I've recently begun pondering the question of whether or not one's genetics/ethnicity influence their political beliefs.
Obviously, there is no denying that genetics influence everything about a person, but what I'm really wondering is if that influence impacts a given individual's political beliefs and behavior in a significant way.
To use myself as an example, I've always had a strong anti-authoritarian streak, even before my beliefs coalesced into a coherent ideological construct. To what extent can this be explained by my Irish/Scottish ancestry? Am I genetically compelled to resist large scale authoritarian structures, just like my Scottish and Irish ancestors? Is it a coincidence that one of my best friends from the Marines, who is also of Irish descent, has almost exactly the same political beliefs that I do?
Keep in mind, I am asking these questions because I do not know the answers. This is an attempt to get the ball rolling for meaningful discussion, which brings me to my next point.
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