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CincyDem

(6,282 posts)
4. Do people grow into conservatism?
Sat Feb 28, 2015, 09:00 AM
Feb 2015

This is a question I always have when I see data with this theme.

In broad strokes, I think of liberalism (typically Democratic principles) as thinking forward while I think of conservatism (typically Republican) as looking backwards. I think this data supports that hypothesis - when you take the total (top chart) and break out the data by political leaning, you get a higher level of conservative among right leaning subjects (second chart) and higher level of liberal among left leaning subjects (third chart).

At 21, 25 or even 30 - I have a lot more life forward than backwards while at 65, I likely have more behind me than in front of me. That's not fatalistic or defeatist, it's just human physiology.

So at 25, all I think about it the future and how to create something new/better versus today. At 65, I've probably accumulated "stuff", I remember the good old days, and all I think about is how much better it "used to be".

Now I KNOW that's a broad sweeping generalization and many of my best friends are raging liberals over 55 because that's the kind of people I attract and am attracted to. But...if this age shift is even half true, in 30 years today's liberal bias among the young turns into a more balanced or even conservative leaning distribution.

What's missing, IMHO, is a study over time (longitudinal study) that tracks how ideology shifts with age. After all, you probably have to have something to conserve before you become a conservative.

It's likely true that the republicans are f'ed with young people but I'm less sure that they're f'ed with those same people as they age.

"Liberal" Republicans Bagsgroove Feb 2015 #1
I suspectyou are correct ... 1StrongBlackMan Feb 2015 #13
I agree with both of you strongly. Also note the higher consistency of GOP as conservative vs. those freshwest Mar 2015 #39
One day those libertarians will get laid and then their political thoughts will mature FSogol Feb 2015 #31
Looks more like they are f'd with all age groups. Kalidurga Feb 2015 #2
Ron Paul is the only one that I see that could threaten the demographic trends JonLP24 Feb 2015 #3
Do people grow into conservatism? CincyDem Feb 2015 #4
AFAIK, ideology doesn't shift much with age eridani Feb 2015 #5
yeah - there's the idea that we are who we are at age 26. CincyDem Feb 2015 #7
Conformists. They "believe" what most people in their social group believe. tblue37 Feb 2015 #25
True, that is it. My liberal roots come from a family who came of age in the Great Depression. freshwest Mar 2015 #40
I agree, it's an open question Bagsgroove Feb 2015 #6
Not so much grow as indoctrinated n2doc Feb 2015 #9
Studies I have seen have shown that the Millenial Generation are voting MORE Democratic mikekohr Feb 2015 #12
At the age of 73 I see what you are saying. However, in the elections of the past - from FDR to jwirr Feb 2015 #17
No, but liberalism can be eroded away Scootaloo Feb 2015 #26
Good question, and one I often muse about Populist_Prole Feb 2015 #32
I have to agree.... essaynnc Feb 2015 #8
How do we get the Millennials and Gen-ex people to vote? CanonRay Feb 2015 #10
Let them vote on their iPhone. vanlassie Feb 2015 #11
Appeal to their concerns? n/t tazkcmo Feb 2015 #15
Now that's just crazy talk Scootaloo Feb 2015 #28
Yet they don't care about our concerns treestar Feb 2015 #30
Very good question. This week when we won the net neutrality issue my grandson told me that this jwirr Feb 2015 #19
I suggest looking at the States where they did not 'stay home' and considering what those States Bluenorthwest Feb 2015 #22
They are disenfranchising themselves. hay rick Feb 2015 #29
Now if only they would vote. RBInMaine Feb 2015 #14
As we grow older Cryptoad Feb 2015 #16
I don't know, the DNC allows FUD etc to homogenize the parties too much uponit7771 Feb 2015 #18
not unless the national democratic party 1) adopts a liberal agenda and Doctor_J Feb 2015 #20
The GOP is losing an entire generation Gothmog Feb 2015 #21
Yup the GOP is Fucked, but so is the Democrats. No one I know in those Katashi_itto Feb 2015 #23
And young people also like Hillary.. DCBob Feb 2015 #24
the GOP has a plan, a good one guillaumeb Feb 2015 #27
"The original intent of the Founders, by the way. " That's a myth, btw. AverageJoe90 Feb 2015 #33
I threw that one in guillaumeb Feb 2015 #34
True, but we must be careful not to combat myth with myth.....nt AverageJoe90 Feb 2015 #35
This is definitely a significant part of their plan. nt hifiguy Feb 2015 #36
"This chart also shows the death of the conservative Democrat" malokvale77 Feb 2015 #37
It doesn't matter a bit if they don't vote. kiva Feb 2015 #38
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