“Big Sorter” Bill Bishop blogs “Stuff” psychologist Sam Gosling. Both live in Austin coincidentally, and each is one of my very favorite thinkers.
Conservatives’ bedrooms tended to have more calendars and postage stamps. They had more flags and sports posters. Conservatives’ bedrooms were neater and better lit—they had more laundry baskets, ironing boards, cleaning supplies, and sewing thread.
Liberals’ bedrooms had a greater variety of books (especially books about travel, feminism, and music). They had more CDs and a greater variety of music (folk, world, classical). Liberal bedrooms had more art supplies, cultural memorabilia, and maps of other countries.
These same traits carried over to the work life. Conservatives’ offices “tended to be more conventional, less stylish, and less comfortable compared with liberal offices.” Liberals’ offices were more colorful and contained more CDs and “a greater variety of books.”
Now we know your secrets…
More here.
November 4th, 2008 at 6:35 pm
Richard,
I was just watching MSNBC and their electoral analyst pointing to some potential factors allowing for Obama to be competitive in “red” states, and I could not help but think of your article in the Globe and Mail published in March, ‘Obama and the Class Question,’ which demonstrated potential correlation to the Creative Class and support for Obama.
Tonight, the analyst pointed to states with the highest levels of educated residents, the least amount of seniors, highest average income (perhaps a deceptive number), and what he called “transient” voters, or those who have moved from one state to places like Colorado and Virginia. They then went on to talk about how in “rust belt” states parents stay, but their children leave…
Hmmm…where have I heard much of this before?
Chris Matthews then said this was a “profound” way to view not only this election but future elections.
I suppose you may just have to take that as an indirect compliment.