Blogspotting, liberal vs. conservative
Are the brains of liberals and conservatives different? A new study seems to suggest so. (hat tip, Dr. Helen)
Each participant was wired to an electroencephalograph that recorded activity in the anterior cingulate cortex, the part of the brain that detects conflicts between a habitual tendency (pressing a key) and a more appropriate response (not pressing the key). Liberals had more brain activity and made fewer mistakes than conservatives when they saw a W, researchers said. Liberals and conservatives were equally accurate in recognizing M. L.A. Times
Interesting Catch 22: if I dismiss the research, I must be a conservative. If I were liberal, I would be more likely to embrace the new idea. Except that it confirms a stereotype, an M, if you will.

And what about when the new ideas become the standard and the old ideas are the new ideas? It gets confusing like that whole old coke, new coke thing. (And if anyone can find that old Pepsi commercial about the old coke, new coke, coke classic bugaboo, I'd be forever grateful!)

Like the idea of America as a Christian nation. That seems to be a pretty old idea. Maybe conservative Christians are stuck on M. But we didn't learn it in school.

Many want to do away with religion altogether, and frame the debate in pretty pejorative terms. The argument of the few is getting stronger, but religion continues to grow.

The NEA tends to be liberal, or at least support liberal politicians. But they do not embrace change when it comes to their organization. Or teacher certification. After all, we wouldn't want any of those people teaching our kids.

I would like to give a more concrete rebuttal of the research into the political mind, but alas, I am no neurobiologist. I can, however, link to one. It sounds like perhaps a few too many people in the blogging world were a little quick to accept this new idea...this little W...that conservatives are stuck on M.

But then we all tend to latch onto that which confirms our own worldviews and shut out the rest. It is called schema theory.

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