Take this example, in an article whose headline says: Liberalism, atheism, male sexual exclusivity linked to IQ, which is, you have to admit, a compelling headline. So, reading there, I came across this tidbit:
aligning oneself with "unconventional" philosophies such as liberalism or atheism may be "ways to communicate to everyone that you're pretty smart," he said.I then found further speculation on the "unconventional" nature of liberals, characterizing them like this
The study takes the American view of liberal vs. conservative. It defines "liberal" in terms of concern for genetically nonrelated people and support for private resources that help those people. It does not look at other factors that play into American political beliefs, such as abortion, gun control and gay rights.Of course, there's some back pedalling, shoulder shrugging, and but, but's when the author says, ""Liberals are more likely to be concerned about total strangers; conservatives are likely to be concerned with people they associate with."
There, that's what I found reading online media this morning. I have to go back and find the little parenthetical anti-liberal paragraph I found on CNN earlier. I think there's a pattern here.
Just for the record, I'm a liberal atheist. I also have a fairly high IQ. I do not consider myself to be unconventional.
3 comments:
Jay, i took that to mean liberal vs. conservative in a larger context than what we normally think of (mainly, the political realm). If you think in terms of thousands of years of evolution, "conservatism" would be behaviors that focus on survival of self and immediate family, screw everyone else. It is a fairly recent phenomenon (and hence, loosely speaking, "liberal") that we are able to look beyond our most basic needs to that of others -- I didn't read this as an anti-liberal tidbit so much as a way to refer to liberalism as a progressive, more evolved state -- but that might just be me "projecting." ;-)
What dictionary do you get your definition of unconventional from - mine has Random Mutter guy as number one. Kay in Greenfield
Annie, you're right, but I take issue with the "normative" use of the distinction. Many commentators these days seem to assume if we're not hunkered with a club protecting the mouth of our cave then we're somehow flighty, other-worldly, and errmm... liberal!
And Kay, touche... but I think I'm a lot more conventional that I used to be.
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