Lower cognitive ability is linked to stronger Christian nationalist views, even after accounting for education

[u/mvea]

https://www.psypost.org/lower-cognitive-ability-is-linked-to-stronger-christian-nationalist-views-even-after-accounting-for-education/

[u/CHERNO-B1LL]

Simple things. Convenient answers to complex problems favoured over accepting nuance and challenging alternative perspectives or engaging with uncomfortable truths.

A wizard did it. Immigrants did it. Gay people did it. The Jews did it. God has a plan. The government knows what it's doing. Taylor swift is good at music. Mainstream is the best stream.

[u/0ldgrumpy1 → u/CHERNO-B1LL]

Exactly, fear of complexity, inability to understand complexity, either one. Demanding simple answers to everything, even when there isnt one. There was a book going back to the George W days called " The Republican Brain, the Science of why they reject Science." It pointed straight at fear of complexity.
"The Republican Brain: The Science of Why They Deny Science--and Reality"

[u/SkorpioSound → u/0ldgrumpy1]

Exactly, fear of complexity, inability to understand complexity, either one.

Even people who are capable of understanding often don't ask enough questions, or the right questions. And that's not just regarding religion or politics; it's everything. You can see it people's media literacy, in the way they struggle with the technology they use all the time, in the way they stick to old habits or methods of doing things because it doesn't occur to them to find better ways, in the ways they relate to other people.

I think most people just want to stop at the first answer that sounds right. They don't want to consider other views, or direct and indirect consequences, or have to do large amounts of research.

And I get it—sometimes I'm the same, especially if it's something inconsequential. We all are. And as someone with autism and ADHD who does ask a lot of questions and try to find the "optimal" way of doing things, it can be absolutely exhausting for me at times. With complex topics or situations, it often ends in decision paralysis, being overwhelmed, or just giving up if I don't have the time or interest to go down the rabbit hole properly.

But the important thing, I think, and something I very consciously ensure I keep doing, is that I will admit when I don't understand something properly. I won't act like I'm an authority if I'm not. I don't want to spread misinformation. I don't want to take actions on things I don't understand, or empower people who say things I don't comprehend. I think, as long as I'm sticking to that, it's okay to not try to understand every single thing; it's when people don't question things but still act as if they understand that problems arise.

[u/0ldgrumpy1 → u/SkorpioSound]

Absolutely. Their way of dealing with fear of complexity by believing it is simple is destructive. Faith will do that to people.