Why are youth embracing conservatism? (www.yconservatives.com)

[hoosier]

The Roe Effect
College students are moving to the right, the Christian Science Monitor reports. "Cultural and political observers have been declaring a conservative groundswell for at least 15 years":

Why are youth embracing conservatism? There are two reasons, says Ryan Thompson, editor in chief of Young Conservatives (www.yconservatives.com), a weekly Web publication with a staff of about two dozen young writers nationwide.

"There [are] legitimate people out there that really believe in this, and I think that's because some parents in some respects are a little more protective because they know what they did during the '60s generation," says Mr. Thompson, who expects to begin his freshman year at Hillsdale College in Michigan this fall. "Then, there's also some [for whom] I think it's a rebellion, almost. You see the excesses of that generation. And people, when they see the excesses of one generation, they go to another side."

[Kevin]

Excesses of a generation?

Wha?

Anyhow.. it's an article from the CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR, not exactly a "Fair and Balanced" source of news.

It doesn't give numbers, it just says that some younger people are conservative. Damn! Give that writer a Nobel prize!

Now, when the NYT writes an article about how many youths are conservative, I might listen.

[AXOjen]

Originally posted by ktsnake
Now, when the NYT writes an article about how many youths are conservative, I might listen.

When the NYT writes an article about how many youths are conservative, I might have a heart attack.

Hoosier, I love your Dave Barry quote! I have to say... I agree with him.

[swissmiss04]

To give the article some credit (some, not much) there is a natural historical cycle of conservatism and liberalism that cycles about every 15-25 years or so. If you trace back as far as colonial times you'll see periods of progress followed by periods of regression. For example, in the 19th century, the age of the robber baron was followed by many reforms in the early 20th century (income taxes, food and drug laws, etc).

Of course, to say that some youth are conservative is one of those Sherlock comments (as in, "No shit, Sherlock"). I don't see how it's really newsworthy.

[kappaloo]

Originally posted by ktsnake

Anyhow.. it's an article from the CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR, not exactly a "Fair and Balanced" source of news.

Supposedly the Christan Science Monitor isn't all that bad.

[Optimist Prime]

because people rebel against their parents/elders. If you are a liberal expect your kids to be conserveitive. It happens. Plus, they have really slick marketing.

[UKDaisy]

Because conservatives are cool

[wrigley]

Swissmisso4 has a point. The last time there was such conservative upswing was when Reagan was elected to office in the 1980's.

[Rudey]

Umm actually any swing in political sentiments is a 40 year swing...but anyway.

The New York Times had an article like this I would say about a year ago with the surge of conservatism on campuses across America if anyone is interested and has a subscription.

-Rudey

[Kevin]

Originally posted by Rudey
Umm actually any swing in political sentiments is a 40 year swing...but anyway.

The New York Times had an article like this I would say about a year ago with the surge of conservatism on campuses across America if anyone is interested and has a subscription.

-Rudey

The most I've been able to find is that "conservatives exist". I'm not going to go find that article.. but does it actually give some kind of study result or something meaningful? Or is it just saying that "Conservatives exist and are no longer having their lunch money stolen" or something to that effect?

[Rudey]

Originally posted by ktsnake
The most I've been able to find is that "conservatives exist". I'm not going to go find that article.. but does it actually give some kind of study result or something meaningful? Or is it just saying that "Conservatives exist and are no longer having their lunch money stolen" or something to that effect?

http://www.bucknellconservatives.org/press/NYT.shtml

That's one example from May 2003.

If you're looking for hard data on the handover of political power and influence, Robert Fogel is a nobel laureate who collects the most comprehensive amount of Demographics data that I've seen and has written about the 40 year cycles before.

-Rudey

[honeychile]

WINSTON CHURCHILL once said, "A man younger than 30 who's not a liberal has no heart and a man older than 30 who's not a conservative has no brain."

Maybe the way so many of the college generation are forced to "grow up before their time", this phenomenom is becoming apt for younger and younger?


And I had an aunt who tried to force feed The Christian Science Monitor to us as kids. For those of y'all who don't think Fox News isn't "fair & balanced", you'll REALLY hate the TCSM!!!!!!

[Taualumna]

Originally posted by honeychile

Maybe the way so many of the college generation are forced to "grow up before their time", this phenomenom is becoming apt for younger and younger?

I don't think college kids are forced to "grow up before their time". It is only the younger set, those in late elementary school and middle school who are doing so. With the phenomenon of twenty and thirty-somethings moving back home, people are actually staying "young" longer. I think "teens" today start at like 9 and end at 30!

[AtlantaPhiMu]

Time magazine also recently featured an article on this subject. It appears in the August 30 issue and is entitled "The Right's New Wing" by John Cloud. Just an fyi that other sources are also addressing this topic. Thanks.

[krazy]

The New York Times is the most liberally biased newspaper in print.