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Ear to the Ground

Putin’s Pecs and Political Roid Rage

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Posted on Aug 19, 2009
Putin
Kremlin / Presidential Press and Information Office

According to a report in Miller-McCune, scientists have determined that muscles make men irritable and politically aggressive. That makes Vladimir Putin’s pecs troublesome, say the researchers: “If governmental decision-makers are like other humans, then their musculature may be playing a role, unconnected from rational evaluation, in their decisions to go to war.”

Why target Putin? The Russian leader famously likes to show off his guns on vacation. Behold:

—PS

Miller-McCune:

The results confirmed Sell’s thesis. For men — but not for women — bodily strength was positively correlated with how easily or frequently they angered. Stronger men also “felt entitled to better treatment,” he reports.

What’s more, they were more likely to score higher than weaker men on a “utility of political aggression” test, in which they reported their reaction to statements such as “Wars in general promote terrorism” and “To deter violence, a country needs a strong military.”

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By scared, August 20, 2009 at 7:10 am Link to this comment

Well that seems like a silly conclusion.

It’s kind of like that old stereotype that smoking pot makes people sit around and be lazy all the time.  When it seems a lot more likely that people that are already lazy are more drawn to something with the effects of pot than pot actually changing someone all that much.

Gaining muscle or strength probably isn’t what makes one unnaturally aggressive.  Aggressive people are probably just more drawn to the idea of being stronger or more muscular.

Correlation does not imply causation and all that.

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By Everest Mokaeff, August 20, 2009 at 1:31 am Link to this comment

I have another avenue to explore for Miller-McCune. How’s ‘bout Mr Putin height - he’s only 5’7. Utilizing ‘muscles test’ he’s gonna be as aggressive and war-mongering as hell. Look, for example, at US President. Mr. Obama’s height is 6’1 and he’s very peaceful especially in Iraq, Afghanistan, Columbia - and dozen of other places all over the world. I love scientific approach.

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By RubberPimple, August 20, 2009 at 1:16 am Link to this comment

Putin doesn’t have pecs… he has a bona fide set of bitch tits. His topless vacation
posturing is ridiculous. This man’s ego doesn’t fit into the wide open spaces he
loves to shirtlessly prowl.

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By P. T., August 19, 2009 at 6:49 pm Link to this comment

If George Washington had been a 97-pound weakling, we might still be British colonies.

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Leefeller's avatar

By Leefeller, August 19, 2009 at 4:15 pm Link to this comment

One time I am in disagreement, I have a billy goat which has the biggest balls I have seen on a pygmy goat and he is buff beyond Putin plus he is not aggressive unless you piss him off, then watch out. Stereotyping buff to irritability is like assigning women to bitch. If I was three feet tall, my mussel would look awesome too!

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By glider, August 19, 2009 at 3:51 pm Link to this comment

Yeah, check out Cheney’s awesome pecs.

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