Submitted by Rona_Gura on

Older and Wiser?

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Lifestyle

This blog is not about politics. This blog is about change.

As a young adult, I was a left wing liberal. My father, on the other hand, was a right wing conservative. We used to love butting heads over politics. I was the “meat-head” to his Archie Bunker. My father would end every argument with these words, “You’ll see that I’m right when you get older.” I would just laugh in response.

Lately, I wonder if my father’s prophecy was right. Every so often I will say something and my husband, whom himself is a bit of a conservative, will laugh and say, “If your father could only hear you now.” And, I have to admit, while I do still consider myself liberal in my thinking, I have ventured a bit towards the middle as I have gotten older.

As I have recognized this change in myself, I have wondered whether my father’s prediction was grounded in his own experience. And, since I can’t ask him (at least not without the help of the Long Island Medium), I’m asking you Gotham. Have you shared my experience? Have you found yourself changing your point  of view as you have gotten older?

Comments

Donald Bernstein

Rona,
My father was a Goldwater Republican, so we had our issues over the years. He defended Nixon to the last.

Submitted by Vincent_Serro on Mon, 06/03/2013 - 00:45

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Vincent Serro

When I was younger and more idealistic I used to be quite a bit more liberal. Over time I've come to realize a lot of liberal ideas that seemed good in theory when I was in college just don't seem to work that well when you look at the long term results. Over time, I've grown to think that a lot of conservative ideas that seemed "cold" and "heartless" to me when I was 20 years old are actually more practical and effective. I could go into specifics but I'm sure we'd get into a longer political debate that would be better avoided.

Submitted by NULL (not verified) on Mon, 06/03/2013 - 01:10

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What's a liberal?

Sarah Palin

You didn't think your new web site would keep me away for long did you?

Submitted by StephenMichel on Mon, 06/03/2013 - 03:06

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Stephen Michel

As they say, All politics are local. Another saying is, There are no athiests in foxholes. Combine the two and I come up with, There are no liberals that own a house.

Submitted by Erik_Scheibe on Mon, 06/03/2013 - 06:43

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Erik Scheibe

One of my favorite quotes from Winston Churchill, "If you're under 30 and your not a liberal, you have no heart. If you're over 30 and you're not a conservative, you have no brain." A wise, wise man.

...btw, some of my best friends are liberals :)
Fred Klein

My heart bleeds for the under dog and I don't think I'll ever change.

Submitted by NULL (not verified) on Mon, 06/03/2013 - 13:20

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I was going to offer up the Churchill quote, but I'm too late. I am still liberal in some respects, but much more conservative in others. Ironically, as part of the change I'm often reminded of a saying we used to hear when we were little - sometimes one bad apple spoils the bunch, or its close relative life isn't fair. For instance, with international relationships we've seen some of the same world problems getting no better over the course of out entire lives. I've come to realize that some societies are better than others, and some are simply bad, period. That doesn't mean there aren't good individuals within those societies, but the societies are still bad. In the real world, cultures have to deal with each other on the macro level in order to get anything done. We aren't necessarily Archie Bunkers if we acknowledge that some societies are bad, nor for making real world decisions that may impact individuals in those societies even ones that are fine people we'd rather not hurt. Does this make sense? I'm not sure I'm finding effective words....
Riva Schwartz

Beat me to the Churchill quote! - Yes, I have gotten markedly more conservative as I age

Submitted by Erik_Scheibe on Tue, 06/04/2013 - 15:24

In reply to by NULL (not verified)

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Erik Scheibe

and deep down inside, I am a hippy wannabe...it's my brain that doesn't allow my hert to just suspend reality to indulge
Corey Bearak

Yes a bit wiser...in how I promote and defend my political views which many consider liberal or progressive

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