# Does anybody ever change their worldview at a very late age? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 16, 2009, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-ever-change-their-worldview-at-a-very-late-age/510253 "2009-09-16T00:30:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2009, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-ever-change-their-worldview-at-a-very-late-age/510253/21 "2009-09-16T19:56:48Z")
I was in my early 40s when I went from being a centrist, deficit-hawk Democrat/Perotist to being the leftist librul I am now. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2009, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-ever-change-their-worldview-at-a-very-late-age/510253/22 "2009-09-16T22:13:23Z")
Rudyard Kipling abandoned his ardent militarism after the death of his son at the Battle of Loos in WW1. ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2009, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-ever-change-their-worldview-at-a-very-late-age/510253/23 "2009-09-16T23:11:00Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > This article > > [http://www.ocregister.com/articles/older-decision-stress-2244025-adults-making](http://www.ocregister.com/articles/older-decision-stress-2244025-adults-making) > > Claims that as you get older, your brain becomes more sensitive to the effects of stress hormones like cortisol, which causes you to become more cautious. > > Political conservatism (as opposed to liberalism) is strongly tied to a fear of change, uncertainty and threats. Liberalism is more the embracing of change, uncertainty and less of a response to threats. The stereotypical conservative is one who thinks every 3rd world dictator is the next Hitler and who is terrified of minor social changes, the stereotypical liberal is one who thinks the entire world can live in peace and harmony and who embraces social change. > > Anyway, I do wonder, if this research pans out, if just having a brain more sensitive to stress and stress chemicals makes you become more conservative: more set in your ways, more afraid of change, more dependent on established authority figures like the military/police/church to protect and guide you, more frightened by uncertainty, etc. > > If so, then perhaps stress reduction techniques (exercise, meditation, nutrition) might help slow this progression. Which of course, would leave you more vulnerable to actual threats. That is, of course, even if we take the theory at face value. Personally, I find “People who don’t agree with me are mentally weak” a pretty lame approach. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2009, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-ever-change-their-worldview-at-a-very-late-age/510253/24 "2009-09-16T23:24:09Z")
Dennis Miller? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2009, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-ever-change-their-worldview-at-a-very-late-age/510253/25 "2009-09-17T00:45:18Z")
> [@wierdaaron](#): > > Further, do you think that this is a product of just being old, or if it’s a product of the current generation of old people? That is, whoever the baby boomers’ 91 aunts are (generation jones? or was that after? generation dinosaur?), one of their qualities is being set-in-ways, whereas the 91-year-olds of 40 years ago, or 40 years from now may be completely different? [hijack] [Generation Jones?](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation_Jones) Meh. I think the [Strauss-Howe system](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generations_(book)) is more on target. (I was born in 1963, and I think I have a lot more in common, culturally, with people born 10 years later than I was than with people born 5 years earlier; the Strauss-Howe system classes me as [13th Gen or Gen X,](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation_X) not [Baby Boomer](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baby_Boomer).) [/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2009, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-ever-change-their-worldview-at-a-very-late-age/510253/26 "2009-09-17T00:48:42Z")
> [@griffin1977](#): > > Rudyard Kipling abandoned his ardent militarism after the death of his son at the Battle of Loos in WW1. Cite? Because I think (based on internal evidence) that he wrote [“Natural Theology”](http://www.poetryloverspage.com/poets/kipling/natural_theology.html) (see the 5th verse) later than that. ---
**Author:** ![wierdaaron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/eada6e/32.png) [@wierdaaron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wierdaaron)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2009, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-ever-change-their-worldview-at-a-very-late-age/510253/27 "2009-09-17T00:58:04Z")
> [@Bearflag70](#): > > Dennis Miller? Question answered. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2009, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-ever-change-their-worldview-at-a-very-late-age/510253/28 "2009-09-17T02:04:24Z")
> [@wierdaaron](#): > > Look, I dont think anyone has a problem with gay cats, but can anyone be “very” in favor of them? win ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2009, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-ever-change-their-worldview-at-a-very-late-age/510253/29 "2009-09-17T02:45:56Z")
What about those Medieval kings and their deathbed conversions? ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2009, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-ever-change-their-worldview-at-a-very-late-age/510253/30 "2009-09-17T03:17:51Z")
> [@Bearflag70](#): > > Dennis Miller? According to Al Franken, Miller was always right-wingy in private, and only later in his career did he incorporate it into his act. For the OP’s question: No liberal is too old to get mugged. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2009, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-ever-change-their-worldview-at-a-very-late-age/510253/31 "2009-09-17T09:10:21Z")
Whack-a-Mole writes: \> Frank Schaeffer did an about face. His father, Francis Schaeffer, was a leading \> religious right guy in his day. I forget the details of Franks story but somewhere \> along the line he moved away from die hard conservatism to an independent \> today (you will see Frank on TV talking about this on occasion). He also ceased to be an evangelical Protestant and became a member of an Eastern Orthodox denomination: > **[Frank Schaeffer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Schaeffer)** > > Frank Schaeffer (born August 3, 1952) is an American author, film director, screenwriter, and public speaker. He is the son of theologian and author Francis Schaeffer. He became a Hollywood film director and author, writing several internationally acclaimed novels depicting life in a strict evangelical household including Portofino, Zermatt, and Saving Grandma. > While Schaeffer was a conservative, fundamentalist Christian in his youth, he has changed his views, becoming a liberal Democrat and ... ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2009, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-ever-change-their-worldview-at-a-very-late-age/510253/32 "2009-09-17T16:04:39Z")
It’s interesting to see some people’s idea of “a very late age.” ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2009, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-ever-change-their-worldview-at-a-very-late-age/510253/33 "2009-09-17T23:55:04Z")
My dad, staunch conservative republican his entire life, voted for Obama—_“I think the country needs someone like him right now”_. Dad’s 88 years old, so I’ll cut him a little slack. Of course mom, age 89, still has seniority and she voted McCain, so go figure… ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2009, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-ever-change-their-worldview-at-a-very-late-age/510253/34 "2009-09-18T00:15:36Z")
Malcolm X famously abandoned his racially divisive ideology when he was about 39. That’s not very late in terms of the average life span (obviously it was for _him_ because of his assassination), but I always had the sense that was a rare thing. After about 12 years of commitment, he gave up on the cause of his life after deciding he’d been wrong. When I was little I was really impressed by that. > [@chacoguy](#): > > There have been some famous racists that have recanted late in life. Senator Robert Byrd being one of them. ---
**Author:** ![Mimi\_jp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/58956e/32.png) [@Mimi\_jp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mimi_jp)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2009, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-ever-change-their-worldview-at-a-very-late-age/510253/35 "2009-09-27T06:20:19Z")
Good to know that! Because I’m being very unlucky… I know just the most intransigent ones. ---
**Author:** ![adhay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@adhay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adhay)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2009, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-ever-change-their-worldview-at-a-very-late-age/510253/36 "2009-09-27T13:47:24Z")
Well, in my own case, conversion came rather late in life. I’m 68, retired and have had broadband now for 4 years. Ah, time and the internet. How have I changed? I started as a rather credulous believer in the basic fairness of American foreign and domestic policies. What has become self-evident to me is that big corporations own us and have been driving government and the body politic into debt for the last 150 years with little regard for whom they displace. This has only been made possible by our considering them people with “inalienable rights.” Change the world? Change that. ---
**Author:** ![Category5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Category5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Category5)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2009, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-ever-change-their-worldview-at-a-very-late-age/510253/37 "2009-09-27T19:03:52Z")
Politicians of all ages find God when they get found out… ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2009, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-ever-change-their-worldview-at-a-very-late-age/510253/38 "2009-09-27T20:35:31Z")
> [@wierdaaron](#): > > Look, I dont think anyone has a problem with gay cats, but can anyone be “very” in favor of them? If it results in fewer cats, I am. ---
**Author:** ![Meatros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2009, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-ever-change-their-worldview-at-a-very-late-age/510253/39 "2009-09-29T19:16:02Z")
Anthony Flew recently converted from an Atheist to a deist. Of course, it’s been pointed out that his mental facilities are in great decline now (not because of the switch, mind you). ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2009, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-ever-change-their-worldview-at-a-very-late-age/510253/40 "2009-09-29T19:31:42Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Cite? > > Because I think (based on internal evidence) that he wrote [“Natural Theology”](http://www.poetryloverspage.com/poets/kipling/natural_theology.html) (see the 5th verse) later than that. He never became a pacifist, but never returned the jingoistic militarism of his earlier work. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-ever-change-their-worldview-at-a-very-late-age/510253.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-ever-change-their-worldview-at-a-very-late-age/510253.md?page=3)