Thoughts on brains

Re “Researchers find left-wing brain, right-wing brain,” Sept. 10

We learn that, based on keyboard tap patterns, “liberals could be expected to more readily accept new social, scientific or religious ideas.” President Bush’s single-mindedness is unfavorably compared with Sen. John Kerry’s ability to change his mind.

As I am not a liberal, I will play it safe with my apparently limited cognitive resources and restrict myself to a simple textual analysis of this article. I learn from it that liberals “had more brain activity,” “made fewer mistakes” and are more than twice as likely to score high in accuracy.

The only good thing the researchers have to say about conservatives, on the other hand, is that their tendency to “block distracting information could be a good thing depending on the situation.”

When it comes to condescension, I would also give the edge to liberals.

William D. McCants

Belmont, Mass.

So, it’s finally proved true about conservatives: “Don’t confuse me with the facts.”

Harvey H. Liss

Irvine