I always thought being a Republican was a lifestyle choice. Now I see that they're born that way. Still, with gene therapy, anything is possible.
From the LA Times
In a simple experiment reported today in the journal Nature Neuroscience, scientists at New York University and UCLA show that political orientation is related to differences in how the brain processes information.
OK, let's leave politics out of this, (although that was the thrust of the article) and apply it to Masonry. Does this mean that Masonry would generally appeal to the conservative thinker, the one who likes structure in his life? Would it appeal to the ritualist who doesn't have to "think" to get things right? Is that why Masonry has a prohibition against discussing religion and politics in the Lodge? There is likely to be conflict when these subjects are discussed. If we prohibit the conflict, the conservative thinker is more likely to be happy and content.
Previous psychological studies have found that conservatives tend to be more structured and persistent in their judgments whereas liberals are more open to new experiences. The latest study found those traits are not confined to political situations but also influence everyday decisions.
The results show "there are two cognitive styles -- a liberal style and a conservative style," said UCLA neurologist Dr. Marco Iacoboni, who was not connected to the latest research.
Participants were college students whose politics ranged from "very liberal" to "very conservative." They were instructed to tap a keyboard when an M appeared on a computer monitor and to refrain from tapping when they saw a W.
M appeared four times more frequently than W, conditioning participants to press a key in knee-jerk fashion whenever they saw a letter.
Each participant was wired to an electroencephalograph that recorded activity in the anterior cingulate cortex, the part of the brain that detects conflicts between a habitual tendency (pressing a key) and a more appropriate response (not pressing the key). Liberals had more brain activity and made fewer mistakes than conservatives when they saw a W, researchers said.
Analyzing the data, Sulloway said liberals were 4.9 times as likely as conservatives to show activity in the brain circuits that deal with conflicts, and 2.2 times as likely to score in the top half of the distribution for accuracy
I know that I am a more liberal thinker. I like things dramatic and I like twists in my stories. I like things which make me "think." I enjoyed teaching because, while there was structure, the day to day of my life varied. You never knew what was going to happen within a day, even though there was a routine, there was a lot of variation in the "typical" day. There are a lot of people that way. As I have gotten older this has changed somewhat, but it is still basically true.
I even wonder if that is why some people are quick to find and point out the mistakes that others make? I can go right over something (even after viewing it several times). A (former?) friend was always quick to spot and point out errors. It would have been nice to have him say - That is a neat idea, Jay - instead of "you misspelled Commandery." I usually have another friend proofread my minutes before I print them out because I want/need to have them accurate and I don't always spot the errors. I usually have to edit these blog entries several times and I still don't catch them all.
I was thinking that I would start to learn more ritual and participate more in the degrees but, frankly, something happened in my lodge life that makes that not so appealing anymore. Being Secretary of the Lodge is very rewarding because of the various tasks one gets to do and the different experiences you have dealing with almost 200 members.
I like to find out things, to hunt and search for facts and ideas and I don't always take everything I read at face value. I use the web sites Truthorfiction.com and Urbanlegends.com to research to see if something is fact or not. I know that I drive some of my friends nuts by replying to them that the juicy e-mail which tells about the Congress pension or the little girl who is dying who wants an e-mail is a hoax. Once in awhile I let one slip through but I generally like to check it out and get the facts.
Masonically I like to do that also. There is so much Masonic misinformation floating around in cyberspace that a person really needs to be careful. My friend Jerry Marsengill used to say that if someone says "from time immemorial" before telling you something they are going to tell you a lie. Some popular Masonic Books drive me up the wall with their innuendo and half-truths presented as fact. I would much rather check it out with someone I know to be reputable such as S. Brent Morris and Chris Hodapp.
Well, I have (as usual) gotten off subject a little but I do believe that the study has value for us. Perhaps we need to investigate before we pass on that Masonic "fact." We need to realize that there is room in the "tent" of Masonry for conservative and liberal. There is something for everyone to do. One thing that really bothers me are those who think that the RITUAL is all there is to Masonry. To me the ritual is the least of Masonry and while it is worthy of our study it should not be the only thing we value in our Lodge experience. There is so much more.
Or at least there should be much more. There should be "true" Festive Boards. Fine meals and great papers presented. There should be group experiences that appeal to all, even experiences that appeal to only one segment of the Lodge. I know that I am not "big" on large events but I will attend if the activity appeals to me. There should be value in each of us. We should not ostracize someone in our lodge experience because they did something "stupid." We should be able to sit down with each other as brothers and work things out and move the organization forward. We need to realize that every aspect of Masonry will not appeal to every member and then give them room to enjoy what does appeal to them
Lodges and Masons are the same as society and the people who make it up, but we are more than that. We are a family and as such we need to treat each other kindly and not make anyone feel that they aren't valued. We all make mistakes but the value of the Lodge and the brotherhood is that we have the lessons of Masonry to help us through things. While we are conservative and liberal; public or private; younger or older we can still value each other and live the life that is true Masonry. Think on it. As my friend says; I have said.
Be loved, Hugs, j
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