How old are current affairs/imho users

MegamanBoo

I'm just interested to get a general idea of what age people here are.

Not to be ageist but I've a feeling it's mostly older users here.

MegamanBoo

And so far I'm wrong, most common age group so far is 25-34...

What does that say for the future of the country! 😭

freshpopcorn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121018388#Comment_121018388

I'm 30 I suspect they'd be more over 30 than 25/26 year olds.

SEPT 23 1989

Nice try copper

odyssey06

Wait...how old am I???

I used to know this stuff without having to think about it.

Purple Mountain

Do you want my mother's maiden name too? 😋

Goldengirl

21 ..to you😁

nolivesmatter

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058310493/how-old-are-current-affairs-imho-users

"Not to be ageist but I've a feeling it's mostly older users here."

What gives you that feeling?

MegamanBoo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121019292#Comment_121019292

There's a lot of climate denial and right wing views here, which are associated with older demographics.

Also I've been told by younger people this is viewed as a site for older groups.

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121019638#Comment_121019638

Well, you're certainly being ageist with that first sentence.

There are threads filled with left wing and Liberal views too. Plenty of posters urging sustainability too. You're looking in the wrong threads.

MegamanBoo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121019713#Comment_121019713

I don't think it's ageist, it's looks to me like accepted wisdom in political discourse that older demographics tend towards being more right-wing and more accepting of beliefs that are against climate action.

That's not to say there aren't plenty of older people who don't view the world this way, only that's it's borne out that the majority do.

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121019820#Comment_121019820

We'll have to disagree on that. Your perception is not mine. And you may not think it was ageist but it most certainly was.

looksee

There are conservative and liberal attitudes in every age group. Most of the people I know in the older group tend to be fairly easy-going in their attitudes, though I would absolutely accept that there are conservatives too. I suspect that many of the very aggressive 'conservatives' that post on this forum are younger people doing devils advocate (as they see it) just to entertain themselves.

MegamanBoo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121019843#Comment_121019843

I don't think it's a case of my perception. It seems to be accepted wisdom.

Just this morning I was reading an article in The Guardian of all places, and they talked about Republican candidates being unappealing to young voters because of climate denial.

I see this kind of statement regularly and I'm pretty sure it's based on polling and not some unsubstantiated generalisation.

looksee

they talked about Republican candidates being unappealing to young voters because of climate denial.

Is this a discussion about the conservatism or otherwise of Americans, or of people on this forum?

MegamanBoo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121019897#Comment_121019897

That was just one example. I see and hear similar references in relation to Irish and UK politics all the time.

I'm shocked if that's surprising to anyone.

The question then is whether these statements are true, and secondly whether boards.ie leans more to right-wing, climate denial.

Larbre34

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121018388#Comment_121018388

This is what it says.

Don't ever forget that he who pays the piper calls the tune. This Country is wealthy, but people don't like the piss to be taken with the considerable taxes that they do pay.

And by the way, I wouldn't be too despairing, we were all idealistic socialists in our younger days too, until we realised the way the World actually works! And a distaste for waste and fecklessness makes you somewhat more conservative and so we finished up in the centre. Some bits centre left, some bits centre right. But centrist all the same and thats what Ireland has always really been since independence.

MegamanBoo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121019939#Comment_121019939

For me I guess I've become more aware of waste and fecklessness as I've aged but it looks to me like this is only getting worse in this country. Might be an argument for another thread though.

My tears were more for the climate denial though, whether that's denying climate change exists or that anything can be done about it, I see a lot of it here.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121018814#Comment_121018814

Probably what Joe Biden says to himself every morning.

Deebles McBeebles

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121019638#Comment_121019638

That's very unfair. There are stupid pricks in every age group.

Larbre34

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121020019#Comment_121020019

Anthropomorphic climate change exists.

My own belief is that the proposed mitigation measures are as uneconomic as they will be ineffective. Centuries of natural rebalancing cannot be accelerated by arrogant humanity, especially when it will be an incomplete effort.

And so I suggest the individual consequences be tackled as they arise rather than this bottomless pit of wishful thinking and cash. It will surely cost less in the long run.

Meanwhile, think of the future wine vintages from Waterford!

MegamanBoo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121020718#Comment_121020718

And there's your mk2 climate denial right there.

Yes it exists but denying we can or should do anything about it.

And the comment about wine from Wexford, quite sickening imho, given people are already dying as a result of this.

Larbre34

Waterford.

And relax; people die every day, many not from the weather.

MegamanBoo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121020522#Comment_121020522

Absolutely, but I do think it's pretty well accepted that older voters as a group will lean more to the right and against climate action.

That's not to say for a minute that all will, or that some younger people won't.

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121021939#Comment_121021939

Where are you getting this notion that it's well accepted that older voters are anti climate action? And perhaps define Older.

MegamanBoo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121022153#Comment_121022153

https://letmegooglethat.com/?q=do+older+voters+vote+right+wing

Leg End Reject

I'm 12 and a half.

Beasty

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121022265#Comment_121022265

That's too young for this site. Minimum age 13 - siteban incoming....

I must say though, I'm quite offended there is no 13-17 option

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121022220#Comment_121022220

Very amusing!

I'm not disputing that people can become more Conservative with age. But you are conflating US right wing and anti Climate action tendencies (which don't have an age factor) with elsewhere. Being more Conservative in outlook does not equate with being anti climate action. Many older people were raised in a much more sustainable world than many younger people and lead much more sustainable lifestyles.

I'm still interested in what you consider 'older'.

One eyed Jack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121022220#Comment_121022220

Whether or not older voters support right-wing policies has very little to do with the question of climate change, which is much more closely related to environmentalism. Environmentalism was never a popular issue for any demographic, never mind those who grew up in the 70s and 80s on a steady diet of being warned about the hole in the ozone layer, the dangers of extinction of numerous plant and animal species, or the effects of global warming. It was precisely because of political pressure during that period that policymakers introduced numerous measures to reduce the impact of industrialisation and man-made effects on climate.

The reason older people aren’t as visible regarding action on climate is because they aren’t interested in validation on social media. It just wasn’t a thing when they were young upstart environmentalists. It doesn’t mean they care any less about the environment as they aged, many of them are still actively campaigning and contributing to the cause, trying to educate people about their impact on the environment and so on. It’s just that the elderly aren’t normally surveyed for their opinions on how they have been impacted or affected by climate change.

You’re looking to have your biases confirmed really rather than doing any serious research on older people’s opinions on climate change and the environment or how they feel it affects them and future generations of their children and grandchildren. In my experience at least (and this is me basing my opinion on my own biases), people generally aren’t keen to leave the world in a worse condition for their children than they came into it.

BaywatchHQ

Most users on boards.ie are in 40s or 50s hence why I have never been shown much sympathy when talking about my experiences as a millennial incel. Incels have always existed to an extent but were less common in the 1980s and 1990s when you grew up because of the lack of power the internet had in society. I think I was banned from After Hours for sharing my life stories.

tesla_newbie

Just turned forty six

MegamanBoo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121022915#Comment_121022915

Happy Birthday 😀

buried

Free Fiddy and add another horty foo munts

tesla_newbie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121022994#Comment_121022994

Two and a half weeks ago

Backstreet Moyes

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121019638#Comment_121019638

There are not a lot of climate denial or right wing views on boards.

The fact is younger people will change their views once they grow up and get impacted by real life.

It is easy when you are young and not worried about buying a house, heating a house, feeding your family and finding a school etc.

When you actually are impacted by these things as you get older, you start to realise what you called right wing views are normal people who in no way surprisingly want to be able to support their family.

You will see in the green thread a handful of fanatics and a majority of people who call out the crap.

They are not climate deniars, they are people with life experience who call out nonsense ideas and who are impacted by paying for nonsense ideas.

You will see a handful of people on multiple threads accusing people of racism, being a nazi etc because people call out nonsense policies that impact them and their family.

These people mostly grow up and realise its not right wing to have views that benefit you and your family.

It is easy when you are young and have very view worries to call everything you disagree with right wing, but most have to grow up eventually and realise they had no idea what they were on about.

So to correct you, it is not that older people have right wing views, they have life experience and have views that make things the best for themselves and their family.

The majority of people who call these people right wing will join that group once they go through life and grow up.

MegamanBoo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121022376#Comment_121022376

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121022567#Comment_121022567

From these readings it would appear that there is a correlation between age and climate outlook as a general trend amongst older generations.

https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/brexit/2016/11/22/every-generation-votes-in-their-own-interest-but-in-an-ageing-world-thats-a-problem/

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0248268

https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2019/02/04/age-gap-environmental-politics/

Again these are broad trends and I'm not for a meeting saying their aren't very many older people committed to climate action. Also because climate change is a relatively new concern it's not possible to say that these trends are long term.

What confuses me though is why you both seem to think voting right wing is somehow disconnected from climate change, or that maybe this is US specific?

Have you seen our right wing governments record on the environment? The Tories? Bolsonaro?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121024017#Comment_121024017

I think that's an accurate summation; that with age comes added responsibility and with that, a different perspective on policies that didn't impact you when you were a carefree 18 year old.

The corollary of that is that people who remain far-left into their thirties or forties probably never really grew out of it in the same way everyone else did. It's a form of immature politically stunted growth.

I was a left-fanatic when I was 18 - 24 or so, and very gradually appreciated the validity of some positions on the right which were previously completely alien to me.

The worst form of growth is that which says, "I'm always right and I'll never change my views, ever"; a childish intransigence that only characterises the very extremes in society, both left and right.

I'm in my 60s I have middling leftish views always have. The provision of good public services would be my main interest the French have a good model for this.

MegamanBoo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121024017#Comment_121024017

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121024056#Comment_121024056

I suppose the alternative view is that maybe some people get more cynical and self-interested as they age.

If you're saying that age brings wisdom, how do you account for the smaller number who become more left leaning as they grow older, are they somehow becoming more naive and innocent?

One eyed Jack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121024044#Comment_121024044

I could do a search on Google too and draw correlations between climate change activists and people who superglue themselves to immovable objects. I’m not doing that though because it would be silly. You’re doing similar in making a connection where it doesn’t exist, and then you’re curious as to why anyone would argue they aren’t connected.

I’ve seen various Governments records on environmental issues, and like I suggested previously the environment was just never a popular issue to begin with. I don’t agree that climate change is a relatively new concern either, it was well-known of decades ago, and I gave examples of how that information was relayed to the public - long before it was ever thought to have Greta Thunberg doing PR stunts, people were educating children about their world, the environment around them and the importance of a sustainable future for a better world.

That education captured the imagination of some people, didn’t resonate with others who just didn’t find it relatable, and that’s why we’re now in a situation of creating moral panic around the idea of climate change rather than educating people about their environment and their impact on the environment - it’s now linked to a moral failing of some kind, and sure if you’re looking to draw a correlation between politics you disagree with, and climate change denial, you’ll inevitably begin seeing correlations between the two and coming up with theories which suit your narrative.

Backstreet Moyes

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121024222#Comment_121024222

I clearly stated the reason is self interest.

It's easy to shout climate deniar while your in your parents house not worried about bills.

It's competently different when you have to pay the bills and actually have skin in the game.

The majority of people I know who are left leaning in my age group live at home and still didn't enter real life.

There are also some very nice people I know who are soft touches but mean very well.

I suppose some older people have houses paid for and the family is grown up and they feel like helping people out.

So they are at a point in life that young people are where they are not worried about buying a house and affording a family.

MegamanBoo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121024253#Comment_121024253

The record of right wing parties on climate change speaks for itself.

Sounds to me like you just really want to ease your green conscious while voting FFG.

Strazdas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121021939#Comment_121021939

There seems to be some evidence that suggests older conservatives and reactionaries are less well educated (or less intelligent in general) than even their own peers. So, it's not so much their age is the key factor in them becoming right wing and conservative, more their lack of critical thinking and ability to weigh things up from all angles.

One eyed Jack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121024318#Comment_121024318

Well it does, and if they were a single issue party I’d say your conclusions about the lack of concern for environmental issues and political concerns of the electorate demographics were entirely justified. They’re not a single issue party though, nor are voters, and for what it’s worth I don’t think the idea of people’s political views changing with age has any merit either.

I don’t have a green conscience, though I understand from your point of view why you imagine that everyone would have one. I don’t care so much about environmental issues that I would vote for Green Party candidates, but that doesn’t mean I don’t care about environmental issues. They just were never at the top of my priorities list in terms of leaving the world in a better way than I came into it in terms of my children’s future or that of my grandchildren is all.

That sort of manipulative guilt tripping can lead to terrible social policy decisions lending legitimacy to, and promoting antinatalist views. I’d rather not support that sort of idiocy tbh. It’s not a new idea either to try and make correlations between the two in order to imply causation and how to resolve the implied conflict.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121024222#Comment_121024222

People have their views shaped by their personal interests.

That's the number one factor.

You could have three types of older left person:

1. The old traditional working class left.

2. The modern left, characterised by the largely well to do.

3. Those that have fallen on financial hard times in their older age and the need to rely more on the state.

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121024017#Comment_121024017

The old aphorism goes...

If you’re not a socialist before you’re twenty-five, you have no heart; if you are a socialist after twenty-five, you have no head.

If you aren’t a liberal when you’re young, you have no heart, but if you aren’t a middle-aged conservative, you have no head.

Brussels Sprout

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121024017#Comment_121024017

That's some patronising response right there.

One eyed Jack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121024379#Comment_121024379

I wonder who came up with evidence about older conservatives based on a correlation between intelligence and education? 🤔

I don’t really, it’s quite obvious where the evidence is coming from. Meanwhile, more fun observations based on correlation:

https://amp.theguardian.com/education/2023/apr/08/going-to-private-school-makes-you-twice-as-likely-to-vote-tory-study-finds

Apiarist

I see that the OP is either too young or suffering from old age memory issues. I remember times when it was impolite to add a poll without the obligatory "This poll sucks" option.

In any case, why do I think that this poll is meaningless? Because it has nothing to do with CA/IMHO. The users on Boards in general are mostly tech-savvy types of mature ages that started using forums in the 90s / 2000s. Them under 30 youngsters use TikTok now, or Reddit.

Strazdas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121024623#Comment_121024623

It's not that difficult to analyse and to come up with some conclusions. Pollsters have been able to dig deep into the support for the likes of UKIP, the Front Nationale, AfD, Law and Justice in Poland, Orban's party in Hungary etc and can see clear trends of support from older and less well educated people.

But even larger numbers of older people are voting for mainstream and centrist parties, so it's clearly not their age specifically that is making some older people become conservative or reactionary. It might be more a rejection of modernity and a wish to return to 'the old ways of doing things' in some of this support - this might explain why younger less well educated people are not drawn to the politics of the right and far right.