Becoming conservative as you age? - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!



Go Back   TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards! > Members Lounge > Budget Travel Community > General Discussions

General Discussions ANYTHING GOES HERE, BABY! Woot! Woot! Need I say more?!

BOOYAHKASHAA!

Raileurope.com: See Europe by train
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 11-12-2005, 06:26 PM   #1
travelguy
Members
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 330
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default

What explains this?

I've lost, like, a good half of my liberal tendencies as I've grown up. I remember arguing vigorously in high school for things that I disagree with entirely now.
travelguy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-12-2005, 06:30 PM   #2
LostInTow
Members
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: South Georgia
Posts: 60
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Send a message via AIM to LostInTow Send a message via MSN to LostInTow Send a message via Yahoo to LostInTow
Default

I've found the opposite for me.. though I don't know your boundry as far as "older".. I'm only 20.. but in high school I was alot more conservative.. held close to Christian values and that kind of thing.. as of now I've lost of those core values that often made me judgemental... have opened up to almost anything and anyone... and become agnostic...
__________________
Quote:
To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and to endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.” - attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson
LostInTow is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-12-2005, 06:32 PM   #3
LostInTow
Members
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: South Georgia
Posts: 60
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Send a message via AIM to LostInTow Send a message via MSN to LostInTow Send a message via Yahoo to LostInTow
Default

Oh and I tend to take up more causes and typically do things just to piss people off who arn't as open as me... just to argue with them.. it's kind of a bad tendency... if that makes sense..
__________________
Quote:
To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and to endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.” - attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson
LostInTow is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-12-2005, 06:34 PM   #4
TheJake
To Smart For Mensa
 
TheJake's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Salt Lake City
Posts: 5,585
Thanks: 3
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
Send a message via AIM to TheJake Send a message via MSN to TheJake Send a message via Yahoo to TheJake Send a message via Skype™ to TheJake
Default

Ah lot of people have gone the way of the conservative as they've aged and that was always the tendecy in the past. For years the younger crowd has been the "liberal dreamers" believing things would be better "only if" and then growing up and believing they couldnt change anything and the world is a terrible place, protect your own and screw the rest yada yada yada.

The new trend according to polls though is that people now are retaining their liberal views longer and stronger as they age. Which is a reason many of the conservatives believe that issues that before never would have been heard, like gay marriage, are now not only being heard but excepted.

Being conservative is not my choice but it isn't a wholly bad thing either. Same with being liberal. The main reason I have become liberal in the past couple of years is due to most liberals views of the world. That people in other countries can be beneficial to a global culture, and that's a view that I don't see mirrored in most conservatives.

That's my two bits. Please don't crucify me for it.
__________________
Adventure needs to be as much about discovering yourself as it is about discovering the world.
TheJake is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-12-2005, 06:39 PM   #5
LostInTow
Members
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: South Georgia
Posts: 60
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Send a message via AIM to LostInTow Send a message via MSN to LostInTow Send a message via Yahoo to LostInTow
Default

And I just realized Jake sounds alot smarter then me and everything he said I was actually thinking in my head..
__________________
Quote:
To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and to endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.” - attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson
LostInTow is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-12-2005, 06:39 PM   #6
travelguy
Members
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 330
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default

naww no crucifixion, maybe boil you alive? j/k

what pains me most is in general conservative people are hard workers from what i have seen. liberals seem to want to penalize them for it to help out the "lazy" folk".
travelguy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-12-2005, 06:44 PM   #7
TheJake
To Smart For Mensa
 
TheJake's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Salt Lake City
Posts: 5,585
Thanks: 3
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
Send a message via AIM to TheJake Send a message via MSN to TheJake Send a message via Yahoo to TheJake Send a message via Skype™ to TheJake
Default

I think when it comes to taxes and whatnot yeah, they want to penalize the richer folks to help the poor, kind of an ass backwards robin hood system that gets abused more than properly used I think.

I think most non-spotlight liberals though genuinely care about those around them a bit more than most conservatives. When I volunteer at the water stations downtown during the hot phoenix summers it's mostly hippies and liberals, not ALL liberals, but the majority.

They pay for water and get grocery stores to donate and whatnot. I think that much like the extreme muslims that make the news it's always the worst representatives that make headlines.

know what I mean vern?
__________________
Adventure needs to be as much about discovering yourself as it is about discovering the world.
TheJake is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-12-2005, 07:33 PM   #8
xanthuos
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: New York, NY & The Road
Posts: 1,447
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Send a message via AIM to xanthuos Send a message via MSN to xanthuos Send a message via Yahoo to xanthuos
Default

It really depends on how you define the conservative position.

I am personally against government-administered assistance programs - Medicaid/Medicare, welfare, food stamps, Social Security, farm subsidies, etc.

However, I am very liberal when it comes to social issues & freedoms...unlike the Republican party of today, I am for the least governmental intereference as possible - including issues like abortion, gay marriage, prostitution, etcetera - so called "value" issues. I am for equal rights for EVERYONE. Absolutely a free-speech advocate, completely for the absolute separation of church & state, and for the right to own and carry handguns.

You may be thinking...that sounds a lot like my views! Is there some sort of political party out there that espouses these views? Why, my friend, there just happens to be such a party...it's called the Libertarian party.

I care for my fellow humans immensely. I am a strong supporter of private charity. The only difference between "die-hard liberals" and myself is that I am for giving less responsibility to government, not more.
__________________
Regards,
Matthew
xanthuos is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-12-2005, 07:54 PM   #9
Tadpole
TPunk Recognized
 
Tadpole's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: South Carolina, USA
Posts: 1,007
Thanks: 0
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
Send a message via AIM to Tadpole
Default

hmmm...i belaive i just may be a libertarian
__________________
"Sundace, I can't help you now."
~Butch Casady
Tadpole is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-12-2005, 08:06 PM   #10
jaboba46
Members
 
jaboba46's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 145
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default

me too tadpole
__________________
come away, O human child!
to the waters and the wild
with a faery, hand in hand,
For the world's more full
of weeping then you
can understand
jaboba46 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-12-2005, 08:37 PM   #11
Joker
You want fries with that?
 
Joker's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Maryland... yeah, i know it sucks.
Posts: 2,230
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default

I swing around on issues. I am very much a civil libertarian at heart, however.

I look at the current GOP and DNC and realize that as much as they claim to be different, they are very much the same animal. The one saving grace, if you will, of the GOP, is that the extremists on the left make the mainstream Democrats look like idiots by association.

Furthermore, I've become far more liberal as I've gotten older. I am not, however, a fan of social welfare programs, and part of what we saw in the aftermath of Katrina is why. The complete and total dependance on Big Brother to provide for you in all circumstances showed to me very clearly the collapse of the welfare state.

This being said, I'm not a complete and total asshole- i do think that people should get a hand up when they are down and out. But means-test it- meaning that you cannot crank kids out to get a bigger check and sit back munching on Government Cheese your entire life. At some point you need to draw a line. The US as a whole expects far too much of the government, and that is one of the reasons why I am in favor of less government.

I also am a certified gun nut (love 'em. Stuff that asplodes always has intrigued me.) so the stance of the gun control lobby drives me batty. That is the biggest single reason why I could never register as a democrat. That and the extremists that they affiliate themselves with: Michael Moore, George Soros, etc. Overall, though I'm too spread across different issues to be called one or the other.

__________________
Misadventures of a Crazed Kitchen Pirate

"Steve is the prototypical cool American male. Y'know, I'm talking about Steve McGarrett, alright? Steve Austin, Steve McQueen. Y'know, he's the guy on his horse, the guy alone. He has his own code of honor, his own code of ethics, his own rules of living, man. He never, ever tries to impress the women but he always gets the girl."


Joker is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-12-2005, 08:50 PM   #12
goyincognito
TPunk Recognized
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: somewhere...
Posts: 490
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Send a message via AIM to goyincognito Send a message via MSN to goyincognito
Talking

Quote:
Originally posted by xanthuos@Nov 13 2005, 05:33 AM
It really depends on how you define the conservative position.

I am personally against government-administered assistance programs - Medicaid/Medicare, welfare, food stamps, Social Security, farm subsidies, etc.

However, I am very liberal when it comes to social issues & freedoms...unlike the Republican party of today, I am for the least governmental intereference as possible - including issues like abortion, gay marriage, prostitution, etcetera - so called "value" issues.* I am for equal rights for EVERYONE.* Absolutely a free-speech advocate, completely for the absolute separation of church & state,* and for the right to own and carry handguns.

You may be thinking...that sounds a lot like my views!* Is there some sort of political party out there that espouses these views?* Why, my friend, there just happens to be such a party...it's called the Libertarian party.

I care for my fellow humans immensely.* I am a strong supporter of private charity.* The only difference between "die-hard liberals" and myself is that I am for giving less responsibility to government, not more.
[snapback]86569[/snapback]

Libertarian, aye. The most liberal of all conservative movements and the only party that makes any sense in my opinion...

Anyone who viewed any political material by libertarian presidential candidate Badnarik in the last election was sold...who couldn't want more freedom and less Big Brother gettin up in your business? I always laughed when the Republican tents would claim they were for more personal responbility and less government, when they're responsible for one of the largest inflations of government size, debt, spending and power over private citizens in American history.

Think tanks have released reports claiming that reforming government bureaucracy and significantly lowering the size of the federal government would allow for a tax cut of staggering proportions while allowing for a MINIMAL loss of services at the individual citizen level...we sorely need at least tacit reforms along this path, as our borders are completely unsecured and we're pouring ridiculous sums of money into a quagmire that should be at the very least PARTIALLY sent to law enforcement and counterterrorism.

I'm still registered Republican though I won't abide the theocractic tendencies of the current Republican regime, but the more moderate people who truly stick to personal responsibility and small government will have my vote, but I will almost invariably vote for a libertarian at the local level, where the most changes can take place. I vote on issues, and not on parties or people...imagine that!

I will most likely never vote liberal, though...it's just too far removed from my political views. I once argued with a liberal (Harvard graduate and everything) who worked as an aide in the Kerry campaign, and after losing all arguments to me regarding issues, reforms and any de facto CHANGES that need to take place she essentially made her final point saying, "Well, in my worldview, if you're not in a political party, you don't matter."

I hope I don't need to explain the inherent stupidity in that remark.

aye...politics. High 5 for the LP, Xan I could go on and on but I'll quit it here for now.
__________________
goyincognito is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-12-2005, 09:48 PM   #13
The Monsignor
Don't cut the red wire...
 
The Monsignor's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Washington
Posts: 1,419
Thanks: 0
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
Send a message via MSN to The Monsignor Send a message via Yahoo to The Monsignor
Default

Yeah, I kinda align slightly to the right of center on most things (very slightly) and I'm registered Republican, but I'm also more a civil Libertarian than anything else.

I am pro- abortion, death penalty, guns, legalized pot, gay marriage (especially if both chicks are hot), general separation of church and state (but not so far as to bitch about the pledge of allegiance or public monuments that refer to the bible), legal immigration, small government and a general reduction of entitlement programs (for both business and the general public).

I am anti- religious right trying to legislate my morality, crime is "society's fault", unguarded borders, pacifist, extremism, political correctness and the left's attempt to make everyone's rights more important than mine.

At this point, however, I've found little to like about either party, and despite their supposedly opposing viewpoints, to me they seem to be for the same corrupt, bloated, and self-promoting agendas.

My views hadn't really changed much since I was a teenager, either. They have strengthened with age, but I think that's more a matter of gaining the understanding to back up my opinions.
__________________
"A bad carpenter always blames his tools!" - Grandpa Boris

Make war, not love! It's safer!


The Monsignor is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-12-2005, 10:06 PM   #14
kingcrazylegs
***** gear guru
 
kingcrazylegs's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 6,299
Thanks: 0
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
Send a message via ICQ to kingcrazylegs Send a message via AIM to kingcrazylegs Send a message via MSN to kingcrazylegs Send a message via Yahoo to kingcrazylegs
Default

I feel I have become more liberal in my views and more moderate in my behavior. I have certainly expanded my box leaps and bounds since say high school and am open to more ideas and live more on my own terms and such, while on the other hand I have made up my mind more on who I want to be and how I want to live my life and thus calculate my decisions better.

Make sense?
__________________

all that is not given is lost
kingcrazylegs is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-12-2005, 10:33 PM   #15
mark-0
Members
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Toronto, ONT, CAN
Posts: 266
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default

I've kind of lost a sense of liberal and conservative in the general sense. In Canada, the terms mean something completely different from in the US, but I've been pretty left of centre my whole life and I think I've gotten more left wing over the years, but more disillusioned with government up here because no matter what the party, they seem to drag their feet. I've never signed up for membership with any political party, but have worked on NDP (our social democrat party) campaigns and vote with them mostly, because of their stance on civil liberties. The Liberal Party (supposedly centre-left) seems to straddle the fence too much so that they can steal votes from both the left and right wings. But I digress. I believe in personal freedoms to the extreme. But government control of certain institutions, like health care, energy etc...is not necessarily a bad thing, it's just that it's usually not very responsible or accountable. Even though I despise violence, I think people should be free to have guns, but they need to understand how to use them responsibly.

Anyway, liberal and getting more so, but wholly angry at provincial and federal governments of late up here in Canada.
mark-0 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-12-2005, 10:40 PM   #16
travelguy
Members
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 330
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default

damn, notice something here?

the folk who are kinda right wing kinda say they are kinda registered republican. what are you afraid of? being devoured by the masses? just say what you mean
travelguy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-12-2005, 10:51 PM   #17
TheJake
To Smart For Mensa
 
TheJake's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Salt Lake City
Posts: 5,585
Thanks: 3
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
Send a message via AIM to TheJake Send a message via MSN to TheJake Send a message via Yahoo to TheJake Send a message via Skype™ to TheJake
Default

Nope all I noticed is people saying that party lines are blurry and they don't fit into any of them.

Does that bother you travelguy?
__________________
Adventure needs to be as much about discovering yourself as it is about discovering the world.
TheJake is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-12-2005, 11:02 PM   #18
Joker
You want fries with that?
 
Joker's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Maryland... yeah, i know it sucks.
Posts: 2,230
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally posted by travelguy@Nov 12 2005, 11:40 PM
damn, notice something here?

the folk who are kinda right wing kinda say they are kinda registered republican. what are you afraid of? being devoured by the masses? just say what you mean
[snapback]86611[/snapback]
Look, not everyone can be defined by a two-party political system. In this modern day and age, not everyone is going to be 100% left or right of center. There are too many issues to polarize people as it is, and a divisive political party affiliation doesnt always work.

Furthermore, does it really surprise you that there are some registered Republicans, such as myself, that have somewhat liberal leanings on certain issues? Not all of us have drank the Kool-aid offered by either party and can still think independantly.
__________________
Misadventures of a Crazed Kitchen Pirate

"Steve is the prototypical cool American male. Y'know, I'm talking about Steve McGarrett, alright? Steve Austin, Steve McQueen. Y'know, he's the guy on his horse, the guy alone. He has his own code of honor, his own code of ethics, his own rules of living, man. He never, ever tries to impress the women but he always gets the girl."


Joker is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-12-2005, 11:10 PM   #19
travelpunk
Admin
 
travelpunk's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: spiznain
Posts: 6,581
Thanks: 46
Thanked 13 Times in 11 Posts
Thumbs down

Just want to remind everyone to be respectful of each others views and stances.





NO ATTACKS, NO NAME CALLING. PERIOD.





United we stand....Amen .






travelpunk is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-13-2005, 12:06 AM   #20
Somnambulation
TPunk Emeritus
 
Somnambulation's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: California
Posts: 1,692
Thanks: 0
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
Default

Quote:
Originally posted by Joker@Nov 12 2005, 11:02 PM
Not all of us have drank the Kool-aid offered by either party and can still think independantly.
[snapback]86618[/snapback]
Haha, thats great. Like others, Im a registered Republican but agree with that party less on personal freedom issues. They are better the democrats in some ways in regards to personal freedom and worse in other respects. On foreign policy I think the Republicans ahve the right overall idea, although they have not handled the Iraq situation as well as they could have.

As far as becoming more conservative with age, I dont think I really have. As soon as I have been able to comprehend politics, Ive pretty much stayed consistent. It always usd to piss me off that my brother would get away with doing less chores than me and getting the same allowance, so mabye thats where my stance against social spending came from.
Somnambulation is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply






Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 05:45 AM.



 

Search Engine Friendly URLs by vBSEO 3.2.0 (Unregistered)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121