# Why are all my customers who bring up politics from the same demographic group? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [April 8, 2022, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-my-customers-who-bring-up-politics-from-the-same-demographic-group/962492 "2022-04-08T00:00:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-my-customers-who-bring-up-politics-from-the-same-demographic-group/962492/61 "2022-04-10T14:07:48Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > It’s not that all the old, White, Christian men have been drinking from the Fox water-cooler, it’s that those who _do_ drink the Fox-koolaid are overwhelmingly from that demographic. Rather like T\*\*\*\* and racists. No, not all his supporters are racists but all the racists support him (and think he is one of them, whether it’s true or not). ---
**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-my-customers-who-bring-up-politics-from-the-same-demographic-group/962492/62 "2022-04-10T14:11:43Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Yes it does. People like the paint buyer don’t want to blame who’s in office now. They want to blame democrats. Facts matter. Not everyone will listen, but the next person that complains about Democrats locking up their paint might, when they’re told the law is almost 30 years old and was passed under a Republican. Maybe, but my experience with people like this is that they more frequently reject facts when inconvenient to the storyline of blaming Democrats. Facts aren’t the problem - motivated belief in spite of facts is. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-my-customers-who-bring-up-politics-from-the-same-demographic-group/962492/63 "2022-04-10T15:43:45Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > because the OP works in a manly hardware store There are plenty of women these days who go into hardware stores. [Raises hand.] – for that matter, there are plenty of quite traditional women who go into hardware stores. Didn’t you ever notice the kitchenware aisle? > [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Facts matter. Not everyone will listen, but the next person that complains about Democrats locking up their paint might, when they’re told the law is almost 30 years old and was passed under a Republican. I have definitely run into people who will listen to such facts presented to them in a neutral manner. The people full scale into the outrage crew won’t; but there are quite a lot of people somewhere on the fringes of it who may think twice about falling in if they get handed some accurate info. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-my-customers-who-bring-up-politics-from-the-same-demographic-group/962492/64 "2022-04-10T16:01:06Z")
I have a half-baked theory that what happens is that for the most part, these older white people are retired, financially secure, and _ **bored** _ as a result. So they fixate on political/public stuff since it’s readily obtainable. This doesn’t necessarily mean Federal and state level politics; I’d be willing to bet that all the city hall gadflies that most cities deal with fall into that category as well. They’re bored, so they take it on themselves to “make sure” that things are being done above board, etc… by showing up to council meetings, making open records requests for all sorts of nonsense that they’re legally entitled to obtain, but really have no business having, etc… Even the less motivated ones consume a lot of that sort of news about the national situation because it’s there (Fox, etc…). I mean, when I moved into the public sector, I was amazed at the level of CYA that we do just to make sure everyday business can’t be interpreted as suspicious by some busybody geezer out in the community. Stuff like WFH daily status reports that weren’t necessary in the office, for example. There was a large worry that old farts would demand to know what the WFH people were doing and making sure they were working. To me, that’s between a worker and their manager, not some bored old asshole in the community, but apparently leadership thinks otherwise. So I think that we see various manifestations of this at all levels- some fixate on the big picture, others nitpick at city workers’ time sheets, and everything in between. Not all old people do this, but the ones that do I’m pretty sure this is the motivation. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-my-customers-who-bring-up-politics-from-the-same-demographic-group/962492/65 "2022-04-10T16:22:00Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > The funny/sad thing is that you could easily spin it as “you know, our good republican government had to lock up the spraypaint to keep _those people_ from causing trouble” and he’d probably suddenly be on your side and think that makes sense. Yes, but do you really _want_ to be on that guy’s side? Especially with a statement like that? ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-my-customers-who-bring-up-politics-from-the-same-demographic-group/962492/66 "2022-04-10T16:22:42Z")
Angry white uniformed conservatives dominate our culture. They are perpetually triggered about spray paint policies (that, per the OP are not the fault of the current governor), low flow toilets and whatever other trivialities inconvenience them in the slightest. All of this anger is over their being asked to share power with other types of people and listen to other viewpoints. It’s why the elected a fascist game show host and tried to stage a coup. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-my-customers-who-bring-up-politics-from-the-same-demographic-group/962492/67 "2022-04-10T16:26:15Z")
> [@bump](#): > > I mean, when I moved into the public sector, I was amazed at the level of CYA that we do just to make sure everyday business can’t be interpreted as suspicious by some busybody geezer out in the community. Stuff like WFH daily status reports that weren’t necessary in the office, for example. There was a large worry that old farts would demand to know what the WFH people were doing and making sure they were working. To me, that’s between a worker and their manager, not some bored old asshole in the community, but apparently leadership thinks otherwise. Hey! As a taxpayer, I don’t want my tax dollars going to pay some bureaucrat to sit at home doing nothing when they can be sitting around doing nothing in a taxpayer-funded municipal building! ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-my-customers-who-bring-up-politics-from-the-same-demographic-group/962492/68 "2022-04-10T16:31:19Z")
> [@bump](#): > > I have a half-baked theory that what happens is that for the most part, these older white people are retired, financially secure, and _ **bored** _ as a result. This is one of the reasons I have put off retiring. I know the second I do I’m going to turn into one of _those people_. Only, hopefully, on the side of Goodness and Righteousness. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-my-customers-who-bring-up-politics-from-the-same-demographic-group/962492/69 "2022-04-10T16:39:23Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > Angry white uniformed conservatives dominate our culture. They are perpetually triggered about spray paint policies (that, per the OP are not the fault of the current governor), low flow toilets and whatever other trivialities inconvenience them in the slightest. All of this anger is over their being asked to share power with other types of people and listen to other viewpoints. It’s why the elected a fascist game show host and tried to stage a coup. I had started a thread about this some time ago, but there is definitely an “angry old white guy” stereotype. Basically real life versions of characters like Archie Bunker, Al Bundy, Red Foreman from That 70s Show, and others. Like why does Donald Trump have such a sour-puss face all the time? You don’t see other billionaires like Elon Musk or Richard Branson looking all bent out of shape all the time. It may just be old dudes in general are pissed off as they get older. ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-my-customers-who-bring-up-politics-from-the-same-demographic-group/962492/70 "2022-04-10T16:41:46Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > Like why does Donald Trump have such a sour-puss face all the time? You don’t see other billionaires like Elon Musk or Richard Branson looking all bent out of shape all the time. Maybe because they’re actually billionaires, while he’s actually spent the last 30 years keeping up the billionaire facade while teetering on the edge of insolvency? ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-my-customers-who-bring-up-politics-from-the-same-demographic-group/962492/71 "2022-04-10T16:43:25Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > Angry white uniformed conservatives dominate our culture. And a lot of them who aren’t in uniforms, too! ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-my-customers-who-bring-up-politics-from-the-same-demographic-group/962492/72 "2022-04-10T16:50:27Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > This is one of the reasons I have put off retiring. I know the second I do I’m going to turn into one of _those people_ . > > Only, hopefully, on the side of Goodness and Righteousness. You’re not going to change the way you think just by retiring. You’ll just have more time in which to indulge in recreational opinionating. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-my-customers-who-bring-up-politics-from-the-same-demographic-group/962492/73 "2022-04-10T16:57:26Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > > [@madmonk28](#): > > > > Angry white uniformed conservatives dominate our culture. > > And a lot of them who aren’t in uniforms, too! [Kinda sorta](https://www.dickies.com/home) ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-my-customers-who-bring-up-politics-from-the-same-demographic-group/962492/74 "2022-04-10T17:20:43Z")
A lot of them are in uniform, but I meant uninformed. Their permanent state of aggrievement is why they always compare any inconvenience to them to the Holocaust. Being asked to wear a mask is as bad as Nazi Germany. They have a complete sense of complete entitlement. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-my-customers-who-bring-up-politics-from-the-same-demographic-group/962492/75 "2022-04-10T17:54:56Z")
> [@bump](#): > > I mean, when I moved into the public sector, I was amazed at the level of CYA that we do just to make sure everyday business can’t be interpreted as suspicious by some busybody geezer out in the community. Stuff like WFH daily status reports that weren’t necessary in the office, for example. There was a large worry that old farts would demand to know what the WFH people were doing and making sure they were working. To me, that’s between a worker and their manager, not some bored old asshole in the community, but apparently leadership thinks otherwise. That is my impression as well,. To the extent that the private sector is more efficient than the government one, I think its primarily due to this. If a low level manager at GE spends company money on a foossball table for his office, he gets reprimanded and or fired, the table is returned and life goes on. If a government manager does this, it hits the papers, politicians point to it as an example of government waste, budgets get cut and a whole new level of bureaucracy is added to furniture purchases to make sure that it looks like something is being done to prevent this from ever happening again. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-my-customers-who-bring-up-politics-from-the-same-demographic-group/962492/76 "2022-04-10T18:51:42Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > It’s not that all the old, White, Christian men have been drinking from the Fox water-cooler, it’s that those who _do_ drink the Fox-koolaid are overwhelmingly from that demographic. Females too. And younger people. But yeah, however there is a vast difference between “all old white Christian males follow Fox news and CTR” vs “Many Fox news and CTR fans are older white Christian males”. The first tars all old white Christian males as MAGA Hat wearing “conservatives”. That post was poorly written. > [@Mighty\_Mouse](#): > > I’ve had more than that per month over the last two and a half years. Almost exclusively right wingers bringing up shit out of the blue. And then claiming that “the company started it” by having “woke” corporate messages about Black History Month, Asian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Pride Month, International Women’s Day, whatever. Yes, I have noticed the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-my-customers-who-bring-up-politics-from-the-same-demographic-group/962492/77 "2022-04-10T19:23:23Z")
Problem is, they ALL think they’re on that side. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-my-customers-who-bring-up-politics-from-the-same-demographic-group/962492/78 "2022-04-10T19:33:26Z")
I doubt that the foosball table would even get a second glance, if that low level manager could justify it to his immediate manager. Most large companies have a small budget for “team building” or morale raising type stuff, and a foosball table would go right under that without a second glance, just like buying lunch for your staff periodically does. Meanwhile at a public employer it would be _prima facie_ evidence that we’re all lazy and trying to enrich ourselves off the public teat because we’re not working, we’re playing foosball. Never mind that it would likely be on the normal breaks everyone takes throughout the course of the work day/work week. Of course there are ways to work this for your advantage; most private employers I’ve worked for have routinely nickeled and dimed us on things like office supplies- whatever the very cheapest pens, pencils and notepads were what they were willing to pay for. In the private sector, I’ve noticed that _if_ you can get your budget approved, nobody actually cares **what** gets bought with it (or it’s obscure enough that they can’t see), so long as it’s all above board. So paradoxically we have stuff like Pilot G2 pens, Ticonderoga pencils, Expo dry erase markers, and so on, rather than the most wretchedly bargain-basement office supplies that can be bought like in the private sector. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-my-customers-who-bring-up-politics-from-the-same-demographic-group/962492/79 "2022-04-10T20:10:22Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > And the reason “every one of them has been white, male, conservative, and over 50” is because the OP works in a manly hardware store in a city where over 70% of the population is white and 25% are over 45. IOW “confirmation bias”. That doesn’t explain my very similar experience working in a glorified _grocery store_ where the customer base is more female, has a broader age range, and a lot more diversity in skin color. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-my-customers-who-bring-up-politics-from-the-same-demographic-group/962492/80 "2022-04-10T23:44:48Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > No, not all his supporters are racists but all the racists support him (and think he is one of them, whether it’s true or not). **All** the racists support him? Do you have a cite for that? Of course you don’t. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-my-customers-who-bring-up-politics-from-the-same-demographic-group/962492.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-my-customers-who-bring-up-politics-from-the-same-demographic-group/962492.md?page=5)