I'm a XXXXX because my parents are!

[Godwynn]

What kind of bogus statement is that?

In my many travels I've ran across numerous peers who used this line. Perhaps I am a lucky one and think for myself and didn't have my parents spoon feed me political philosophy down my throat.

I can feel my heartbeat in my eyelid when someone says that. It screams out "I cannot make up my own decisions!"

Is "I am a Democrat/Republican/Asshat because my parents are!" a legitimate reason to be an idiot?

 

[Trajan12]

If that were true I'd be an alcoholic computer programmer. *shudder*

 

[Swedishguy]

Well, I'm atheist just like my dad, but that's because I have made up my decision, I think it's the most rational way. Are you saying that I can't make my own decisions because my dad i8s an atheist?

 

[stormbind]

People are taught language, culture and customs. For example, I do not put my elbows on the table because mum used to yell at me and withold food when I tried. The thread title is not nonsense.

 

[Godwynn]

Well, I'm atheist just like my dad, but that's because I have made up my decision, I think it's the most rational way. Are you saying that I can't make my own decisions because my dad i8s an atheist?

No, I am saying if a person is an atheist because their father is, then it is probable that they are an idiot.

 

[BasketCase]

Why is it so hard to believe??? All of us want everybody else to think the way we do. If you disagree, jump into a global warming thread and see how much fire I draw.

Since we're a socially-oriented species, we're going to do pretty much whatever it takes to fit in. If that means having the same opinions as people in your crew, there ya go.

 

[Godwynn]

Since we're a socially-oriented species, we're going to do pretty much whatever it takes to fit in. If that means having the same opinions as people in your crew, there ya go.

If that person has some reason to believe that then sure. Just basing a whole political philosophy because that person's parents are something is bogus.

 

[sourboy]

It was true for Boba and Jango...

 

[BasketCase]

If that person has some reason to believe that then sure. Just basing a whole political philosophy because that person's parents are something is bogus.

The parents provide things the child wants. Therefore: please the parents in order to assure food, shelter, attention, and the like.

It's the same after the kid grows up. When you want something from other people (such as social interaction) you have to give something back. And what people want, more than almost anything else, is to be imitated.

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

What kind of bogus statement is that?

In my many travels I've ran across numerous peers who used this line. Perhaps I am a lucky one and think for myself and didn't have my parents spoon feed me political philosophy down my throat.

I can feel my heartbeat in my eyelid when someone says that. It screams out "I cannot make up my own decisions!"

Is "I am a Democrat/Republican/Asshat because my parents are!" a legitimate reason to be an idiot?

I'll start of by saying that I don't know why someone would choose those specific words "like my parents" to include in the sentence. I don't see what they could be trying to get across, unless it's an attempt to brag about their conformity, in which case they're most likely brown-nosers, and no matter what else they said, they've already classified themselves as ass-kissing simple-minded lunatics.

But, I digress.

As for the actuality of following your parents' lead, I think it makes perfect sense for an adolescent to do so. If you parents were anything worth a damn, you probably looked up to them, maybe admired them, and probably trusted them more than you did other people. I know I did. And because of this, you're more likely to take their word over someone else's, especially on matters you know little about, like politics, for example. I know that, growing up, my parents were (and still are) conservative, and that my ideas about the world, and yes, politics, were very much shaped by their views in those areas. It wasn't that my pops shoveled rhetoric down my throat while my mum chained me to the wall and my sister flashed a flashlight on and off really fast in my face while Flight of the Valkyries boomed in the background, but more so that I put more trust in their views and explanations of things than I did CNN or some ranting liberal on a stump. Of course, my opinions of things changed as I matured more and more, to the point that now I'm quite liberal, though it shouldn't be confused with rebellion against my parents, because I've come to my views differently than that, but I digress once more.

Basically, I can understand the fact that someone thinks what they do because of their exposure to it as children, and I also understand how something can be firmly engrained into one's sense of being, but I don't understand why someone would feel the need to flaunt it in the way that you describe.

 

[Godwynn]

The parents provide things the child wants. Therefore: please the parents in order to assure food, shelter, attention, and the like.

It's the same after the kid grows up. When you want something from other people (such as social interaction) you have to give something back. And what people want, more than almost anything else, is to be imitated.

That makes that person weak, and an idiot.

If said person actually thought through things and eventually came to agree with what their parents taught, that is one thing. Justify a political stance because his/her parents share the same view, without knowing why, is ignorant.

 

[Godwynn]

As for the actuality of following your parents' lead, I think it makes perfect sense for an adolescent to do so. If you parents were anything worth a damn, you probably looked up to them, maybe admired them, and probably trusted them more than you did other people. I know I did. And because of this, you're more likely to take their word over someone else's, especially on matters you know little about, like politics, for example. I know that, growing up, my parents were (and still are) conservative, and that my ideas about the world, and yes, politics, were very much shaped by their views in those areas. It wasn't that my pops shoveled rhetoric down my throat while my mum chained me to the wall and my sister flashed a flashlight on and off really fast in my face while Flight of the Valkyries boomed in the background, but more so that I put more trust in their views and explanations of things than I did CNN or some ranting liberal on a stump. Of course, my opinions of things changed as I matured more and more, to the point that now I'm quite liberal, though it shouldn't be confused with rebellion against my parents, because I've come to my views differently than that, but I digress once more.

Blindly following someone else is dangerous, as well as it gives us horrible sayings such as "NOT MY PRESIDENT!"

There is a major difference between a 13 year old and someone who is of voting age. I would like to think that 18 year olds can think for themselves, but this thread is making me think the worst about voters.

"I'M VOTING STRAIGHT-TICKET REPUBLICAN LOL!"
"BECAUSE I AM A REPUBLICAN!"
"BECAUSE MY PARENTS WERE!"

 

[capslock]

Just as many young people (probably more, actually) are XXXXXXX because their parents are YYYYYYYY.

If you have educated, intelligent, good parents, why is it so bad to borrow some of their worldly wisdom? Its good to make up your own mind about things, but as a young person, pretending to know everything yourself is probably the worst of all.

 

[GoodEnoughForMe]

Where's the XXX?

 

[Godwynn]

Just as many young people (probably more, actually) are XXXXXXX because their parents are YYYYYYYY.

If you have educated, intelligent, good parents, why is it so bad to borrow some of their worldly wisdom? Its good to make up your own mind about things, but as a young person, pretending to know everything yourself is probably the worst of all.

I am not saying agreeing with your parents is wrong.

I am saying agreeing with your parents without knowing why is.

 

[Mirc]

I am saying agreeing with your parents without knowing why is.

Why is that? If you don't know anything about the subject, doesn't it make more sense to choose your parents' opinion than other people's, for people who respect your parents?

Edit: I mean "their", not "your".

 

[Godwynn]

Why is that? If you don't know anything about the subject, doesn't it make more sense to choose your parents' opinion than other people's, for people who respect your parents?

No, it would be best to remain open minded about the subject.

 

[JZ_UK]

My parents are a man and a woman, I am not both...

Anyway... if people are raised in an environment which is unquestioning of X truth then its simply easier on the whole social stability thing not to question X... also they've likely heard the reasons why X is superior many times over and thus any argument that X, say in this instance, molesting kittens, is in fact wrong will likely be met by suspicion and out of hand rejection.

If your parents and their forebears were all raving kitten molesters then you'd find yourself in a most isolated position should you reject their furry ways and as a general rule the odd tantrum aside we tend to try and keep conflict with our immediate unit to a minimum.

 

[BasketCase]

That makes that person weak, and an idiot.

No. Just practical. Parents are as fallible as any other human beings. For the kid, survival (and the desire to avoid a yelling-at or a spanking) takes precedence over just about everything else. It would be nice if parents could accept dissenting viewpoints, but parents are humans and therefore usually can't.

If said person actually thought through things and eventually came to agree with what their parents taught, that is one thing. Justify a political stance because his/her parents share the same view, without knowing why, is ignorant.

Which reminds me--most people end up considering any given political stance through whatever education the parents gave them........

 

[Elta]

There is a major difference between a 13 year old and someone who is of voting age. I would like to think that 18 year olds can think for themselves, but this thread is making me think the worst about voters.

"I'M VOTING STRAIGHT-TICKET REPUBLICAN LOL!"
"BECAUSE I AM A REPUBLICAN!"
"BECAUSE MY PARENTS WERE!"

You would be surprised, my sister/mom/step dad/aunt/uncle/grandma/ grandfather all do not keep up on politics at all - and they all vote for who I tell them too

Some people just take the word of other people that they trust. *shrug* It's one of the rare things I am in charge of in my family - my grandmother rules with an ironfist


If it makes you feel any better according to my political science text book only 2/3rds of children vote the same way their parents do with regards to republican/democrat identified/registered parents