In my case, it was also a matter of my political beliefs evolving. I grew up to parents who were both Democrats and whose friends were all Democrats. I was influenced by their beliefs as a young child and frankly just accepted their beliefs. When I went to Centre, I was taught to think critically and while remaining a Democrat, I started examining the Democratic and Republican principles. When I went to law school, I was taught to think analytically and by the time I finished law school, I had changed my party affiliation to Republican as I felt the Republican principles more closely matched my beliefs. By the time I left active duty with the Marines, I was a hard core conservative. Frankly I was, to paraphrase a country song, a Tea Partier before the Tea Party was "cool".

 

Since then, my beliefs have moderated somewhat. I'm still a conservative with libertarian streaks. I think I've become (others will surely disagree) much more practical in my beliefs, or perhaps more accurately, the application of my political beliefs. I attribute that to my practice of law over the last almost 30 years, which is driven by thinking critically, analytically and logically but needing to compromise to move my clients' business forward. While the TV image of lawyers is one of confrontation, in reality it's one of negotiation and compromise, developing/determining leverage and applying it, and minimizing emotions in the decision making process.

 

So with me, it's not a hard wire issue, but rather a issue of my political beliefs evolving based on learning and life experiences. If evidence is shown to prove the author's theory of hard wiring is correct, I must have a lot of breakers in my wiring system that have been "tripped" to cause my political beliefs to have changed so much over the years.

 

Shockingly I too am a Centre Grad and I finished law school. It is just that I finished it by Thanksgiving of my first year.

So with me, it's not a hard wire issue, but rather a issue of my political beliefs evolving based on learning and life experiences. If evidence is shown to prove the author's theory of hard wiring is correct, I must have a lot of breakers in my wiring system that have been "tripped" to cause my political beliefs to have changed so much over the years.

 

This is why I have a hard time buying the hard-wired explanation. It seems there are a lot of people with similar trajectories as yours (I mean in terms of gradual shifts over time, not accomplishments). It also wouldn't explain the regional variation of views, the way issues have evolved between parties/ideologies over time, etc. Then again, there's plenty of research that suggests genetics matter, we just don't know to what extent. But, it would seem if it does matter it is easily overridden. I've always found this subject sort of interesting.

I once had a professor who used this (admittedly over-simplified) way to explain the "nature vs. nuture" debate. Bear in mind that he was a psychology professor and was speaking in terms of intellectual development; so we're not exactly comparing apples to apples here.

 

Nature provides everyone with a rubber band. The band is not constructed the same for everyone (hard-wired differently for different people). How far and in what direction that band stretches is a result of nurture.

I once had a professor who used this (admittedly over-simplified) way to explain the "nature vs. nuture" debate. Bear in mind that he was a psychology professor and was speaking in terms of intellectual development; so we're not exactly comparing apples to apples here.

 

Nature provides everyone with a rubber band. The band is not constructed the same for everyone (hard-wired differently for different people). How far and in what direction that band stretches is a result of nurture.

 

Sounds about right. Another way I've read it is that we come with our first chapter written and fill in the rest of the book from there.

I was a dirty footed hippie liberal probably through my 20's. Both of my parents and my siblings still lean democrat. I even voted for Carter in my first presidential election. While working for one of those bastions of liberalism that is an American college I got to deal up close and personal with the loons from the left and frankly didn't like what I saw. During my 10 year tenure there my views moderated. The straw that broke my liberal back was when a gifted student who was carrying a 4.0 GPA into her final semester was enrolled is a Senior Seminar class that all seniors were required to take prior to graduation. What it amounted to was a regular discussion course regarding the world that the future grads were getting ready to enter. Long story short this gifted student was very conservative, well spoken and not one to back down. Apparently there were some classic discussions in this class with this lady not wavering in her views. She was initially given a grade of C for the seminar because as her professor told her the seminar was intended to encourage critical thinking and since she was a staunch conservative and really didn't change her views she must not be able to think critically, therefore she got a C, the only grade she got lower then an A. The administration of the college intervened on her behalf but the professor would only relent and gave her a B saying that someone who thought the way she did obviously had no critical thinking skills.

 

That in addition to what I felt was a HUGE level of intolerance from the left for anything right of center really turned me off to that line of thought. By the time I was 40 I was fairly conservative. As I tell my liberal friends I grew up. As I tell my conservative friends I had an Epiphany.

My own feelings have evolved over time. I am very conservative in my personal habits, libertarian in my view of others choices and liberal in my politics. In my youth I was conservative in my personal habits, but a little more judgmental of others. My politics have always been liberal, but are much more partisan Democrat now. I used to vote Democrat about 2/3 of the time. Now I have trouble supporting anyone that would identify themself as a Republican. I attribute that to the Republican party going off the deep end to such an extent that I have a lot of trouble understanding why they are taken seriously.

I was a dirty footed hippie liberal probably through my 20's. Both of my parents and my siblings still lean democrat. I even voted for Carter in my first presidential election. While working for one of those bastions of liberalism that is an American college I got to deal up close and personal with the loons from the left and frankly didn't like what I saw. During my 10 year tenure there my views moderated. The straw that broke my liberal back was when a gifted student who was carrying a 4.0 GPA into her final semester was enrolled is a Senior Seminar class that all seniors were required to take prior to graduation. What it amounted to was a regular discussion course regarding the world that the future grads were getting ready to enter. Long story short this gifted student was very conservative, well spoken and not one to back down. Apparently there were some classic discussions in this class with this lady not wavering in her views. She was initially given a grade of C for the seminar because as her professor told her the seminar was intended to encourage critical thinking and since she was a staunch conservative and really didn't change her views she must not be able to think critically, therefore she got a C, the only grade she got lower then an A. The administration of the college intervened on her behalf but the professor would only relent and gave her a B saying that someone who thought the way she did obviously had no critical thinking skills.

 

That in addition to what I felt was a HUGE level of intolerance from the left for anything right of center really turned me off to that line of thought. By the time I was 40 I was fairly conservative. As I tell my liberal friends I grew up. As I tell my conservative friends I had an Epiphany.

 

Your overall path is similar to mine, just different life experiences.

This might come as a shocker, but I am considerably more conservative than my parents.

 

And I applaud those who have "evolved" over time - regardless of the direction. The notion of "it was good enough for my daddy and his daddy and his pappaw" doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

Nature provides everyone with a rubber band. The band is not constructed the same for everyone (hard-wired differently for different people). How far and in what direction that band stretches is a result of nurture.

 

Another way I've read it is that we come with our first chapter written and fill in the rest of the book from there.

 

The way I always heard it is that we come into this life wearing a snowsuit. Whether it's too tight for us to put our arms down depends on us.

The way I always heard it is that we come into this life wearing a snowsuit. Whether it's too tight for us to put our arms down depends on us.

 

:clap:

The way I always heard it is that we come into this life wearing a snowsuit. Whether it's too tight for us to put our arms down depends on us.

HOF post!

I was a dirty footed hippie liberal probably through my 20's. Both of my parents and my siblings still lean democrat. I even voted for Carter in my first presidential election. While working for one of those bastions of liberalism that is an American college I got to deal up close and personal with the loons from the left and frankly didn't like what I saw. During my 10 year tenure there my views moderated. The straw that broke my liberal back was when a gifted student who was carrying a 4.0 GPA into her final semester was enrolled is a Senior Seminar class that all seniors were required to take prior to graduation. What it amounted to was a regular discussion course regarding the world that the future grads were getting ready to enter. Long story short this gifted student was very conservative, well spoken and not one to back down. Apparently there were some classic discussions in this class with this lady not wavering in her views. She was initially given a grade of C for the seminar because as her professor told her the seminar was intended to encourage critical thinking and since she was a staunch conservative and really didn't change her views she must not be able to think critically, therefore she got a C, the only grade she got lower then an A. The administration of the college intervened on her behalf but the professor would only relent and gave her a B saying that someone who thought the way she did obviously had no critical thinking skills.

 

That in addition to what I felt was a HUGE level of intolerance from the left for anything right of center really turned me off to that line of thought. By the time I was 40 I was fairly conservative. As I tell my liberal friends I grew up. As I tell my conservative friends I had an Epiphany.

 

 

I respect anyone's evolution, because (IMO) we should always be evolving until the day we die. And I don't even mind if one evolves in a direction that is vastly different than mine. But based on the account above, you took one liberal professor's actions and applied the inequity to EVERY liberal. I can't agree with that.

 

 

As for myself, I know my mom and dad are Democrats. But I have no idea what vote they cast in any election, nor do I recall any political conversation in my home while growing up. Everything I believe politically has been gained through my own observation, experiences and research.

 

I don't know if I'm "hardwired" to be liberal or conservative. Those of you who know me well know that I have some of each leaning. Others of you will scoff and say that's impossible. But before I cast my vote I will always weigh the agenda of each candidate against my own experiences, and look at what other factors may impact their ability to achieve their agenda before I cast my vote. In the end, the overriding determinant has been weighted heavily on the overall ideology of the candidate on the lives of my family. Next is the overall level of "social consciousness" I assess, followed by "environmental consciousness" and "economic consciousness". National defense is the absolute last thing I consider.

 

So...where does that put me....I would say my political ideology was a choice...born out of my natural desire (hardwired part) to "serve others". :lol:

I was a dirty footed hippie liberal probably through my 20's. Both of my parents and my siblings still lean democrat. I even voted for Carter in my first presidential election. While working for one of those bastions of liberalism that is an American college I got to deal up close and personal with the loons from the left and frankly didn't like what I saw. During my 10 year tenure there my views moderated. The straw that broke my liberal back was when a gifted student who was carrying a 4.0 GPA into her final semester was enrolled is a Senior Seminar class that all seniors were required to take prior to graduation. What it amounted to was a regular discussion course regarding the world that the future grads were getting ready to enter. Long story short this gifted student was very conservative, well spoken and not one to back down. Apparently there were some classic discussions in this class with this lady not wavering in her views. She was initially given a grade of C for the seminar because as her professor told her the seminar was intended to encourage critical thinking and since she was a staunch conservative and really didn't change her views she must not be able to think critically, therefore she got a C, the only grade she got lower then an A. The administration of the college intervened on her behalf but the professor would only relent and gave her a B saying that someone who thought the way she did obviously had no critical thinking skills.

 

That in addition to what I felt was a HUGE level of intolerance from the left for anything right of center really turned me off to that line of thought. By the time I was 40 I was fairly conservative. As I tell my liberal friends I grew up. As I tell my conservative friends I had an Epiphany.

 

Interesting story.

 

I dare say that had I attended, say, Bob Jones University, my circumstances would have been eerily similar.

I respect anyone's evolution, because (IMO) we should always be evolving until the day we die. And I don't even mind if one evolves in a direction that is vastly different than mine. But based on the account above, you took one liberal professor's actions and applied the inequity to EVERY liberal. I can't agree with that.

 

 

As for myself, I know my mom and dad are Democrats. But I have no idea what vote they cast in any election, nor do I recall any political conversation in my home while growing up. Everything I believe politically has been gained through my own observation, experiences and research.

 

I don't know if I'm "hardwired" to be liberal or conservative. Those of you who know me well know that I have some of each leaning. Others of you will scoff and say that's impossible. But before I cast my vote I will always weigh the agenda of each candidate against my own experiences, and look at what other factors may impact their ability to achieve their agenda before I cast my vote. In the end, the overriding determinant has been weighted heavily on the overall ideology of the candidate on the lives of my family. Next is the overall level of "social consciousness" I assess, followed by "environmental consciousness" and "economic consciousness". National defense is the absolute last thing I consider.

 

So...where does that put me....I would say my political ideology was a choice...born out of my natural desire (hardwired part) to "serve others". :lol:

 

Not at all, but his actions were definitely a culmination of many experiences that shaped my beliefs.