Some bloggers are annoyed at the "whiny kids grow up to be conservatives" study.
I'm not bothered by it because, according to my mom, I was very outgoing and self-confident as a child. But I can understand why some people are pissed. It's very easy to make blanket assertions and in politics we do it all the time. This study provides a short term "gotcha" for liberals.
It's big fun to say whiny kids grow up to be conservative or wimpy ones become liberal but that's just talkin' smack. This study is nothing more than an embarrassment to statistics.
Did you read the study? The study was conducted at the Institute of Human Development a part of the Harold E. Jones Child Study Center. What is significant about this? The Harold E. Jones Child Study Center is only open to children of U.C. Berkeley faculty and staff. They studied children of parents that work at U.C. Berkley and I'm sure you know that this school was rated the most left-wing in the country (91%).
So, here we have a study conducted on children of the country's most liberal faculty and we think that somehow this is representative of the rest of the country?
I don't think so skippy. For me, the clincher wasn't even that this study was conducted at U.C. Berkley but this:
"A renowned longitudinal study of development originated by Jeanne and Jack Block began with children at three and followed them at 4, 5, 7, 11, 14 18, and 23 years of age."
Dude, I was a liberal at 23 years of age. Many conservatives and I do mean many conservatives were liberals when they were young. That's where that old saying comes from.
"If you aren't a Democrat in your 20's, then you have no heart. If you aren't a Republican in your 30's, then you have no brain."
I think I shall conduct a study that I will apply to the rest of the population. I will go to El Paso, Texas and find out if all Americans hate Mexicans.
Maybe I'll go to L.A. and study young black males to make broad assessments for the entire population about all black males. Wouldn't Harold Ford Jr. be pleased to know that we all believe that he thinks an affectionate term for women is ho or bitch?
Maybe I'll go to some backwoods area in Alabama to determine the percentage of racist whites in the entire country.
I love statistics especially when I can manipulate them to say what I want.
R.I.P. Steven Malcolm Anderson
Minion
of the Week
same here. I was a diehard liberal until the age of 22. I hated the President when he was first elected. in fact, I voted for Gore. I know, I'm embarrassed too.
Yeah, but it's so very, very true.
That kid that used to throw a tantrum if someone else's cake was even a tiny bit bigger, even if it meant losing his own cake as a result? Conservative. The kid who fussed and fussed if they he thought anyone was getting something that he didn't think they deserved? Conservative. The kid who insisted that everyone else go off and fight a war while he played armchair general? Conservative.
Bwaaa haaa ha ha.
This from someone who'd wet himself if handed a toy gun, let alone a real one.
Priceless.
Goodness, what made you make that bizarre assumption? You seem to have a quite elaborate and wildly incorrect mental picture of me. Although I am flattered that you have spent some time imagining what I must be like.
And John? That was a whiny response.
Yes, yes it was. "Wahh, John, I can TOO touch a toy gun without wetting myself." Or did you mean my response to you? Maybe if I was an actual conservative, but I ain't. I figured you stood and opened yourself to fire, and couldn't resist the shot.
Anyway, dude, quit whining and get a sense of humor, before you turn into a dried up old fart like Ara.
Do I really need to use snark tags here?
Anything to stop the whining.
And Ara is not a dried up old fart. Ara is effervescent and lively. His wit outshines most of us here, he is a delight, and more than once I have bothered people at work by laughing at something I have read on his site (the photo of Bush at Ara's workplace makes me giggle to this day).
And Ara, where's your blog gone?
Ahh, so it is too late for you. Lack of taste is the first sign of sinister dementia.
We'll throw you an Irish wake. Or maybe a Scots one, if we feel like being cheap.
You mean in your case? That's a trick question, right?
Stop it, you're killing me.
I'm just the man!
Talk amongst yourselves... :)
Did I miss anything??
d-p-u:
And Ara, where's your blog gone?
??
Literally? It's, like, where it's always been...?
or figuratively? Like "where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio...?"
You're freaking me out dude.
I can sum up the difference between the two groups with this: Conservatives care too much about themselves (and guns) and Liberals care too much about others (and tofu). Somewhere in the middle is the place to be.
Funny, a liberal might wish to ban smoking cigarettes but support legalizing pot, whilest a conservative wants to keep government out of our lives except when it comes to allowing people individual freedoms like sex, drugs, and pornography.