http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/...tics-politics/


Quite an interesting find, and yet another reason that humans who can use their higher functioning logical brains to realize that because natural selection still sees value to BOTH ideologies, we should take the best concepts from both and implement a hybrid government that utilizes the highest points of both liberalism and conservatism.

Guys (and gals), we fight a lot on this forum, but I will be the first one to admit that while healthy debate is good for our government/society, we should also find certain common ground upon which to build at least a cordial relationship regardless of political alignment.

So...you just can't help being a Liberal?

Thank you, George.

I seem to remember a saying I learned in the military. "Given enough time, a board of inquiry can prove anything."

I think that this (yes Rob I am considering your source) is a waste of time and money. Who cares if there is a gene for liberalism, conservatism or libertarianism. We are the sum of our experiences. I do not think that a gene controls what we believe. Are they going to find a religion gene?

I'll put this right next to the "gay" gene.

So you're tossing the whole thing out the window because you (who I am certain do not have as much genetic experience as these scientists) don't believe it?

Spoken like a true conservative.

The article specifically states that ideology IS inheritable. While experiences DO play a part, a gene DOES tell us what to believe when it comes to the political spectrum.

Looks like even FOX News partially agrees with the study.


A 'Liberal Gene' You Say -- Now That Explains It All, Doesn't It?

"Of course, what Fowler calls the “liberal gene” he also explains as being the “open minded” gene. And that might well apply to modern conservatives instead of liberals, because which of them is more open-minded?
After all, Fowler defines his “liberals” as being open minded and open to new ideas and new solutions. But does that fit modern American liberals, who stick to disastrous failed ideas and policies in the face of all the evidence? Or does it apply to American conservatives, who are right now thrashing out a redefinition of conservative policies for the new century?"


http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2010/...vatives-obama/

Yes Rob. I am tossing this out the window. Here is why....
Since the criteria for a "liberal" or "conservative" gene is entirely SUBJECTIVE, there is a lot of room for mis interpretation.

As to the inheritability of ideology, it is my opinion that we DO inherit our ideology, from our primary caregivers. Hopefully this will be from 2 parents who are of opposite sex. But if your parents are flaming liberals and you are raised by die hard conservatives, I think that you would tend to be conservative. The converse is also true.

Pretty soon geneticists will find genes for every type of behavior.

Does that mean that we can claim that we had no choice becuase our genes made us do it?

I rob banks, don;t blame me. I have the gene.
I molest little kids, don't blame me I have the gene.
I like to beat my wife and kids.
I "insert criminal or deviant behavior here", don;t blame me, I have the X gene.

Pretty soon we will be screened for everything and we will have places for people with deviant genes to go. Wait, didn't we try this in 1939?

Everyone is looking for an excuse to avoid personal responsibility.

You said it, from my POV also simply "gay gene"...

I wont exclude the possibility at all (many more things than we usually would give credit to are quite obviously gene based IIRR), but I believe that here input from wherever plays a great role (and I also would bet that you could be one of two types reacting to the input - going along og going against - and so the input in the end does not determine the outcome.

Existence of genetic disposition to be more intelligent, e.g. (or more physically strong) determining on how your takes to given situations are I think is out of any doubts.

Still, its you who make what/who you are.

My two Euros

Rattler

Originally Posted by HokieMSG

Yes Rob. I am tossing this out the window. Here is why....
Since the criteria for a "liberal" or "conservative" gene is entirely SUBJECTIVE, there is a lot of room for mis interpretation.

He gave the criteria for the "liberal" gene. It was a gene that predisposed a person to seek out new experiences(eg. new ideas, new solutions to problems, new cultures, etc.), what ever they may be. It was a gene in people with the primary trait of open-mindedness.

Originally Posted by HokieMSG

As to the inheritability of ideology, it is my opinion that we DO inherit our ideology, from our primary caregivers. Hopefully this will be from 2 parents who are of opposite sex. But if your parents are flaming liberals and you are raised by die hard conservatives, I think that you would tend to be conservative. The converse is also true.

Well, while your opinion is partly correct, this article SCIENTIFICALLY PROVES that our genetic code plays a rather significant part in our ideology, REGARDLESS OF UPBRINGING.

Perhaps if you had read the article, you would have read that Dr. Fowler told Foxnews.com, "Ideology is about 40 percent heritable. It's almost half genes and half environment."

Originally Posted by HokieMSG

Pretty soon geneticists will find genes for every type of behavior.

Does that mean that we can claim that we had no choice becuase our genes made us do it?

I rob banks, don;t blame me. I have the gene.
I molest little kids, don't blame me I have the gene.
I like to beat my wife and kids.
I "insert criminal or deviant behavior here", don;t blame me, I have the X gene.

Pretty soon we will be screened for everything and we will have places for people with deviant genes to go. Wait, didn't we try this in 1939?

Everyone is looking for an excuse to avoid personal responsibility.

Of course, it does not discount the part that the environment plays on us. The genes are only half the battle. The environment is the other half, and with the proper environmental situation, any genetic predisposition could probably be overcome, given the necessary amount of time.

Do NOT turn this into an argument over personal responsibility. This is NOT an excuse for any sort of behavior. It is simply stating that being liberal is not some sort of biological fluke in humans. Again, like the article says, if natural selection had no need for liberalism, we would all be conservative. But CLEARLY there IS a need for liberalism, because liberals still exist. If we weren't needed, we would've died out long ago.

Quite some time back there was a study of a big sample of twins seperated @ birth & unaware of each other. A majority of the twins had nothing in common in thier behavior, but many(1/3?) did. German Jewish twins, one raised as a Christian in Germany & the other smuggled to Palestine, both flush the toilet before & after use, not normal in either culture. A pair here whos 1st wives had the same 1st names, gave thier kids the same names, same names for the dogs, both got divorced & the 2nd wives had the same 1st name, both drove the same brand cars & vacationed withion 1/2 mile of each other in Fla. All sorts of stuff that seems to show that some people are heavily influenced by genetics in thier daily lives, but the majority of those studied didn't.