Does anybody ever change their worldview at a very late age?

Great Debates
41

Somewhere about 65-70 I, rather suddenly I think, came to the realization that my view about almost anything political or philosophical was almost completely irrelevant.

42

Is that what kids call the Vietnam War these days?

43

Thomas Paine waited until his 40’s to become a revolutionary.

44

My mother was turned around by my brother when he came out to visit for a few weeks and filled her up with right wing hate radio talking points. Took me several visits to get her back on track. The problem with lies from someone you trust is they sound convincing so you don’t challenge them.

45

That’s where I am. I figure whatever they decide in Washington in my favor I won’t live to benefit.

46

Was this because of age or something else?

47

Don’t really know my grandfather’s political views before the last 10 years, but he was a small business owner and my grandmother is still very conservative so I would imagine he has been conservative in the past.

Not anymore though. He doesn’t donate but is a pretty reliable Democratic voter.

48

I’m not sure. I think it was the accumulation of life’s experiences so, perhaps, secondary to age.

49

I’ve certainly changed my world view at almost 80 YO. Up to a few years ago I used to despise only the Democratic party. Now I’ve come to detest both Democrats and Republicans.

50

I think a lot of old people hold on to beliefs that aren’t relevant to their day to day life, such as the mythological aspects of their religions, or prejudice against groups of people that they rarely come into contact with.

Two areas where I notice old people change:

  1. After a certain age, many people stop caring so much what other people think of them, and this can wear away many of their habitual beliefs that were more about fitting in with others. It also means they stop caring so much about judging what other people do.

  2. Old people watch a lot of day time tv. Between soaps and talk shows, they get exposed to a lot of weird crap, and timely issues, and that can seriously change their threshhold or comfort level for things, and also make them more sympathetic to certain things given a human face or dramatic plotline.

51

Were they genuinely recanting, or were they just saying they weren’t racist as to clear their name before they die? Hell, if I were a well-known racist I’d probably deny it before I die just so I’d be remembered in a more positive light too.