29 October 2010

The future leans left

An analysis of General Social Survey data found that, contrary to popular belief, people tend to become more liberal with age. The study (done two years ago) looked at people's views on politics, economics, race, gender, religion, and sexuality, rather than just asking whether they label themselves "liberal" or "conservative".

The common belief that people become more conservative with time probably stems from the fact that, at any given time, older people are typically more conservative than younger ones. It's when you follow a particular age cohort through the years that the real trend becomes apparent. The older generation who are now largely conservative were even more conservative when they were younger. And today's relatively liberal people under 30, if they follow the same pattern, will become even more liberal as they mature.

(As with any such broad trend, one can always find individuals who are exceptions; the point is the overall pattern.)

A more complete report on the study is here.

Even if the Republican party does well on Tuesday, over the long haul the ideology it represents today is doomed.

3 Comments:

Blogger Ranch Chimp said...

Ranch Greeting's Infodel!

Thanx for the posting and review link on this, because I have never seen any opinion's on this that I recall ... yet ... oddly ... it's how I felt for so long. And one of the reason's why I also say much about thing's like "one can only liberate or truely free oneself" (similar) ... you see ... I have alway's simply thought also our culture's, religion's, and such are what keep's our mind's enslaved, because we are kind of programmed socially to think in the box and follow, as well as our tribal instinct's ... all of which I see as becoming obsolete as our species evolve's as well. Along with maturity also come's more understanding and a realisation of the reality that surround's. Many say they are free and liberated is why I bring this up much, because you can be told you have every freedom known in human history .... it will not mean a thing, if you cannot free your own mind ... which is truely what I call breaking the chain's of the psychological enslavement. One case quickly in particular .. 20 or so year's back ... a fundamoralist baptist raised gal I met ... who questioned the existence of God her whole life ... but had such a hard time rejecting the way she was brought up, the psychological struggle on her was difficult, cause her instinct's told her one thing (to question), but her social/ familia life told her something else and to reject it. I had spent alot of time with her trying to help her understand and showing her how to free her mind from the persecution it endured.

29 October, 2010 06:49  
Blogger Sue said...

That all sounds very reasonable Infidel.

I hope you are right about conservative ideology.

Liberalism is tolerance above all else, I believe we become more tolerant as we age. The conservatives become more rigid and close-minded. This is why I love liberals.

29 October, 2010 08:23  
Anonymous Tim said...

Infidel
That study is true except of you own a Hovaround. Then it all changes to I got mine and screw you...

Next spring I'm trying to organize an event just for hovarounds. I'm calling it the blue hair 500..
I'll let you know how I progress.

29 October, 2010 11:29  

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