Lefties proven (again) to tend smarter than right-wingers

[quintessentone]

For those of us who still need it proved to them (not the brightest tools in the woodshed, these).

But hardly news: previous studies have also indicated the same thing.

Click the link below for the full article, peer reviewed and open-sourced on PubMed.

Before replying, kindly note that I am a political centrist.
 

Their study may - big word there "may" - show causal relationships between IQ and educational attainment, but I think many other factors weigh in here too, such as empathy for others and/or whether or not you believe in the propaganda, I think.

"Research indicates that personality traits are significant predictors of political leaning, with high openness to experience consistently correlating with liberal views and high conscientiousness correlating with conservative views.  Studies show that individuals high in openness tend to favor new policies and social complexity, while those high in conscientiousness often prioritize order, tradition, and hard work. 
However, recent findings suggest this relationship is not strictly causal but is heavily influenced by environmental context and genetic factors.  A 2025 Northwestern University study revealed that people with high agreeableness and extraversion are more likely to align their political beliefs with their local community, meaning these traits can predict either conservatism or liberalism depending on the dominant ideology of the area where one lives. 
While early research suggested direct links, subsequent genetic analyses indicate that personality and political attitudes are likely both influenced by underlying genetic and environmental factors rather than one causing the other.  Consequently, the correlation between specific traits and political ideology is often spurious or weak, with other variables like social conformity, media exposure, and religious beliefs playing substantial roles. 

• Openness: Strongly linked to liberalism and a preference for new ideas. 
  
• Conscientiousness: Strongly linked to conservatism and a preference for structure. 
  
• Agreeableness & Extraversion: Context-dependent; align with local community norms (conservative or liberal). 
  
• Neuroticism: Correlates with liberal views on economic and social policy in some studies. 
  
• Narcissism: A component of the "Dark Triad" that correlates with specific political views, particularly regarding entitlement and exhibitionism." (LLM)
  
  https://mindpotentialpower.com/does-pers...cal-views/
  
  "I say with some accuracy because there are also other factors that determine political views. These other factors are conformity, influences from media sources, basically our information intake. This includes: mainstream media, opinions from popular figures, and social media in all its forms.
  The information that we receive can be pushed in a certain direction, or has a narrative which has a bias, with the intention of manipulating the audience. Religious beliefs, class and education also influence political orientation."
  
   
  

[Astyanax]

That is quite the assumption when it comes to "most people". In my experience, most people associate "the left" with America last, woke, gun grabbing, open borders, soft on crime, and all of those other looney ideologies that seem to creep from the left. 

This has nothing to do with IQ, this has everything to do with the fact that the universities are usually the only place these professors are allowed to HEAVILY indoctrinate these kids with their ideologies and it can be seen as their curriculum. If a student's opinion differs from that of the professor they are usually graded unfairly and in certain cases even forced from their class. 

I know plenty of people I went to school with that would be "the left" in todays times, and they are far from high IQ individuals. They go which ever way the "winds of change" happen to be blowing that day and are quite content in doing so. They have never had an original thought their entire life.

Okay. So let's assume (wrongly) that this Fox News caricature is really what most people (in America, anyway) think of as a leftist.

So what do these people do when they're not lefting? The ones who aren't professors or students – do they have jobs? What kind of jobs? Teachers? Librarians? Baristas? Silicon Valley? Hollywood? Or are they all welfare queens?

Instead of defining a person as a laundry list of political positions, tell us what kind of people they are, these deranged leftists. Do they congregate in intellectually undemanding occupations? Or do they tend to be in jobs that demand special skills and academic qualifications? What do these facts tell us about their intelligence?

[PorkChop96]

Okay. So let's assume (wrongly) that this Fox News caricature is really what most people (in America, anyway) think of as a leftist.

So what do these people do when they're not lefting? The ones who aren't professors or students – do they have jobs? What kind of jobs? Teachers? Librarians? Baristas? Silicon Valley? Hollywood? Or are they all welfare queens?

Instead of defing a person as a laundry list of political positions, tell us what kind of people they are, these deranged leftists. Do they congregate in intellectually undemanding occupations? Or do they tend to be in jobs that demand special skills and academic qualifications? What do these facts tell us about their intelligence?

There is no "caricature" about it, that is the reality. 


I know this will probably shock you but yes, a HGIH percentage of those on welfare are not from the "right"......But you probably don't want to know why that is or how that cycle perpetuates itself. 


Since you seem to want to think that intelligence is the end all be all of how important a person is, what occupations do you usually associate with the "right"?  Plumbers, carpenters, electricians, construction workers, truckers, mechanics, etc.?   How many of your "high IQ lefties" can go and do those jobs?  Let me answer that for you, almost none. It takes too much blood, sweat, and tears to do these jobs.   

Where would we be without those people that work those jobs?  And where would we be without those jobs that you listed off, probably a lot better off as a society than we are now.

[Bush Master]

[Astyanax]

Since you seem to want to think that intelligence is the end all be all of how important a person is, what occupations do you usually associate with the "right"?  Plumbers, carpenters, electricians, construction workers, truckers, mechanics, etc.?   How many of your "high IQ lefties" can go and do those jobs?  Let me answer that for you, almost none.

Occupations I think of as skewing more right-wing would include Wall Street financiers, media moguls,  megachurch pastors, property developers, casino operators and the Mafia.

Now how about answering my question.

[PorkChop96]

Occupations I think of as skewing more right-wing would include Wall Street financiers, media moguls,  megachurch pastors, property developers, casino operators and the Mafia.

Now how about answering my question.

You missed my point, which if you had gotten it you would know that I did answer your question. Just without hurting too many feelings.


so, to answer your question again, jobs that most from the "left" tend to have include those that take very little brain capacity, manual labor, and with little to no education, or if they do it is some bullshit degree that does nothing in the real world: barista, cashier, waiter, receptionist, babysitters, pet sitters, florist, realtor.

[Astyanax]

Jobs that most from the "left" tend to have include those that take very little brain capacity, manual labor, and with little to no education, or if they do it is some bullshit degree that does nothing in the real world: barista, cashier, waiter, receptionist, babysitters, pet sitters, florist, realtor.

Great. Here's the data.

https://www.zippia.com/advice/democratic...ican-jobs/

Enjoy!

[Oldcarpy2]

You missed my point, which if you had gotten it you would know that I did answer your question. Just without hurting too many feelings.


so, to answer your question again, jobs that most from the "left" tend to have include those that take very little brain capacity, manual labor, and with little to no education, or if they do it is some bullshit degree that does nothing in the real world: barista, cashier, waiter, receptionist, babysitters, pet sitters, florist, realtor.

You have been provided with actual data.

Where is yours?

[Astyanax]

...

I think the equivalence of leftism with Democratic Party affiliation is barely legitimate (both US parties are essentially right-wimg by generally accepted standards), but it will serve to illustrate the argument. Besides, you probably think all Democrats are leftists.

[Astyanax]

Their study may - big word there "may" - show causal relationships between IQ and educational attainment, but I think many other factors weigh in here too, such as empathy for others and/or whether or not you believe in the propaganda, I think.

"Research indicates that personality traits are significant predictors of political leaning, with high openness to experience consistently correlating with liberal views and high conscientiousness correlating with conservative views.  Studies show that individuals high in openness tend to favor new policies and social complexity, while those high in conscientiousness often prioritize order, tradition, and hard work. 
However, recent findings suggest this relationship is not strictly causal but is heavily influenced by environmental context and genetic factors.  A 2025 Northwestern University study revealed that people with high agreeableness and extraversion are more likely to align their political beliefs with their local community, meaning these traits can predict either conservatism or liberalism depending on the dominant ideology of the area where one lives. 
While early research suggested direct links, subsequent genetic analyses indicate that personality and political attitudes are likely both influenced by underlying genetic and environmental factors rather than one causing the other.  Consequently, the correlation between specific traits and political ideology is often spurious or weak, with other variables like social conformity, media exposure, and religious beliefs playing substantial roles. 

• Openness: Strongly linked to liberalism and a preference for new ideas. 
  
• Conscientiousness: Strongly linked to conservatism and a preference for structure. 
  
• Agreeableness & Extraversion: Context-dependent; align with local community norms (conservative or liberal). 
  
• Neuroticism: Correlates with liberal views on economic and social policy in some studies. 
  
• Narcissism: A component of the "Dark Triad" that correlates with specific political views, particularly regarding entitlement and exhibitionism." (LLM)
  
  https://mindpotentialpower.com/does-pers...cal-views/
  
  "I say with some accuracy because there are also other factors that determine political views. These other factors are conformity, influences from media sources, basically our information intake. This includes: mainstream media, opinions from popular figures, and social media in all its forms.
  The information that we receive can be pushed in a certain direction, or has a narrative which has a bias, with the intention of manipulating the audience. Religious beliefs, class and education also influence political orientation."
  
  
  

Not disputing this, but it's not relevant, I'm afraid. The study did not state that IQ was the only determinant of political affiliation. 

Most people venting on this thread haven't even read the abstract of the paper, let alone the whole thing.  They're just reacting to the triggers in my post headline and the title of the paper. Seeing it only as an opportunity to spew their prejudice rather than a subject to be discussed. 

Don't you go do the same as them. Be better.