Why a Lot of Baby Boomers Identify as Conservatives

November 21, 2023

When put to the test, a lot of Baby Boomers identify as conservatives. So, why would this generation that fought for civil rights, social freedom, and gender equality lean this way? Here are some reasons put forth by a popular online forum.

Table of Contents

Rapid Change Is Harder to Deal With

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Considering Baby Boomers were born between 1946 and 1964, they’ve experienced so much social, political, and technological change that they now have trouble keeping up with the latest trends. They no longer feel responsible for making changes or improving everything and are okay with being conservative.

Got Tired of Fighting All the Time

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It’s not that many Baby Boomers didn’t fight to make the world a better place. However, since most people instinctively consider the generation self-titled and selfish, these older adults got tired of trying to fix problems and started prioritizing themselves.

Corporate Culture Changed People

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Unfortunately, corporate culture has changed Boomer’s personalities, with many dropping their core values and rationality when holding discussions.

The Progressives of 20 Years Ago Are the Conservatives of Today

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“Being conservative is more about maintaining the status quo as opposed to shifting to the right spectrum,” explains a user. So, even though Boomers were progressives fighting for what mattered 20 years ago, they believe things were better back then and don’t want to embrace today’s changes, making them conservatives.

They Were Always Selfish

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Some users feel Boomers were not actively involved in protests because they thought it was right but because they were selfish.

“They protested the Vietnam War because their generation was forced to fight. They fought for women’s rights because they were of reproductive age. Now that they’re no longer affected by these things, their true nature comes out,” a poster points out.

Anti-consumerists When They Were Young

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Interestingly, Boomers were against excessive purchases and buying material possessions, only to become obsessed with investments and wealth.

Realized That the Societal Privilege of White Men Was Actually Being Eroded

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After this realization, Boomers flipped and wanted to get back to the days of societal conservatism.

They’ve Become More Established

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Boomers explain it’s natural to become conservative when you “become more established by getting married, having children, and buying property.” Moreover, they have more to lose if the status quo changes.

Want to Protect Their Wealth

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Additionally, it makes sense that Boomers want to protect the wealth they’ve gained because they are in the retirement phase.

“If you lose part or all of your savings, you can’t just re-coupe it. You’ve entered a time in your life where you have a fixed number of assets to live on until you die,” reasons a poster.

Racism and Entitled Privilege Run Deep

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Sadly, some Boomers haven’t dropped the racism and entitlement they grew up with decades ago, hence the identification.

The Objectives of Liberalism Have Changed

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Winston Churchill once said, “Any man under 30 who is not a liberal has no heart, and any man over 30 who is not a conservative has no brains.” He meant that time changes people’s perspectives. Boomers may seem conservative now, but other generations are bound to follow suit.

Figured Out How the World Really Works

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Boomers also identify as conservatives because they understand they aren’t the age group meant to be on the streets protesting about change. That duty falls on the young since they don’t have a ton of duties or responsibilities to worry about.

Source: Reddit
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