“If you’re not a liberal in your 20s, you don’t have a heart. If you’re still a liberal in your 40s, you don’t have a brain.” Thoughts?

Question

DaveJord · Accepted Answer

Here is the deal with this... just my personal experiences.

When you are young that means you usually have less and are starting out with less, so you want or like to expect more help... less taxes, more social benefits. But regardless you work hard, go without, find ways to get achieve things. Your friends have fancy cars, or nice houses and you wonder how the the hell they are affording those things when you know that they earn the same or less. But you are more sympathetic to the people because you know how hard it is for you to and you embrace all the struggles and find a way to succeed.

As you get into your 40's all the hard work starts paying off... you promote, you build job experiences, advance, change jobs and move up the ladder. Then you start looking at all your friends that never progressed in their careers, and complain about the tremendous debt they are carrying how they can't sell that fancy house, because they can't afford to move or because they took out equity loans on it and are upside down or that have bad credit. You hear all about their sob stories, about how unfair it all was. Yet they all have cars, Iphones, 70 inch TVs, designer labels, king sized beds, fancy gaming systems with home theaters... and complain about being poor and having saved nothing for retirement, and will have to work for the rest of their lives.

But in reality they just did not make the smartest choices in life, they did not work as hard, or go without when they bought things they could not afford... collect welfare, food stamps, dated and married the wrong types of people... the list goes on.

So for those who are successful in their forties start to think they are the ones that worked really hard and now are they expected to pay more to support all those you failed in life. Because you faced the same challenges and made smarter choices and work super hard to get ahead, payed all the taxes and invested. You did not make excuses for your failures, you embraced them and over came them...

So yes you become less and less sympathetic because you know if they got all the things they wanted and ask for you would be the one paying the taxes and supporting their lifestyle choices.

Soteris · Accepted Answer

Yeah, that is pure propaganda. Its actually fairly smart as it contains a lot of hidden meanings.

First of all they try to label Liberals as motivated by emotion where as conservatives are motivated by facts (implying they themselves are correct)

Secondly they are trying to justify a real world scenario of a generational divide as pretending it is fine since "its just how things are and they will transition to our side later or they are STOOPID". This is meant to try ignore the fact that they are losing which would hurt them even more, ignorance is bliss and all that.

Thirdly it belittles both liberals and young people making it out to be that they dont know any better because they are inexperienced and emotional so it is fine if they are making the "mistake" of being a liberal which obviously also means that they by contrast are experienced and "logical".

Lastly, and perhaps most sinister it actually justifies ignoring empathy where they can make the excuse that the liberals are just blowing things out of proportions because they are emotional and that things are not actually that bad in reality and maybe ignoring them might even be the "factually correct" thing to do.

So yeah.. Its one hell of a manipulative piece of propaganda. Is there any truth behind it? Do people become less liberal over time and more "logical"? Not really. Plenty of studies on this, people generally holds the same political beliefs their entire life. They might develop in different directions but they generally hold the same values and would not for example switch between Democrats and Conservatives over time.

Lolaaa53553373333 · Accepted Answer

I'm not sure if I'm liberal or not, like I understand for most people it's like a spectrum and you're either mostly this or mostly that, but for me there are issues in which I'm for and which I'm against, it'd depend on the issue itself, but if I have to be put on a spectrum maybe I'd be a liberal but somehow on the right? If that makes any sense

Jessica405 · Accepted Answer

Liberal or not, each persons opinions and thoughts are just as valid as anyone else's. Just because you don't agree with someone else does not make their view invalid.

For what it is worth, I have noticed there are more Conservatives bitching at Liberals than the other way round.

Oigit · Answer

I'm a hardcore realist and have always been. The main reason why I say that is because I have had many life experiences that forced me to see and experience just how screwed up life can be. Also the right and left are not going to get that US or world they are not pushing for. Best thing both sides can do is to learn how to compromise and work towards a middle ground. Simply because the unpredictability of life and humanity in general makes the ideal US both sides are pushing for nothing but a dream.

MCheetah · Answer

I might have agreed in the late 2000s and 2010s, when I was actually in my 20s. But I certainly don't now in the post-Biden, post-COVID world we live in. Besides, I'm an Independent and think both sides of Western politics act stupid. This quote implies people have to be conservatives once hitting their 40s (which I'll be by 2027). Does that mean I'm stupid if I'm not?

And what about the extremists? Really, there is nothing wrong with being either side, or in the middle, but the extremists give their own side a bad name (especially the far-left, nowadays).

Eh. I think everyday politics is more than these black and white choices. So I disagree. The only correct answer for me would be "If you still get tricked by the media into taking sides and still think in only 'good vs evil' terms in the 2020s, then you have no brain and probably never did."

loveslongnails · Answer

Yes, I realize it's about the political association of "liberal", but it still sounds dumb to me. Funny, when you look up the actual definition of "liberal", one of them is "free-thinker". You don't find that when you look up "conservative". If I'm not mistaken, the US was founded by free thinkers, I believe. All progress ever made in this world was either by accident, or the result of "free thinkers", and not by sticking to tradition. Hmmm, just free thinking out loud.

Slartybartfast · Answer

I hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal.

That statement, in it's day, was one of the craziest liberal idea ever expressed in print by a human being.

They had to break away, found a colony so that someone else couldn't say what they had to believe in. That one is free to follow any Faith and Express any idea openly was the epic of liberal thought.

I don't care what 30 years of the foreign money backed propaganda machine called Fox "news" has manipulated people to believe liberal means.

It's an old tactic used by Goebbels like calling the Truth lugenpress (fake news) while blasting lies throughout the country.

genericname85 · Answer

Going towards my 40s, i agree. I think it has to do with life experiences and the accumulation of knowledge over time. Cause as you're young, you don't know shit. So being liberal and lead by emotions, intuition and what feels right is better, cause that's just the best you can do with the resources you have at that point.

But once you grow experienced enough to know shit, you learn which things that don't feel good are actually right. You learn what works and what doesn't, even though you might still not 100% understand why. And that's when you become conservative and young folks don't understand you anymore.

ODC2112 · Answer

It is a quote attributed to Churchill but he never said it. Churchill was a Conservative when young, liberal (in European meaning) when he was mid aged and conservative when he was old, but never Labourist.
It is a quote that changes over time systematically. Here it is possible to find a long term evolution of this quote.
However I have an heart made of brain.

NaultD · Answer

Better analogy. Giving a single fuck about another person is being a liberal. Not Giving a single fuck is republican.

It's still in the same vain as your question but how is it different? I would say when capitalism endlessly beating you down to another cog in the machine.

BeMuse · Answer

You should learn what liberalism is. Get an education. You can't claim to have a brain, if you don't understand a concept that you call people brainless over. What you are doing is equivalent to maskers that insist that masks work, even though the science was dead clear before the pandemic started. They cling to a fabricated religious delusion and insist that anyone that disagrees with the narrative is inferior. The lot of you are lunatics...

Kyle-Jackson78 · Answer

From an economic and nationalistic views conservatives are better then liberals, Liberals think with emotion and want a socialist nation which we never will be, Democrats want reliance on the Government while republicans what more self freedom, Each has its own pros and cons. Which is why we have a balance of power in the first place

Anonymous · Answer

Liberals don't necessarily have a heart if you consider they love abortion.
If you haven't realized that both parties are corrupt and controlled by money from special interest groups by your 40's then you don't have a brain.
Smart people are Politically Independent and see politics as bullshit because it is.

TexasRed95 · Answer

So I am much more conservative in my views but I know many intelligent people with liberal views. The big thing is if they are a left extremist. That's who people refer to with stuff like this. Because there are just as many extreme conservatives that don't put much thought into their choices. Even having the same views I find people like them difficult to have a political conversation with.

Sparks32 · Answer

It's true when your young your make decisions based on feelings and believe what ever you want to be true, but as you get older you should start to get smarter and except the truth in all it's ugliness as fact,

abc3643 · Answer

Of course, I disagree.

BUT:
The idealism of youth does fade with real-world experience and the slow revealing of human nature and human imperfection, but the ethics should not change; just the tactics.

Lucy-123 · Answer

I honestly don't know much about politics but from what i know I think I would mostly fall under liberal? I guess we'll have to see what I think in the future but from all I've seen of "conservatives" I never want to be like that.

FreyaRed · Answer

I think Churchill said that. He was 20yo. 100 years ago, since then the information throughput changed massively due internet. Therefore it's not valid today.

Nagahime · Answer

I don't really care about politics. All I know is that sometimes I agree with Republican points and sometimes I agree with Democrat points. I guess I'm just kind of in the middle, I don't know.

Anonymous · Answer

I hate how the term "liberal" is used nowadays because now it is used for people who are anything but for liberty. Assuming you mean leftists, I agree.

Most leftist ideology involve constantly increasing the list of what you are entitled to and increased dependence on the government.

UdontNeedtoknow · Answer

Winston Churchill made that quote and its correct for the most part. However, I would almost disagree with it since the "modern" left is so fucking insane and racist. That quote sadly may become outdated because of them.

Hispanic-Cool-Guy · Answer

Disagree. If you actually think about it, it's actually the reverse.

Right wing U. S. politics doesn't care about the elderly and poor as they tend to be against social programs to protect the vulnerable and poor.

EnglishEuropean · Answer

It's an oversimplification but there's a kernel of truth in the statement. When you have your own money and property you tend to become more of a fiscal conservative. That's why you hardly ever see an old hippy.

NorthAfrican · Answer

I think most people on both sides are equally dumb. But conservatives are little more heartless.

Voodoo69 · Answer

If you are a liberal at any age you are the reason out country is the way it is. I’d be ashamed to be a liberal.

annabananna · Answer

There are smart republicans and smart democrats as well as stupid.

notwoke · Answer

completely agree, once you start working and paying for things and see other people doing "other things' you get more conservative. I've seen it 1000 times

Chthou95 · Answer

Disagree. Im a conservative in my twenties and use to be blue pilled libtard when i was in my teens. You don't have to be 40 to realize the dumb shit you use to believe in

OddBeMe · Answer

Funny that old people have so much liberal benefits like social security.

Reijen · Answer

Partially agree. If by liberal one means left leaning, I'd still say you have no heart if you're in you're 20's.

Anonymous · Answer

A lot of Nobel laureates and scientists that I meet are still liberal in their 40's and older. It's the brainless people with low social status, are conservative (not just politically).

Anonymous · Answer

Should be "If you're a liberal you're a brainless kid and conservative is a cold and cynical adult'

Anonymous · Answer

Judging by the poll, it seems there are a lot of GAG users in the 20s. Lol

Anonymous · Answer

Congrats, you have won the most retarded post of the day award.

Anonymous · Answer

I’m a conservative in the streets and a liberal in the bedroom - everyone gets taken care of.

TwinkleLily5 · Answer

Liberals are doing to much these days!

Citizenkirk · Answer

Haven't heard that one before.

fonduegirl · Answer

I hope I'm a liberal even when I'm forty.

Anonymous · Answer

I think everyone is brainless.

Ninania · Answer

I'd say quite the opposite.

WowwGirl · Answer

They are dumb at any age

TheSpartan · Answer

I wasn't even a liberal when I was 5.

IssacGray · Answer

Yea what the fuck is a liberal

ninaneedshelp · Answer

That's stupid.

Jamie05rhs · Answer

I kind of agree.

SecretGardenBlood65 · Answer

What's the mean

Anonymous · Answer

100% true.

“If you’re not a liberal in your 20s, you don’t have a heart. If you’re still a liberal in your 40s, you don’t have a brain.” Thoughts?

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“Liberals are open minded and tolerant…… until you disagree with them. Then you’re a racist, sexist, homophobe, and xenophobe.” Thoughts on this?

“If you’re not a liberal in your 20s, you don’t have a heart. If you’re still a liberal in your 40s, you don’t have a brain.” Thoughts?

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“Liberals are open minded and tolerant…… until you disagree with them. Then you’re a racist, sexist, homophobe, and xenophobe.” Thoughts on this?

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