Political Views Are Not Static But Evolving
Reflecting on what determines an individual's voting patterns. How about yours?
To shun or permanently condemn others for their political views is harsh. Few of us have the same views we did a decade ago on, say, Russia, or two decades ago on, say, the importance of faithfulness in a president. Over time, the political views of most of us evolve. What factors shape political attitudes?
“Despite family disagreements and generation gaps, children tend to grow up and vote the way their parents do,” according to USHistory.org. “Families are generally the first, and often the most enduring, influence on young people's developing political opinions. As people grow older, other influences crisscross the family, and naturally their attitudes tend to diverge from those of their parents. However, the influence still remains. Logically, the more politically active your family, the more likely you are to hold the same beliefs.”
But sometimes — often, even — family members disagree. My wife is the product of a mixed marriage. Her father was a Republican and her mother was a Democrat. So what’s an adult child to do? Make up their own mind, obviously, which can take years, even decades. Or switch back and forth.
Sooner or later, for some of us, the principles we thought we believed in no longer seem so important, or the leaders we placed our faith in no longer seem to merit it. In standing firm for certain values, we find that the political faction we swore allegiance to no longer seems to adhere to those principles.
“A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds,” wrote Ralph Waldo Emerson. Full quote.
Some of us pledge loyalty to individuals, particularly the presidents of the political parties we affiliate with, and defend them vigorously while they are in power. Once they’ve stepped off or are pushed off the political stage, we begin to
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