But it turns out they may share something more substantial as well: political views.
According to a book by University of Vermont professor Anthony Gierzynski titled “Harry Potter and the Millennials,” college-age Potter fans share similar political stances. They are “more open to diversity; politically tolerant; less authoritarian; less likely to support the use of deadly force or torture; [and] more politically active,” according to University of Vermont writer Jon C. Reidel.
They also have similar tastes in politicians, with 83 percent of respondents saying they disliked the George W. Bush administration and about 60 percent stating that they voted for Barack Obama during his first election.
Gierzynski states that Harry Potter readers have been exposed to and acquired several advanced cognitive skills earlier than prior generations, which has left them with better thinking and argumentative abilities. "This explains why they lean to the left, politically. If you look at the right wing these days, one sees lots of hand waving but little that is grounded in careful thought or that can be defended in and through rational argumentation."
