Aging and Conservatism

[GenMarshall]

This discussion has been moved over here to avoid threadjacking in another thread. Clearly it has to do with getting older and being more conservative. Many people agree, some disagree, and some say the opposite (getting older the more liberal you become). Please share your insights in regards to this topic .

Conservative in a sense that one who does not want things to change (The classical kind)

 

[Little Raven]

In the traditional sense of the word 'conservative' (meaning someone who does not want things to change) there is some small truth to this. Generally speaking, the older someone is, the more they have invested in the current system, and the more reluctant they are to see the system change. Even in this case, though, you can expect significant deviation.

However, that is not what conservative means when it comes to American politics any more. I suspect the same is true in other countries. So be wary when applying this bit of wisdom to modern elections.

 

[.Shane.]

Define "conservatism" within the context of this question.

 

[GenMarshall]

Define "conservatism" within the context of this question.

I alredy did in the first post.

 

[Kan' Sharuminar]

I'd also say that, as someone ages, their own personal views become more and more fortified (for use of a better word) and they become more knowledgable about said policies. To younger people, this can make them seem more conservative.

 

[Sidhe]

Agree it was OT.

I started of conservative because of my parental influences, but as England evolved I came to see that being selfish and self seving wasn't anything I wanted to be part of, this happened in Thatcherite Britain, slowly but surely I saw the damage this did to the mentality of people, and when it collapsed it was a lesson well learned I hope for many people.

I like the idea of governmental control over certain issues, but I also like the idea of personal freedom, it means I come down halfway between socialism and conservatism, IMHO a truly evolved person recognises the right of the state to impose certain conditions on it's public, but also recognises basic freedoms and tries to help out those who are less fortunate. Rule with responsibility to all your subjects is my position, capitalism with respect to the poor you subjugate by it's fundemental inadaquacy; all the law but with humane responsibility to those who don't quite make your grade, through no fault of their own.

I'd also say that, as someone ages, their own personal views become more and more fortified (for use of a better word) and they become more knowledgable about said policies. To younger people, this can make them seem more conservative.

I don't tend to chastise people for their politics unless it's in debate and counter to my beliefs, they still have the right to have them though. To me the world becomes more grey as you become older, and I find myslef less certain, but I am not exactly commonplace.

 

[Oruc]

Well I've been conservative for most of my life, never liked change, I like familiarity. Well unless your not talking about that kinda conservative

 

[Atlas14]

I don't like change for the most part, which is largely a factor in my conservative beliefs. I come from a region in Maryland that maybe 25 years ago had simply a tiny, dwarf sized Acme, a Pizza Hut, and was mostly farms, woods and marshland. It is an island in the Chesapeake Bay. However, over the years as I've been growing up (Im only 18 btw) more and more "newcomers" have moved here, from the Western shore of Maryland, and they bring their different values, way of life, and in many cases arrogant beliefs. They seek to alter my home town to their way of liking which resembles the way they lived over there on the Western shore. I don't like their way of life one bit, and they seek to ruin this island's once simple life. Now its almost unrecognizable and if you look at my kindergarted total class and my graduating senior class, none of the kids are the same, except maybe 20 kids total. The Western shore brought with them tons and tons of people who have destroyed the woods I used to play in as a kid, the streams I used to play in, the small life. Of course I have changed too, mostly because I've made friends with many of the kids who've moved here, but I feel guilt and regret for transforming to their way of life. Houses by the tens of thousands have replaced the farms and woods that shaped this island, Kent Island. The watermen used to thrive off of the abundance of crabs in the Bay, but these intruders, these Western shore migrants have built their waterfront homes, trashed the bay, thus destroying local ecological balance. It makes me mad, but I tend to view change as bad, unless its in the academic fields, cause our school system is the craps, and desperately needs change .

 

[bgast1]

I used to walk to school barefoot uphill in 3 feet of snow.....seriously, I think as we get older and more experienced in life we tend to reject a lot of things morally. For instance, when I was 18, I turn 55 tomorrow, I probably would have accepted pro-choice as my moral stand. Today, I am staunchly pro-life. As we grow older, we experience more and I think that colors our outlook on life. In many cases, certainly not all we grow more conservative just as a part of aging and necessity. What some consider to be progress, I consider to be detrimental.

 

[pboily]

As I get older, the only thing I know for sure is that I know less and less: I yearn for the certainty that comes with not being experienced.