“Reality is complicated and messy…Ideologies get rid of the messiness and impose a simpler solution. So, it may not be surprising that people with less cognitive capacity will be attracted to simplifying ideologies.”-Brian Nosek, University of Virginia
Researchers at the Canadian Brock University confirm what past studies have implied; that a society with an overall low intelligence results in the rise of simplistic religio-fascist idealism!
“…research has revealed that individuals who more strongly endorse social conservatism have greater cognitive rigidity, less cognitive flexibility and lower integrative complexity [complicated way of saying they are mentally retarded!]. Socially conservative individuals also perform less well than liberals on standardized ability tests.”-Gordon Hodson, lead researcher
The Canadian researchers looked at two detailed studies done in the United Kingdom. Those studies followed children into adulthood, one study began in 1958, the other in 1970. They tested verbal and nonverbal intelligence, and four cognitive abilities. The results showed that children with low IQs leaned towards right wing religio-fascism in adulthood.
The Canadian researchers concluded that right wing extremism is the result of low intelligence, not just bad economies.
Right wing dummies also self-segregate themselves adding to their downward spiral into extremism: “This finding is consistent with recent research demonstrating that intergroup contact is mentally challenging and cognitively draining…[another complicated/academic way to say right wingers are mentally retarded]“-Gordon Hodson, lead researcher
Another study was done in the United States, and showed that people with low levels of abstract reasoning tended to be racists and homophobics.
The researchers admit their conclusions are not conclusive, as they are looking at averages: “There are multiple examples of very bright conservatives and not-so-bright liberals, and many examples of very principled conservatives and very intolerant liberals.”-Gordon Hodson, lead researcher
But it’s clear, on average the people with low intelligence make up the most intolerant part of a society.
Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other.