New Study Disputes Long Held Beliefs

A study was published today simultaneously in the New England Journal of Medicine and the Journal of the American Medical Association.  The study has far reaching medical impact, but probably even more probable social impact.  The following is a list of the findings.

Race is not contagious.  Despite the fear of many White folks, being in the same space as an African American is not likely to change the White person to a Black person.  In fact, the study focused on the 325 million Americans alive today and could not find one instance of contagious race.  Every person born white remained white despite their contact with Hispanic, Arab, Black, etc. people.

Sexual preference is not contagious.  Despite the fear of many heterosexual parents, being in the same space as a homosexual, a pan sexual, a transsexual, etc. is not likely to change the sexual preference of the heterosexual person.  The study focused on the 325 million Americans alive today and could not find one instance of change in sexual preference due to sharing a bathroom or sitting in a classroom or any other event where proximity was a concern.  Every heterosexual person remained heterosexual despite their contact with a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual or queer person.

The DNA of Christians is not different from other humans.  Despite attitudes to the contrary, after a review of over 200 million Christians and 200 million non-Christians the researchers found that there was no substantial differences in DNA between Christian, Muslim, Atheist, Hindu, Buddhist, etc.  A surprising discovery was made in this area, however.  Christians who attend mega churches, fundamentalist churches and evangelical churches average one standard deviation below the average IQ of other believers and non-believers.  Atheists are one standard deviation above all believers.

Education is contagious.  Parents with high levels of education tend to promote high levels of education in their children.  Parents with low levels of education tend to disparage college degrees, attend a fundamentalist church, and watch Fox News.  Their children end up preferring belief systems to scientific fact and raise their own children accordingly.  Parents with high levels of education tend to raise very well educated liberals.

Of all the variables of interest, only education tends to have a contagious component.  Children surrounded by highly educated adults and highly educated peers tend to develop to a high level of education themselves, capable of sorting fact from fiction, belief from fact, and demagoguery from integrity.  Conservative thinkers do not promote dramatic increases in learning nor do they celebrate scientific, mathematical, and fine arts success.  They envision K-12 education as an institution that exists solely to promote extra-curricular activities and college education as a total waste of time and money.  There remains a clear basis for their bliss.