A young conservative with no heart and an old liberal with no brains...?

Question

I asked a question in the past that has lead me to ask this.... I wanted to have something clarified with the saying of an old liberal with no brains.
From my past answers, it sounds like something along the lines of because (reality kicks in) and you realize the world will not change and you focus mainly on your family as you get older, one might tend towards conservatism over time. I don't mean to offend anybody by saying these things, and I know this perception from my past answers is probably off some, but I don't know how else to put this. What is that implying-liberalism is not exactly realistic? Does that mean programs to help people should be cut or..? Am I getting the wrong impression from this or associating the wrong things together? What about liberalism would be unrealistic-everything? I am simply searching for clarification. Again, not trying to offend anybody or start something- I am genuinely just confused and I don't understand!

Answer 1

I think the idea is that the young and idealistic are liberal then reality kicks in and you realize you have to have a bunch of money so you become conservative.

But for me as I got older I got more liberal, I know I'll never be rich in money but very wealthy in my soul.

Answer 2

it really depends now... many conservators are EXTREMELY ideological socially and have no clue of reality... they think that teens just "shouldn't have sex" and that's all there is to say about that... and that people just "shouldn't be gay"

there will be a working communist system long before teens just "don't have sex"... that much I will promise you...

but the world is becoming more and more liberal... and overall, I think a better place to live... I can't think of a time when it's been more liberal... or of a better time to live...

at one time people like MLK were considered "liberal idealist" at the thought of racial equality... "that could never happen and it's just a dream"... conservatives said... and indeed he did have a dream... and I think we're closer now than we ever have been... not there yet though, but getting there...

overall, I think the "liberal idealist" knocks are really nothing more than propaganda... as idealist and dreamers are all to often the heros that we look back on... and conservatives are all to often the relative villains of history... just study some history overall if you don't believe me...

Answer 3

it is in fact unrealistic, the things progressives want are ideal in nature, that is not a bad thing, i think it is honorable. only some of the progressive strategy can come true as those parts are realistic. as you get older you start to realize that you need to be greedy in some instances to take care of you family, and there is nothing wrong with that either. there is something wrong with being extremely wealthy and being a conservative to the t. by to the t i mean fiscally,not all conservative values. i think you should at that point atleast use your influence to do some good in the world. i mean how much more money can you possibly have at that point?

Answer 4

Liberalism has been hijacked by socialist
Conservativism has been hijacked by neocons


When you denegrate the true meaning of these two terms you have the problem we have now. It is not a point of argument to say youre wrong cuz you are a liberal or you are wrong cuz you are a conservative. I myself am conservative on many issues and liberal on some.

For example Im for strong border security and stopping illegal immigration but I dont see why marijuana is illegal. I guess I am more of a Lou Dobbs person as I dont enjoy seeing our tech jobs shipped over sees and are hard work construction or service jobs taken by foreign invaders.

I believe we should fight the war in Iraq like we are fighting a war in Iraq and not a PC action that is handcuffing the troops . If gays want to get married uh whatever and if I dont want to call what they have a marriage thats my right as well. I believe we should have less taxes as someone who is taxed less spends more. I am proud of Ronald Reagan and John F Kennedy

When you think of liberal and conservative you must realise the most conservative thing was said by a liberal

What was that

"Ask not what your country can do for you ask what you can do for your country."

Answer 5

I don't know if Churchill said it 1st or just made it more famous. Because of the level of taxation (Extortion) rarely does the individual reach the level of enlightenment where they donate more than the level they financially benefit after taxes. Bill Gates & Warren Buffet have reached that level where they see the benefit of giving back to society benefits them. There is much to be said about giving a starving individual a fish you feed him that day teach him to fish you feed him for life. Teach skills both creates wealth & builds self-esteem.

Answer 6

"To be young and conservative is to have no heart...to be old and liberal is to have no brain". I think it means that when you are young you should be naturally idealistic and want to improve society so you vote for measures that raise taxes to fund these programs. When you are old, living on a fixed income, it doesn't make sense for you to vote to raise taxes for these measures because you may be barely getting by financially and you need to think of yourself first.

Answer 7

I heard that a number of times....i dont know who said it originally though...but *liberal* and *conservative* arent just exclusively political terms
It's a cute fortune cookie...but nothing to get too serious about

Answer 8

In my opinion liberals tend to be idealistic in their view of the world, like a child is. Most of their ideas would be wonderful if it weren't for that pesky human nature that a lot of people have that leads them to abuse government programs.