Scientists Find "Liberal Gene"

Scientists Find "Liberal Gene"

www.nbcsandiego.com

Researchers have determined that genetics could matter when it comes to some adults' political leanings.

According to scientists at UC San Diego and Harvard University, "ideology is affected not just by social factors, but also by a dopamine receptor gene called DRD4." That and how many friends you had during high school.

The study was led by UCSD's James Fowler and focused on 2,000 subjects from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Scientists matched the subjects' genetic information with "maps" of their social networks. According to researchers, they determined

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How can this even be measured?

The thing I don't understand the most is how can this gene be genetically wired in humanity, but not appear worldwide. If liberalism is a genetic thing, we wouldn't see repressive regimes around the world.

Doesn't make much sense to me.................





www.nbcsandiego.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

reply to post by Portugoal


This study is a joke I think.

That and how many friends you had during high school.

Anyhoo, my grandma was liberal, both my parents weren't, my sister is, I'm not. Contradicts the study.

Well, if this is true, then inheritence would play a big part in whether or not certain individuals lean to a particular ideology or not. So perhaps regions in repressive regimes have less of a quantity of people that contain this "liberal" gene?

That is, if this is true. I am aware that genes can shape a significant portion of a persons perceptions in life, the rest shaped by experience. But as the poster above me said, it seems like a joke. The idea itself seems like a ploy by some people to perhaps attribute liberal ideas as a genetic mutation or something.

This is about the stupidest thing I've ever seen "scientists" waste their time on. God only knows how many tax dollars went into identifying the "Liberal Gene". What next the right wing extremist gene? Give me a break

Liberal Gene?

I was sure this was from the Onion..

I'm calling shenanigans. There's no way that how many friends you had in highschool, coupled with a specific dopamine receptor would make you lean towards once dilusion or another.

Political opinions, and opinions in general are the product of your environment and your experiences, not your biological makeup.

~Keeper

It's probably a joke. I used to be a liberal until I educated myself in economic theory. Conservatives rely on fallacious economic reasoning just as much as liberals do.

I actually think this is serious. James Fowler is a real person.

en.wikipedia.org...

reply to post by tothetenthpower


Nope not the onion.

I wonder if they can claim this as a disability and then make social security claims...
"I'm sorry, I can't work-I'm genetically Liberal".

(I kid folks. I kid.)

Maybe it is real? This is the man that led the study:
en.wikipedia.org...

James H. Fowler (born February 18, 1970) is an American social scientist specializing in social networks, cooperation, political participation, and genopolitics (the study of the genetic basis of political behavior)

reply to post by tothetenthpower


Seems to be the real deal.. Think its ridiculous, but this guy seems to believe what he's preaching.

If they said a "feminist gene" was found, that would be possible.

On a side note: I've heard they're close to finding the realist, constructivist, NEO-LIBERAL, and Marxist genes soon. Stay tuned

I hope this doesn't lead to being diagnosed with a genetic disorder if you're not liberal.

This is good.

It is a good first step towards finding a cure for their affliction.

It makes sense. Pretty much every personality trait we've looked at has had a genetic component. This does not mean that genes are the only thing that are determining a person's personality, they are simply predisposing a person to behave in a certain way. In this case, if you have the gene you are going to require fewer environmental factors acting on you to become liberal. A person without the gene can still be liberal, it just may take more influence from the environment.

Study abstract - fulltext pdf free to download and read online at cambridge journals.

The Journal of Politics

* Friendships Moderate an Association between a Dopamine Gene Variant and Political Ideology
* The Journal of Politics (2010), 72: 1189-1198

dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0022381610000617
or
journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=7909320

funders

Acknowledgments
This research was supported by National Institute on Aging grant P-01 AG-031093 and National Science Foundation grant SES-0719404. Thanks to Peter K. Hatemi for valuable comments.

Originally posted by Exuberant1
This is good.

It is a good first step towards finding a cure for their affliction.

You better hope for our species' sake that Liberals stay around for a very long time friend.

Not that they are better than conservatives, but if everybody agreed on everything things would never move forward now would they?

Progress is made through argument, debate and re-examination of current policies.

~Keeper

reply to post by tothetenthpower



Is that really something you believe?

Or is it your liberal genetic programming?

Surely a genetic liberal would be biased when proclaiming the usefulness of it's kind.



*Since liberals screwed up the country so bad, and now know that jail-time is in the works, perhaps they are now trying to lay the groundwork of their legal defense.

"I couldn't help it, it was my genes.... and you people should have known better to elect a liberal. It is definitely not my fault, it is society's fault." - the liberal defendant

I guess now we will be seeing Liberal Pride Parades. We will now have to listen to the endless arguments that it is okay to be a liberal, and that those people didn't choose to be that way, they were born that way, but it is okay. Then other people will begin lobbying for a ballot to ban liberal marriages. Liberals will start "outing" other liberals. More and more will come out of the closet. The Liberal Rights movement will reach a critical mass, and thanks to this meaningful study, we all can praise science for showing us that there really isn't any free will at all, and everything we do, we do because we are just a biological construct, helplessly subject to our own genes. Unalienable rights are now proven to be a fraud. Clearly, there is no Creator granting rights, merely genetics dictating our very thoughts, and emotions. Responsibility will become even more passe, and we will all acquiesce to the nanny state, where technocrats rule.

Originally posted by Exuberant1
reply to post by tothetenthpower

 

Is that really something you believe?

Or is it your liberal genetic programming?

Surely a genetic liberal would be biased when proclaiming the usefulness of it's kind.

*Since liberals screwed up the country so bad, and now know that jail-time is in the works, perhaps they are now trying to lay the groundwork of their legal defense.

"I couldn't help it, it was my genes.... and you people should have known better to elect a liberal. It is definitely not my fault, it is society's fault." - the liberal defendant

Wait what?

George and Cheny and Rove are liberals?

Huh, you learn something new every day...

And it's not something I "believe", it's a well known fact that progression in society comes from the ever changing debate and exchange of different ideas.

~Keeper

That's the most ridiculous thing I've heard. No way can they prove that. This is why I can't take any science seriously nowadays.. it's too far out there. Did they suddenly forget the difference between theory and fact?