Does brain structure determine your political views?

a reply to: HardCorps

A whole bunch of your brain is set aside for your eyes. That is, they don't know what else it is for.

Most of that brain space doesn't get used, unless you need it. Then eventually, over time, it starts to do stuff.

I saw that on this course.

Understanding the Brain

Sometimes the courses are on sale for $50 or less.

Science itself is a phenomenon of nature.

Study of any correlation can lead to a mechanism for causing predictable, desirable happening. Desirable to the executor of the mechanism.

Given all of the complexity of our minds, we do live in captivity, and our environments are subject to control.

Therefore our minds are susceptible to insertions.

originally posted by: borntowatch
Uhhmmm
I dont think so personally
I more of the view

"Not to be a republican at 20 is proof of want of heart; to be one at 30 is proof of want of head," said the French revolutionary-era politician François Guizot. It's a quote that has been reworked many times over the years, and these days "socialist" or "liberal" is likely to take the place of "republican".

Those fond of the adage may welcome a new study, which confirms that as people hit middle age their youthful radicalism tends to shifts towards more conservative thinking.
www.theguardian.com...

So in other words age changes our motives and political views

One of Americas founding fathers, I think it was Franklin, said " if your a conservative at 20 you have no heart, if your a liberal at 30 you have no brains."

If we are talking political parties, neither of the two main, nor tea party.

I'd prefer my allegiance to the constitution more or less. For me, the politicians have ceased to truly represent the people they were elected by, but rather represent the highest 'donation'.

We need statesmen, plain and simple.

Politics is one of the most complex areas of human thought - See more at: www.abovetopsecret.com...

I have to disagree here.

There is nothing 'complex' about American politics.

One side demagoguing another side to get rich, and stay in power, and who will do ANYTHING to keep it that way.

Once a person figures that out American politics can get anymore simple.

American politics is about perception of reality.

Facts matter little.

Truth matters little.

Because people BELIEVE what they want to.

originally posted by: rickymouse
It seems that the reason for the research is to allow politicians to deceitfully change how people perceive what they are saying to grow their supporting base. I can see this as a well funded program by both of the political parties. Good job opportunities for some who wish guaranteed employment for a while.

Of course, this will be taxpayer money that funds this research, not contributions..

I think you may be refering to this study from the University of Exeter:

www.truth-out.org...

The summary of which is:

A team of political scientists and neuroscientists has shown that liberals and conservatives use different parts of the brain when they make risky decisions, and these regions can be used to predict which political party a person prefers. The new study suggests that while genetics or parental influence may play a significant role, being a Republican or Democrat changes how the brain functions.

Their conclusion:

"Democrats showed significantly greater activity in the left insula, a region associated with social and self-awareness. Meanwhile Republicans showed significantly greater activity in the right amygdala, a region involved in the body's fight-or-flight system. These results suggest that liberals and conservatives engage different cognitive processes when they think about risk."

Your conclusion:

"...that the conservative people actually analyze possible side effects better than liberals do. - See more at: www.abovetopsecret.com..."

which is not what their evidence showed at all it showed:

n fact, brain activity in these two regions alone can be used to predict whether a person is a Democrat or Republican with 82.9% accuracy. By comparison, the longstanding traditional model in political science, which uses the party affiliation of a person's mother and father to predict the child's affiliation, is only accurate about 69.5% of the time. And another model based on the differences in brain structure distinguishes liberals from conservatives with only 71.6% accuracy.

originally posted by: Semicollegiate
a reply to: BlackboxInquiry

Yes, I think medication would make a person more liberal if it causes relief and more conservative if it tends toward a nice mania.

Because the liberals are about the safety net, and currently, the conservatives are about killing bad guys.

Please try to keep to a consistant sprectra. Relief is not on the sprectrum of Mania. The opposition extreme would be depression. If relief were on a Manic/Depressive spectrum it would fall in the middle - as in relief from Depression and relief from Mania.

originally posted by: BlackboxInquiry
I've no proof, but I'd not be shocked if medication had some factor in it too. It messes with your brains and bodies functions after all. It can make someone act irrational, among other things.

Food for thought.

Reactions to medications are a factor...

If you think a drug you're taking might be causing your depression, you may be right. Certain medications prescribed for various medical conditions do cause such feelings as sadness, despair, and discouragement. And those are feelings that are often associated with depression. Other medicines prescribed for medical problems can trigger mania (excessive elation and joy) that's usually associated with bipolar disorder.

Medications that cause mania or depression appear to alter brain chemicals in some way. And even though the drugs may be necessary to treat the condition, the side effect is hardly acceptable. As an example, Accutane, which is prescribed for the treatment of acne, has been found to also cause depression. So have oral contraceptives, high blood pressure drugs, and even statins that treat high cholesterol.

Drugs That Cause Depression

2nd opinion

originally posted by: FyreByrd

originally posted by: Semicollegiate
a reply to: BlackboxInquiry

Yes, I think medication would make a person more liberal if it causes relief and more conservative if it tends toward a nice mania.

Because the liberals are about the safety net, and currently, the conservatives are about killing bad guys.

Please try to keep to a consistant sprectra. Relief is not on the sprectrum of Mania. The opposition extreme would be depression. If relief were on a Manic/Depressive spectrum it would fall in the middle - as in relief from Depression and relief from Mania.

I wasn't addressing the condition I was addressing the state of mind caused by the drug. I was consistent with the conclusion of the science report.

The social awareness vs fight or flight aren't always on the same continuum either.

For me its about earning potential. When i was a grunt on a construction crew, i leaned very much to the left. I thought we should share the wealth. I thought " i work a hard, full time job; i should make more than just the minimum. I should have a few luxuries too". I got fed up. Went back to college and got a degree. Now i pay more in taxes than i ever made before. Now I lean more right of center. Money certainly alters perspective.
reply to: SLAYER69

Political ideology or corruption?

Does the brain structure determine if you're a liberal or conservative, or does it just determine how corrupt and baseless and amoral you can be?

a reply to: beezzer

Sounds plausible, but most people are so ignorant of science and history that its hard to say what they would be like if they knew more.

originally posted by: Semicollegiate
I think an intuitive definition of conservative is, "I learned the rules, I lived by them, don't change them."

Which is why I find the whole thinking process stupid, kind of like a dog chasing his tail.

Once their will is brought down enough for them to accept our sad reality, they actually want everyone else to suffer the same instead of wanting to change for the better.

I mean, what would happen if people got to where they are without accepting to eat all that s*** like they did?! :
Probably the end of the world of course...

That's why people say that you get more conservative when you get older, because they are bitter, their spirits are dead, they have given up on the world to focus on their little self...well I pray everyday that never happens to me.

I refuse to accept that this broken system will get humanity anywhere.
No matter how much I win at this stupid game, it won't change my clear view that it's all wrong.
I will not bow down to the status quo and step on my values to get a cookie.
I don't think that people that killed their values to get what they wanted have done the right thing.

"Insanity is doing the same thing, over and over again, but expecting different results. - Albert Einstein"

I find conservatives insane because they fear to change whats wrong in this world and act like it's all nice and dandy as long that their close acquaintances and themselves get cookies.

Well no, it's not ok. It's just a distorted view of a world you have given up on.

Comradery vs. fear.
Sounds like represented vs. not represented
Conservatives feel that they have no representation.

a reply to: xuenchen

originally posted by: Semicollegiate
Comradery vs. fear.
Sounds like represented vs. not represented
Conservatives feel that they have no representation.

Actually I think its more about Short Term Thinking and Long Term Thinking. Both are necessary; each depending on the circumstance.

My favorite southpark quote said by korn
Let's have everyone who enjoys
having obstacles in their life, which
they can overcome, go this way, and
everyone whose insecurities sabotage
their potential to overcome those obstacles
go that way.

Just look at the hand we wear our wedding rings on.It's the left because the left accepts. What hand is placed on the bible when swearing in and what hand is raised? Look at what hand we shake with it's the right because you never know what you will be opening yourself up to and it continues the constant battle we have with eachother. It foes well beyond just the brain and when you start to view things based on us being some type of magnet and living on an even bigger magnet then lot's of things fall into place. Some of us are left and some right from birth and this was done because of stagnation. Without the divide we would most certainly be stagnet. When looking at those you disagree with love em or hate em you can't live without em.

Left accepts
Right resist
This goes well beyond just thought it can save your life in a jam.

Oh, lovely! They want to find out what causes individuality. I'm sure they wouldn't abuse it!