50afbb/32.png) [@MrO](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrO)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2001, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-more-intelligent/69933/105 "2001-07-03T13:30:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gEEk \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by uglybtch \* > > \*\* > > I’m not sure that it’s entirely small-minded prejudice to judge someone’s intelligence based on the policies they support. \*\* > > This assumes that there are any policies that can be considered to be objectively stupid. gEEk \*\* I would say that it only assumes that some policies can be considered to be stupid by the person doing the judging. Do I think the founding fathers were idiots? No. Bigots? Yes. And in terms of sociological knowledge, understanding of the ways that cause and effect work in society on a large scale, even compared to the average college student today, I might say that they were extremely stupid. I’m sure he did some good things, but I don’t worship Thomas Jefferson. The point you make in your last paragraph is taken. Not all intelligent people are interested in politics. I’m not much interested myself. But I would add that when uninterested or uninformed people “support policies that they’ve never really thought about enough to make an informed choice,” that’s stupid. That’s not an objective judgement; it’s subjective, like all judgements. ---
**Author:** ![december](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@december](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/december)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2001, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-more-intelligent/69933/106 "2001-07-03T14:06:49Z")
\*Originally posted by MrO \* \*\*Do I think the founding fathers were idiots? No. Bigots? Yes. And in terms of sociological knowledge, understanding of the ways that cause and effect work in society on a large scale, even compared to the average college student today, I might say that they were extremely stupid. I’m sure he did some good things, but I don’t worship Thomas Jefferson. \*\* Actually, the founding fathers created a democracy which has endured and prospered for 200 years and which has been the model for freedom worldwide. Thomas Jefferson’s contributions included writing the American Constitution, which guarantees our Freedom of Speech and other freedoms. An interesting column about the importance of celebrating our history can be found at [http://www.jewishworldreview.com/cols/sowell.html](http://www.jewishworldreview.com/cols/sowell.html) … **Happy Fourth of July to All** … ---
**Author:** ![Spiritus\_Mundi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c68b51/32.png) [@Spiritus\_Mundi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiritus_Mundi)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2001, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-more-intelligent/69933/107 "2001-07-03T15:57:36Z")
**uglybtch** > [@](#): > > I’m not sure that it’s entirely small-minded prejudice to judge someone’s intelligence based on the policies they support. It might be reasonable to judge the intelligance of an individual by **the reasons that individual gives** for supporting certein political positions. It is small-minded to judge the relative intelligenceof two groups based upon nothing more than their political positions. It is also silly. It is also offensive. Conservative does not mean stupid or selfish or practical or moral. Liberal does not mean flaky or reactionary or enlightened or compassionate. They are broad labels which are convenient when trying to discuss complex relationships without spending more words than teh average doctoral thesis. They are not detailed descriptions of the character, capacities, ethics, or aspirations of any individual. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2001, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-more-intelligent/69933/108 "2001-07-03T17:44:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sam Stone \* > **Ah, so now we are equating being Christian with lower intelligence?** Not me – but if you want to start a thread about whether atheists are smarter/dumber than theists, I’d give the topic a crack. 🙂 My last message was merely addressing the (admittedly stereotypical) portrayal of liberals as crystal-clutching newage weirdos and conservatives as Bible-thumping Christian fundamentalists. Please submit all complaints to the Department of Social Stereotypes. 🙂 Personally, I think **uglybtch** has the best take on this issue. Even so, I’d rather be more wary of big business than to waste billions of dollars on an unproven and unnecessary SDI system. ---
**Author:** ![uglybeech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/82dd89/32.png) [@uglybeech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/uglybeech)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2001, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-more-intelligent/69933/109 "2001-07-04T22:21:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gEEk \* > \*\* This assumes that there are any policies that can be considered to be objectively stupid. I would be interested to know what policies you think are either unquestionably smart or dumb, your choice. \*\* I posted earlier a short list of generally stupid policies on both sides. > [@](#): > > \*\* > Do you think that Thomas Jefferson and the rest of the founding fathers were idiots because they believed blacks were inferior to whites? \*\* I’d say their combined stupidity caused a 200 year nightmare. > [@](#): > > \*\* > I would also like to point out that just because someone is smart doesn’t mean they’re interested in politics. People, even smart ones, can be lazy, especially about things that do not interest them. As a result, often people support policies that they’ve never really thought about enough to make an informed choice. > \*\* Sure. I mean look - supporting a stupid policy is just evidence. It’s not the final word. > [@](#): > > \*\* > I hasten to add that bigotry and racism, while abhorent, are probably poor predicters of intelligence. \*\* It’s a poor predictor because it’s only a small piece of information. But (unlike ethnicity or religious background) it’s evidence related to intellect. The more evidence you accumulate, the more confident you are calling stupid stupid. ---
**Author:** ![uglybeech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/82dd89/32.png) [@uglybeech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/uglybeech)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2001, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-more-intelligent/69933/110 "2001-07-04T22:40:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by rjung \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Sam Stone \* > > **Ah, so now we are equating being Christian with lower intelligence?** > > Not me – but if you want to start a thread about whether atheists are smarter/dumber than theists, I’d give the topic a crack. 🙂 > > \*\* Me too 😛 \*\* > [@](#): > > Personally, I think **uglybtch** has the best take on this issue. Even so, I’d rather be more wary of big business than to waste billions of dollars on an unproven and unnecessary SDI system. > > \*\* Thanks 🙂 Yeah, you know I called the conservative side “generally stupid about…” SDI. I DO think the conservative take on SDI is stupid (it’ll never work). But I overqualified because I’m not sure it’s so terrible to try. We really COULD use the AI needed to implement it. And it may take government splurging to get it. That kind of thing is how we got the Internet after all. IMO, some of these defense programs are conservatives’ way of launching massive infrastructure/R&D programs without saying so. (God forbid they’d spend on something that has an actual use). I’m just speculating and anyway this is way off the OP so I’ll shut up. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2001, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-more-intelligent/69933/111 "2001-07-04T23:41:34Z")
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