Why do most teenagers consider themselves liberal/ leftists?

Permabear

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phic

Disease Ridden wrote: »

I'm a teenager myself but I firmly believe that a fiscally conservative government policy should always be in place. I believe that the individual should not be molly-coddled by a nanny-state and that enterprise and hard work should be encouraged and rewarded by low tax rates on high earnings.

Most people my age seem to be of the opinion that the rich should be taxed into the ground and that the wealth should be distributed amongst those who havn't earned it. Why is this?

Are people here for or against free trade between all nations? Or does that the thought of us importing cheap goods from other countries make you sick!

It seems to me, for example in relation to the whole third level fee's issue, that most students think the government should just fork out money to make everybody happy. Do teenagers know that governments dont have an endless supply of money? Why do they think that they should be entitled to the scarce resources that remain? They are perhaps the least grateful group in society, not to mention massively selfish and uncompromising.

I'll be honest, it angers me that students think they know better than the authorities and it makes my blood boil that they are so naive when it comes to the fiscal realities of things.

By the way, I also hold no religious beliefs. As such I have a rational viewpoint on issues like abortion (pro-choice) and homosexuality (do what ye like!). So I'm probably centre left on social issues.

I've read before that many people who hold left wing beliefs when they are teenagers end up holding more right wing beliefs as they grow up. Do any of the leftists in here think that their opinions will ever change and, if not, why not?

This has probably been said before, I didn't read the whole thread, but these sort of views are hardly exclusive to teenagers. These are basically the views of the majority of people that I know. I'm a teenager and I'm constantly annoyed by peoples refusal to accept the governments need to cut costs. Especially civil servants whining about the extremely cushy deal they have!
Also, if people who have liberal views when young are right wing when older, is the same true for people with right wing views when young?

KeyLimePie

thebigcheese22 wrote: »

Well it seems like you're fairly centrist, with a social liberal tendency (besides abortion, tho it is a moral issue and not just a social one) favouring gay marriage and free third level education...

Of course that Lily Allen comment will provoke fierce political debate tho!!

here are the lyrics
"i spend ages giving head."
very bad

g5fd6ow0hseima

Everybody is a product of their environment. I cant really be one to look at a gear-head from some inner city flats and call him a **** for not being a hard working man. The reality is that most people unemployed wer not given the opportunities / encouragment in earlier life. During the boom years, I cant recall many massive employment drives in Ireland's poorer areas, can you?

turgon

Well I just had too laugh - I dont know if theres any thread discussing fiscal conservatism/general libertarianism in any back and beyond forum on boards that donegalfella hasnt commented on! :pac:

To the point, I would generally agree with the OP and DF.

Social welfare/leftism - as with any ideal - is kind of flawed in practise. However the thing about social welfare and big state government control is that it never seems to attract too much fundamental criticism. Instead everyone declares they will just improve it - but annoyingly within the same governmental framework. So they will make social welfare "fairer," the busses "better" and wages "more equal." But at the end of the day they change nothing, and everyone lives the dream that it can be made better.

I see inherent flaws with big government. Its is not efficient. Too many programs are aimed not at whats best for Ireland, but at whats best for the governments chances in the next election.

I would see liberals as more pragmatic than socialists. Socialist have the ideal of "democratic control" of busses; liberals see that this is inefficient so they propose something knew. The problem is socialism appeals to humans baser elements - equality etc etc. Liberalism does bring down prices and reduce tax. But the benefits are slightly more long winded than socialist ideals, so they are harder to sell.

Tbh I could really type all night on this so id better restrain myself!

tolosenc

Alls I'll say is that I'm on the right of the political spectrum, and not at all ashamed of it.

Food for thought:
"The one flawed assumption in almost all socialist philosophies is that working for the greater good and pursuing greater wealth are mutually exclusive."