The Diversity of Thought Conundrum

While the political left and legacy institutions continue to trumpet the call for diversity in all things, it is becoming increasingly clear that not all causes are entirely equal. There is a long-standing argument as to which political philosophy is more tolerant of diversity – the left or the right.  In this article, we posit that there is more diversity of thought on the political right than on the left.  Does this theory hold water?

Beyond the lip service to diversity, the question bears an examination through the lens of the Big Five personality traits, known as the Five-Factor model. It’s one of the most scientifically validated frameworks in modern psychology and provides insight into how acceptance of diversity can be viewed. The acronym is OCEAN: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism.

Diversity of Thought Panoply

People high in openness tend to be more on the left side of the political spectrum, whereas those on the right tend to rank higher in conscientiousness. Openness goes hand in hand with accepting new ideas, concepts, and, to some degree, creativity. So, psychologically speaking, we could posit that someone on the left is more likely to welcome diversity in all its forms. However, there’s a major caveat when it comes to diversity of thought.

There is a difference between saying you are open and actually being open. Roughly speaking, the left talks and acts collectively while the political right champions the individual. That alone signals that conservatives are more willing to take things one by one rather than engage in groupthink.

Historically, it was the Republican Party who advocated for civil rights, as the Southern Democrats vehemently opposed it. And survey after survey has found that conservatives consistently give more to charity than their progressive counterparts. This sort of “openness” with your checkbook speaks volumes.

On the right, there tends to be a broader approach to policy and cultural arguments. Conservatives may disagree on the importance of free markets, and there’s the underlying but reasonably polite tension between conservatives and libertarians. But they can still hold an individual opinion and be welcomed into the group as long as there’s broad alignment.

And that’s not the case for the more puritanical progressive left.

If we look back at the 2019 Democratic Party presidential primary contest, contenders were asked to signal via a show of hands whether they supported healthcare payments for illegal immigrants. Every single one, from Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg to Kamala Harris and Bernie Sanders, all dutifully raised a paw. Was this because they have a shared principled belief in the notion that the American taxpayer should fund the world’s health and wellness? Or was it because they knew that refusing would lead to immediate ostracism from the very people they claim to represent?

When it comes to policy and legislation, the progressives are always seeking to control things – gun control, affirmative action (another form of control), and economic equity are but a few areas where the two political philosophies collide.

In terms of where the real diversity of thought lies, one must look under the big top – that is, take a wide-angle view of what each side reveres and acts upon. Saying and doing are two different things.