Quite a few differences in personality, typical behaviour and beliefs have been identified between people with left-wing and those with right-wing political views. Many have been highlighted in the recent book The Republican Brain which, despite the title and bias of the author, highlights strengths and weaknesses of those from both ends of the political spectrum and also suggests our society needs people from both ends of the political spectrum (or at least people with the personality traits that are typical from each end). One difference that was not mentioned but which I'd like to propose is that left-leaning people have a stronger innate sense of compassion than right-leaning people. This could be viewed as an attack on conservatives but I’m more of the view that no amount of susceptibility to feeling compassion is right or wrong – people simply differ. Left-leaning people will view right-leaning people as lacking in compassion at times while those of the right often view th