James Q. Wilson on Genes and Politics - and Authoritarianism

Quicksearch

Blog Administration

RSS Readers

Friday, February 13. 2009

James Q. Wilson on Genes and Politics - and Authoritarianism

I have heard employers and managers commonly remark that "so and so doesn't have the DNA for this job." It's well-known by now that many, if not most, temperaments, talents, personality traits and tendencies have a genetic foundation. With overdetermined things like political attitudes, one might expect those foundations to be obscured by life experience, education, and personal growth.

But they aren't, entirely. Wilson discusses in City Journal. A side point he makes, which I feel is well-taken, in reference to Adorno's famous study of the authoritarian personality and Bouchard's further work on the topic. He says:

In his study of identical twins reared apart, Bouchard concludes that right-wing authoritarianism is, to a large degree, inherited�but he says nothing about the Left. This omission is puzzling, since as Bouchard was studying twins at the University of Minnesota, he was regularly attacked by left-wing students outraged by the idea that any traits might be inherited. A few students even threatened to kill him. When I pointed this out to him, he suggested, in good humor, that I was a troublemaker.

Yet if you ask who in this country has prevented people from speaking on college campuses, it is overwhelmingly leftists. If you ask who storms the streets and shatters the windows of Starbucks coffee shops to protest the World Trade Organization, it is overwhelmingly leftists. If you ask who produces campus codes that infringe on free speech, it is overwhelmingly leftists. If you ask who invaded the classroom of my late colleague Richard Herrnstein and tried to prevent him from teaching, it was overwhelmingly leftists.

He gets it. I never understood the equation of "Right" with Libertarian/Conservatism either. His essay, The DNA of Politics, here.

It is curious how Darwin, evolution, and inheritance is ignored by the rabid Lefties. Unless God is involved. The wacko Left is ever on the march.

Posted by Dr. Joy Bliss in Our Essays, Politics, Psychology, and Dr. Bliss at 12:59 | Comments (21) | Trackbacks (0)

Trackbacks

Trackback specific URI for this entry

No Trackbacks

Comments

Display comments as (Linear | Threaded)

I thought Dr J. J. Ray did a good job refuting Adorno. There's always some people that don't get the word.
To see Dr. Ray's publications go to

http://jonjayray.tripod.com/auth.html .

#1 Ray on 2009-02-13 13:30 (Reply)

By "right" most people mean Fascist or Nazi. However, these are both socialist movements, as is Communism. All three differ from democratic socialism in that they are totalitarian, violent, intolerant, aggressive, and expansionist.

Unfortunately, committed leftists are usually impatient with democratic processes, and they almost always succumb to the totalitarian temptation. The leaders of the EU, socialists all, go out of their way to subvert and prevent democratic processes that would impede achievement of their goals.

So "right" is merely an evolved version of "left." They lie next to each other on the political spectrum. The "right" is the ultimate home of the "left."

#2 Bob Sykes on 2009-02-13 15:03 (Reply)

Right is Left, good is bad, war is peace...

#2.1 the b on 2009-02-13 18:13 (Reply)

The James Q. Wilson link is excellent, thanks. Have sent it to the puppies now being marinaded in leftist swill at their exorbitantly expensive colleges. They really don't "get" the idea of free speech, never having experienced it (when you have had to send them to a public high school, there is only one "correct" viewpoint on every issue, and they know that it is not wise to dissent from it). It interests me that they do not seem to realize the danger of this yet. I used to be only half joking as I would drop them off at school on the way to work and would hug them and warn "Just remember, it's like living in Hitler's Germany. Be very careful about who you express your true opinions to." They have basically learned how to keep a low profile. I wonder if I was wrong to urge caginess? Certainly at their age I felt free to opine like a jackass on first one side then another of an issue, while I figured it out. We were truly freer. Although when I was taking sociobiology in E.O.Wilson's course, we had quite the fights with the moronic people who objected to some of the remarks he made about social roles, women, altruism, etc.

#3 retriever (Link) on 2009-02-13 17:30 (Reply)

"...(when you have had to send them to a public high school, there is only one "correct" viewpoint on every issue, and they know that it is not wise to dissent from it)."

As schools, institutions do not themselves offer viewpoints, one has to assume you mean by this statement that every teacher in every public high school in America is spewing the same 'leftist' swill?

Why did you not home school them instead of sending them off to Hitler's Germany? Christian school? Private school? Ah, but then one still runs into those damnable Hitleresque TEACHERS no matter where one goes. Sigh... Life is tough, isn't it?.. Especially now that you're paying exorbitantly to have them indoctrinated in some further institution of higher Heil Hitlers.
`

#3.1 Meta on 2009-02-13 21:26 (Reply)

Oh, Meta, don't growl at me! Enjoy your chocolates and flowers and whatever else you may be looking for from all your admirers on Valentine's Day.

I never said my kids' teachers were Hitleresque! Our schools' administrators and the district policies are the problem. We admire their teachers, and put up with the district because of all our kids have learned from such wonderful teachers.

It sounds from your other comments as if your life is very different from mine, but I respect your intelligence and many of your other observations, so I would never presume to be sarcastic about your situation or your choices in your personal life. Please do me the same courtesy. This is supposed to be a friendly and courteous blog after all, not Parris Island.

You may think me a suburban ditz but we voted for the same people, I believe, and have similar views on many political and economic issues. Don't judge another mother (or do you not have children?) until you have walked a mile in her Dansko clogs.

#3.1.1 retriever (Link) on 2009-02-14 07:55 (Reply)

Oh, Meta, don't growl at me! Enjoy your chocolates and flowers and whatever else you may be looking for from all your admirers on Valentine's Day. ----- Growl? I was drooling and not only that, I was drooling onto my keyboard. I hope one of my many admirers gives me a new keyboard along with some nice bon bons and bon mots. I could use the intellectual stimulation after actually being addressed by a mother opining high atop her jackass in self righteousness that I don't understand her and I'd better shut up and be courteous. Credit due for not saying you didn't see me in church tomorrow.

I never said my kids' teachers were Hitleresque! Our schools' administrators and the district policies are the problem. We admire their teachers, and put up with the district because of all our kids have learned from such wonderful teachers.---- Perhaps more precise writing skills? You did not say your children were taught by administrators. So, the district policies are "Hitler's Germany" then? Why didn't you protest that your children had to keep a low profile because of those policies? It's not healthy for teenagers to fear. However, you fear nothing so I am sure that balanced things out. (I am basing that statement on how you handle hospitals, nurses, and doctors.)

It sounds from your other comments as if your life is very different from mine, but I respect your intelligence and many of your other observations, so I would never presume to be sarcastic about your situation or your choices in your personal life. Please do me the same courtesy. This is supposed to be a friendly and courteous blog after all, not Parris Island. --- My life is very different from yours. I'm a trust fund baby with a southern upbringing. As a result of that upbringing, I don't whine or complain. I don't care about the money other than it allows me freedom from people who think they're better than everyone else. I don't put my situation out there for you to presume about, and as that is all you seem capable of putting out, I doubt courtesy is anything you can expect from me - especially after two years of your snide attacks that are based on not seeing me in church. As well, no blog is friendly and mamby-pamby all the time. How boring. Even the breast-feeders blogs get into the most outrageous fights. Way fun, that is. Come to think on it, Retriever, I challenge you: I challenge you to make a nice comment. A comment that doesn't center around you or your miserable life. You know, something observant and just plain nice. It might make you feel better.

You may think me a suburban ditz but we voted for the same people, I believe, and have similar views on many political and economic issues. Don't judge another mother (or do you not have children?) until you have walked a mile in her Dansko clogs.--- Suburban ditz? I figured you lived in a house on the family farm with a video game and TV for everyone who dwells under your perspicacious offices. Not sure about the husband in the basement. He doesn't cook because you make the lentil soup. Can't grok you there on the suburban ditz part. I have two perfect children who are not afraid to stand up for themselves and who would give their lives for me. I'd return the sentiment before they could, of course. There is no yelling or criticizing or complaining in my house. Neither of my children whined a day in their lives. End of why you and I are very different and unlikely to ever see eye-to-eye on anything.

`

#3.1.1.1 Meta on 2009-02-14 18:09 (Reply)

"The wacko left is ever on the march"...Yeah, well the wacko right has been mighty vocal here lately. You people need to come down off of your high horses some. While I despise the left, when the right gets power it's not too happy to share it either. Left or right, people who crave power are, in my mind, basically the same contemptuous animal (and I mean animal in the literal sense). I see two opposing groups who would be perfectly happy to see the entirety of the other locked up and/or shot. Perhaps the only reason we have freedom or representative government is because it's the only compromise the two evil forces could come to.

#4 KRW on 2009-02-13 19:36 (Reply)

Knock out comment KRW. We all seem trapped in some sort of yellow journalism rag of the 1880's or so. Destined to face the fate of Oceania, Eastasia and Eurasia. All we lack is the third leg of the triad. And that may soon come.

The 'high horse' is exactly what I was thinking earlier on the 'Who is a conservative' thread. (and I will answer you Al).

Much is said of 'America'... but all either party can do is run around like a chicken with its head cut off. Sure... the Dem's are in a position right now to make the next two years exceedingly depressing for those of who may think things are going to hell in a hand basket.

But... it's not the end of the world. Though it may give every appearance of being such. But I have to get off my soapbox... I hate being preached to.

#4.1 Luther McLeod on 2009-02-13 22:01 (Reply)

Come, come now, KRW... Just because we disagree with liberals and socialists in their holier-than-thou attitudes about what we conservative folks should do with our lives and our money, doesn't mean we want all of them locked up or shot. Some of us are ever hopeful that reason will prevail in their thought processes as they grow older and mature. And besides, shooting of human beings is so messy, and it's a sin against humanity besides.

My "high horse" is out to pasture, poor thing. He's too old to be ridden any more. How about yours? I have a sneaking suspicion he's a lot younger than mine. Anyway, give him a rest for awhile, and maybe we can discuss things calmly.

Marianne

#5 Marianne Matthews on 2009-02-13 20:50 (Reply)

M'am, with all due respect, I was speaking of "people who crave power".

#5.1 KRW on 2009-02-13 21:44 (Reply)

I guess being in favor of individual liberty, a government of limited powers, a tax burden of under 20% of GDP and a reasonably strong defense, is a high horse.

What exactly is the low horse I should be riding on, KRW? Could you spell it out for me? Give me some policy positions I should adopt that would make you happy.

#6 AL Maviva on 2009-02-14 00:11 (Reply)

No, Al (if I can call you al), I am not opposed to "individual liberty, a government of limited powers, a tax burden of under 20% of GDP and a reasonably strong defense". Those are all positions I believe in. I'm just not sure who on the right believes them. Not the "Christian" conservatives who want to interfere in people's personal lives, not the "republicans" who want to build bridges to nowhere, not those who send our men to war without sufficient resources or with a well defined plan in place (and I believe the Iraq invasion was the right thing to do) nor the flexibility of thought to change course when things aren't working. And certainly not "republicans" who stand only on the mantra of lower taxes without taking responsibility for cutting spending.

#6.1 KRW on 2009-02-14 09:23 (Reply)

ha ha ha....

Get these mutts away from me
You know I don't find this
stuff amusing anymore

If you'll be my bodyguard
I can be your long lost pal

Meta .. but you can call me Betty.
`

#6.1.1 Meta on 2009-02-14 18:15 (Reply)

Betty, our 'Fair Weather Queen'
why are you soft in the middle
when you know life is so hard

who will be our role-model
if you duck down the ally

Happy Valentine's Day

;)

#6.1.1.1 bonedigger on 2009-02-14 21:30 (Reply)

KRW, If a person does not believe in personal liberty, limited gov. low taxes and stong defense, then they are not on the right.
Who are these Christian conservatives who always want to interfere in your life, KRW? I'm a Christian conservative and I couldn't care less what you do with your personal life and I don't know of any other Christian conservatives who care what you do. Maybe were not good Christians. I still believe Christians have just as much right as anyone else to express what they think is morally correct. You may have been watching too much TV and are falling for the lefts cultural stereotype.
Repubicans are not by definition conservative. Not much we can do about it. Maybe you should direct some of your pissoffedness to those who deserve it, the left.

#7 sean on 2009-02-14 10:08 (Reply)

First seanny boy, it's not about me and what Christian conservatives are doing to me, personally. But judging from your response I take it that Christian "conservatives" where you live are now all fine with homosexuality, recreational drug use, and a woman's personal decision about ending a pregnancy. At least that's not the case where I live...and come to think of it, on a personal level it wasn't all that long ago that they were the ones trying to tell me what Martin Scorsese movies I could see.

As for your other comments about who is on the right, re limited gov and strong defense, those on the right enjoy talking the talk but not so good walking the walk.

And as far as lower taxes go, see my previous comment. Hell anybody can be for lower taxes just like on the left it's easy to be for more spending. But if you're going to be for low taxes and you have any sense of responsibility, you have to stand up and take the hard line on cutting spending.

As for where I should direct my pissedoffedness, I tend to save it for those I think are willing to listen. The left fails miserably at this. If those on the right aren't willing to listen to criticism of where they fail to live up to their own standards it wont be because I didn't say anything. And it's not like the right has been successful lately with its current SOP.

#7.1 KRW on 2009-02-14 10:49 (Reply)

I guess Christians should not express their views or exercise their First Amendment rights because you might take it too personal. Someone gives me their personal point of view, Christian or not, I take it for what its worth. If someone wants to say we shouldn't go see a movie, good for them, but I'll decide what I watch. If its an atheist and they don't want me to see a religious movie, I'm not going to run around damning all atheists for trying to impose their views on me. I know plenty of open minded conservative atheists. Good people. You have the right to say and knock any group you want and I have the right to respond. Take it anyway you like, but you shouldn't take it personal, at least from my perspective.

#8 sean on 2009-02-14 11:56 (Reply)

Oh wah wah wah yourself. At no point did I say you weren't entitled to express your opinion, just like I my right to oppose your opinion. I mean, your not trying to squelch that, right? And more importantly as far as making a political impact and turning things around in this country, the zealotry hurts the general cause. You don't like gays, don't have sex with one (amazing how hard it is for some "conservatives" to follow this point). And don't pretend like the Christian right is not interested in passing laws that try to control people's behavior. Realy, now.

#8.1 KRW on 2009-02-14 12:18 (Reply)

By their nature, laws are nearly always trying to control behavior. Laws tell people not to murder, physically harm, or take others goods and property. By the way, these are covered in the ten commandments. Another case of those pesky christians trying to ruin your fun. It is also the basis of our Constitution. Laws are moral in essence, telling us what is good and what is bad for society.
Just out of curiosity, what are these laws these christians are trying to impose on you? Are they trying to say that maybe its not a good idea to kill your innocent unborn child?
Damn party poopers. Do they not want gays and transwhatevers to have extra rights? I don't know of any gay who can't marry like I can. I don't know of any gay that can't leave thier money to their partner. Ah, maybe those christians are trying to make laws to protect the young from preditors and the porn industry. How dare they? Maybe you should get your head out of your ass and forget about some christians boycotting The Last Temptation twenty years ago and wake up to the islamofascists waiting in the wings to lop off your head. If you want to worry about religionists taking away your rights, Islam is a good place to start. By the way I saw The Last Temptation and it sucked.

#8.1.1 sean on 2009-02-14 17:54 (Reply)

Today nobody knows what �right� or �left� means anymore, much to the politicians delight. Confusion creates cash, right? I first heard that last phrase from a dishonest coworker who now manages (controls) the local office of his company. Interesting who gets rewarded in non-democratic power games.

So �right� or �left� thinking (as it�s interpreted today) couldn�t be inherited. Unless confusion is inherited. But authoritarianism, tribalism, idealism, and megalomania are inherited � as in influenced by genetics.

#9 commander clopfelter (Link) on 2009-02-14 14:02 (Reply)

Add Comment

Name
Email	(Your e-mail will not show in your comment)
Homepage
In reply to
Comment	By commenting on this site you agree to the site rules listed here. Email addresses will not be displayed and will only be used for email notifications. Quick reference guide: [i] italics [/i], [b] bold [/b], [u] underline [/u], [url] (web address) [/url]. More tips here. Enclosing asterisks marks text as bold (word), underscore are made via _word_. E-Mail addresses will not be displayed and will only be used for E-Mail notifications. To prevent automated Bots from commentspamming, please enter the string you see in the image below in the appropriate input box. Your comment will only be submitted if the strings match. Please ensure that your browser supports and accepts cookies, or your comment cannot be verified correctly. Enter the string from the spam-prevention image above: BBCode format allowed
	Remember Information? Subscribe to this entry

Maggie's Farm

Our Recent Essays Behind the Front Page

Categories

Quicksearch

Links

Blog Administration

RSS Readers

Friday, February 13. 2009

James Q. Wilson on Genes and Politics - and Authoritarianism