The title says it all:

Usually I like to stir it up on Facebook with my conservative friends/frenemies, but this was too direct and in your face that it would more than likely tick them off. This article dovetails nicely with my own thoughts based on my own life observations. And I have found this to be pretty accurate. The thrust of the article states that low IQ and Conservative Ideology lead to prejudicial views of other classes of people.

Truer words have never been said.

While the article gives exceptions to the rule, it does correlate to what most people with an inkling of common sense and observational skills can tell you: you lead a sheltered life and aren't intellectually curious, you are more predisposed to be prejudiced and ignorant of other views in the world.

The rest of the story goes into much further depth here:

Link

What is really telling is that I used to be sort of like this many years ago, when I held to a religiously influenced conservative ideology. I outgrew it and most of those tendencies. I have, from time to time, recognized some of the leftovers of that period in my personality to this day. It is almost subconscious and insidious and I try to be cognizant of this mindset. But that I realize it is really a very important first step. I have found that as I search out new ways of thinking outside of the box, the less likely I am to harbor negative feelings and attitudes towards my fellow man (although my ire towards conservatives gets the better of me at times). But this is also kept in check because my thought on that mindset is that I used to be them and I understand the mentality.

All in all, a very interesting study in the article.

It's been a while, hasn't it...

A couple of years have come and gone since I last left some thoughts here on the Lair...

And a very interesting couple of years it has been...

1. Mainly, important decisions concerning the big picture have been undertaken... life changing ones and all for the better. When I am free to spill the beans, it will be a huge load off my chest.

2. MacKinnon Dax Parker and his big sister, Danica, are consuming more of my time, both in the good times and the bad. But in the end, this father thing is working out so far. Been the toughest thing that I have ever done. And having a son who loves his dad's love of motorcycling is pretty cool! I think I may have a fellow rider in the future. That would be a blast, tearing up the roads when he is old enough to ride (and only if he WANTS to).

3. Been really pouring on the extra work... making great strides in stretching my talents to bring in some really nice work. Thanks to some really fine people who have fished me this work, I can't thank them enough.

4. Some old legacy items in the brain have finally settled and are sorted through. Retrospection has helped me rethink the future and what needs to be done going forward... I have learned a lot about myself, especially these last 6 months. And I thank some key friends who have helped sort out these areas. They know who they are. And here is to some new ones.

5. Finally, I think that I need to spend more time here in the coming weeks, to share some thoughts and ideas about life, the big picture and even the small things, stuff like when it makes my day to see my son walking past me in the hall and does a big circle wave with one arm and says "Hello Dad-da!". From a two year old, no less.

Well, paying jobs require my full attention. Until next time....

Chris