In this week’s Movie Answer Man by Roger Ebert, there’s this little gem, which I never knew:
Q. I thought your question to Kevin Costner (whether he could envision casting Dennis Hopper as the Republican candidate and Kelsey Grammer as the Democrat in “Swing Vote” instead of the other way around) was interesting, especially since Costner said he could not imagine that casting.
However, I remember seeing a Hopper interview years ago with Mike Wallace, in which Hopper confirmed that he is, in fact, a loyal Republican. When the interviewer asked how it was possible that a poster boy for the '60s counterculture grew into a man who voted twice for George W. Bush, Hopper replied, “I got sober, man.”
Harris Fleming Jr., Waldwick, N.J.
It’s quite common for people to move to the right as they get older. Not inevitable, by any means, but there are many young revolutionary firebrands who turn into staunch conservatives.
It’s basically the same thing as some total slutbag spending their youth fucking everything in sight then once the appeal between their legs has worn off, goes around preaching abstinence. 180 halfwits.
Most people grow smarter as they grow older, or at least get more understanding of how people actually are, so such political shifts are almost inevitable. The more of human nature you understand, the less liberal you’ll be.
:rolleyes:
That’s why my dad started out voting for Goldwater and is now a “yellow dog” Democrat…
People grow smarter as they age? :dubious: Perhaps more worldly wise (although is debatable) or more cynical and more selfish, but smarter? Don’t think so. People do change over time–I imagine living has a lot to do with it.
No, actually I’ve found Weirddave’s assertion to be somewhat true in my experience. People do tend to become more conservative as they grow older rather than more liberal. Not everyone, but enough of a trend that I’ve noticed it.
Actually, I’ve found that most people grow more rigid in their thinking, less charitable and more cynical as they get older - which has the unfortunate effect of falsely making them think they’re “smarter”. If people actually got smarter as they got older, scientists would do their best work in their 70s. But Einstein had his Annus Mirabilis when he was 26. I can’t think of a single example of the “increasing smartness” that you claim.
I believe Hopper’s conservative conversion has more to do with his income. As soon as someone has to sign a six figure income tax check, they often become a Republican.
I’ve never noticed it, and I don’t buy it. Anecdotally, some people change, sure, but they change in both directions. A lot of people become less uptight and religious too.
Oh, I’ve definitely noticed it. You’re young and idealistic and expect to change the world. Then you get married, have a family, start paying taxes, take out a second mortgage, get pissed off at the “goddamn welfare cheats.” Before you know it, you’re secretly voting Republican in the voting booth, then not so secretly and finally you’re shaking a cane at kids on your lawn. That sums up a lot of people I’ve known.
People grow older, or at least get more cynical, so such political shifts are common. The more of human nature you understand, the less sympathetic you’ll tend to be.
