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re: Why Scientists and extremely smart people are usually socialist/leftist
Posted on 8/29/14 at 10:15 pm to LordSaintly
Posted on 8/29/14 at 10:15 pm to LordSaintly
quote:
The quality of life in academia is very comfortable. Teach 2-3 classes a semester, no 8 hour work days, summers off, etc.
You make less money, but many people want these jobs.
Not to mention that they usually get paid to go to conferences, set their own hours (generally), and get paid extra to teach a summer course (at my university it was like 1/9 of their full salary); it's really a good gig in many situations. I guess it depends on the field though. Whereas some fields there are hundreds if not thousands of applicants for one job, in my field there are 20 to 30 jobs every year and some do not get filled.
1
Posted on 8/29/14 at 10:16 pm to buckeye_vol
quote:
I'm just saying that the ability to acquire, and reason with, knowledge and vocabulary is important.
Anyways, most abilities begin to level off around adulthood. Abilities that require more immediate cognitive processing (speed, working-memory) tend to decrease with age more quickly than other abilities.
No issue with that.
After considering it for a moment, I realize that I may be somewhat 'allergic' to the suggestion of the Crystallized Intelligence piece because recently on here I got into an extended argument with (what I now realize was) a huge troll, who said that because of Crystallized Intelligence, much-older people are literally smarter than young adults, all else equal, even despite the physiological deterioration.
Posted on 8/29/14 at 10:24 pm to 90proofprofessional
quote:
No issue with that.
After considering it for a moment, I realize that I may be somewhat 'allergic' to the suggestion of the Crystallized Intelligence piece because recently on here I got into an extended argument with (what I now realize was) a huge troll, who said that because of Crystallized Intelligence, much-older people are literally smarter than young adults, all else equal, even despite the physiological deterioration.
See now that's just absurd (the other poster's argument). Sure it is important have the knowledge (although the difference isn't that large after early adulthood), but that doesn't offset poorer problem-solving, memory, and speed of processing.
It's like an aging athlete with knowledge and experience; if the other abilities have decreased significantly, then it doesn't really matter what the athlete knows when he can't make the play.
This post was edited on 8/29/14 at 10:30 pm
Posted on 8/29/14 at 11:08 pm to NoNameNeeded
As a scientist, you couldnt be more wrong. There are liberals in science, but there are conservatives too.
The difference is my political beliefs dont influence my work. Those that do are the vocal portion.
The difference is my political beliefs dont influence my work. Those that do are the vocal portion.
Posted on 8/30/14 at 12:01 am to NoNameNeeded
quote:still mad the smart kids make the money? Or have you shown them with your street smarts?
NoNameNeeded
Posted on 8/30/14 at 12:07 am to Sellecks Moustache
quote:
It's because they're pretentious asses who think they know what is best for the people, even more so than the people themselves.
This is the correct answer.
Posted on 8/30/14 at 12:12 am to LSUTigersVCURams
quote:The correct answer is the base presumption was incorrect.
This is the correct answer.
Posted on 8/30/14 at 12:26 am to Henry Jones Jr
quote:
quote:
Extremely intelligent people are also agnostic / atheist by a disproportionate amount.
There's a physicist at Ole Miss who is a big Christian and apparently every time he explains how something works he throws in "ALMOST like it was planned be that way"
I think when you really get deep into things like number theory and you see the way some numbers interact it can really help to reinforce the idea that this was all designed/planned/constructed etc.
Posted on 8/30/14 at 12:41 am to CptBengal
quote:
As a scientist, you couldnt be more wrong. There are liberals in science, but there are conservatives too.
The difference is my political beliefs dont influence my work. Those that do are the vocal portion.
I think the problem is that most of the top scientists are busy with research in their respective field of studies, and they don't have time to exclaim their political beliefs to the world. The professors that I worked with that were doing at least somewhat practical research (that seemed to be important) may have leaned one way or the other politically (more left though), but they always seemed relatively rational and did not have extreme views.
It seems that those that stray away from the real world present more extreme views and present them more loudly; this increases the likelihood of their views being noticed and over-represented.
Posted on 8/30/14 at 2:33 am to HailHailtoMichigan!
What if I told you that many left intellectuals, like Marx for example, were for decentralization.
Posted on 8/30/14 at 2:41 am to Sleeping Tiger
quote:
What if I told you that many left intellectuals, like Marx for example, were for decentralization.
Socialist ends through capitalist means are not that anathema to me. In fact, I expect it to happen in many (but not all) instances.
Also, labor theory of value is LULZ
Posted on 8/30/14 at 2:54 am to buckeye_vol
quote:
Whereas some fields there are hundreds if not thousands of applicants for one job, in my field there are 20 to 30 jobs every year and some do not get filled.
What is your field?
Posted on 8/30/14 at 3:36 am to LordSaintly
quote:
The quality of life in academia is very comfortable. Teach 2-3 classes a semester, no 8 hour work days, summers off, etc.
If you have tenure, which can be difficult to achieve. Until then, you work your arse off and kiss a lot of other people's asses. And tenured positions are being phased out at a lot of universities. The cushy academic career is becoming a thing of the past.
Posted on 8/30/14 at 4:44 am to HailHailtoMichigan!
quote:
Why Scientists and extremely smart people are usually socialist/leftist
Leftists aren't smart people
Posted on 8/30/14 at 6:34 am to kywildcatfanone
There's book-smart & common-sense smart
You've got it made if you have both, but to much of the other skews ones thinking to much.
Like many situations, balance is best
You've got it made if you have both, but to much of the other skews ones thinking to much.
Like many situations, balance is best
Posted on 8/30/14 at 10:59 am to buckeye_vol
quote:
I think the problem is that most of the top scientists are busy with research in their respective field of studies, and they don't have time to exclaim their political beliefs to the world. The professors that I worked with that were doing at least somewhat practical research (that seemed to be important) may have leaned one way or the other politically (more left though), but they always seemed relatively rational and did not have extreme views.
It seems that those that stray away from the real world present more extreme views and present them more loudly; this increases the likelihood of their views being noticed and over-represented.
Sorry. Your calmly-reasoned explanation doesn't fit the invented-from-thin-air hyperbole of the OP.
Posted on 8/30/14 at 11:01 am to HailHailtoMichigan!
I know a lot of people in microbiology that are very conservative.
Posted on 8/30/14 at 2:30 pm to Sellecks Moustache
quote:
It's because they're pretentious asses who think they know what is best for the people, even more so than the people themselves.
i hold two graduate degrees - both in design/engineering type field, and i am a licensed professional. i work full time for private company but have experience in academic setting and research setting. from what is described in this thread, it seems i am one of the people generally being referred to.
i hold beliefs that are surely labeled liberal by many here. to say i am pretentious or think i know what is best for "the people" is just way off. in an internet forum, that is a claim that really isn't defendable either way so not really worth debating it with you.
Posted on 8/30/14 at 2:42 pm to HailHailtoMichigan!
quote:
SpidermanTUba
I remember when he was posting under one of his many alters, Ottothewide, he stated he was a welfare social worker in NOLA.
Posted on 8/30/14 at 2:47 pm to gerkin
quote:One of ~1,000,000.
it seems i am one of the people generally being referred to.
quote:
to say i am pretentious
quote:Res ipsa loquitur.
it seems i am one of the people generally being referred to
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