Mister Pterodactyl
Wednesday, June 22, 2005
 
Hey Lance
How come we weren't in on this?

Possibly the title of this post should have been 'scientists study heritability of political views, find nothing interesting.' By polling sets of twins, they've attempted to measure the influence of genetics in political opinion.

"[O]n the basis of a new study, a team of political scientists is arguing that people's gut-level reaction to issues like the death penalty, taxes and abortion is strongly influenced by genetic inheritance. The new research builds on a series of studies that indicate that people's general approach to social issues - more conservative or more progressive - is influenced by genes. On the basis of a new study, a team of political scientists is arguing that people's gut-level reaction to issues like the death penalty, taxes and abortion is strongly influenced by genetic inheritance. The new research builds on a series of studies that indicate that people's general approach to social issues - more conservative or more progressive - is influenced by genes."
Note the terms 'conservative' and 'progressive,' rather than 'liberal.'

They're trying hard: "[C]ertain names and political concepts - "taxes" or "Clinton," for example - produce almost instantaneous positive or negative reactions." No shit.

The rest is a confusing mishmash comparing genetics to upbringing and ideology to party affiliation, and in the end, uh-oh:
“The researchers are not optimistic about the future of bipartisan cooperation or national unity. Because men and women tend to seek mates with a similar ideology, they say, the two gene pools are becoming, if anything, more concentrated, not less.”

I really don't know what to make of this. But, it's the Times. Via Althouse.
Comments:
Yeah, progressive is the label they are now assuming. 'Liberal' inspires poor genetic reaction.

Political scientists doing genetic study? We could make a lot of hay out of that one.

No wonder embryonic stem cell research is the darling of the liberal. They can weed out conservative/libertarian genes as well as rearrange the existing liber/con majority's gene pool.
 
Those were identical twins, you nerd.
 
They used identical twins first, then compared to fraternals and posited that the difference in agreement between pairs (the idents apparently agreed more) was due to genetic similarity. It's not my fault you can't read.

Steve: that last paragraph is a pretty good imitation of the prose in the article. Excellent parody.
 
I don't remember you guys saying you were twins. My first suspicion was that picture of you (youse) with your dad.

My sisters, two of them anyway - I have three sisters, are twins. "Fraternal" seems like the wrong term, though. Can I say "sororal?"

[The inner grammarian says, "May I...?" How the hell does she know what I really mean?!]
 
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