Are Confident People More Likely To Be Conservative?

[THUNDER HANDS]

Would you say you were confident growing up?

Would you say that you had a large, more than healthy self confidence throughout high school, college and your late 20's?

No. I wouldn't.

But I'm not conservative.

But when conservatives speak, what's they're saying is so implausible- but they say it with such confidence that they KNOW they're right, even though it's ovbious to anyone within even an earshot of the facts that they're completely incorrect.

And they win elections.

Now, a while ago I did a poll, back before the poll feature on DU2, about whether you were picked on in high school. It was one of the larger threads I remember starting, and it revealed a lot of DUers were picked on.

And lacked self confidence in their younger years.

Now, think back to high school. Imagine the kids who piced on you and imagine who they'd vote for now.

Imagine the popular kids. The one's who always went to the parties, the one's who always had TONS of hangers-on.

You weren't one of them.

Imagine who they'd be voting for now.

Now, do you think the socialization of high school throws people into two political groups, psychologically, and determines whether or not they're going to be liberal or conservative in the future?

Now, I'm not saying EVERYONE who was picked on in high school turns out to be a liberal and vice versa- but is there a majority?

What do you think?

[JanMichael]

1. Unless I'm an anomoly, no.

I've almost always been confident, overly confident at times, even in JHS.

Yet I'm a freakin' Socialist, what gives?

[Speck Tater]

2. Conservatives are more fearful than liberals.

They are more anal about locking doors. They are more worried about "enemies". They fear crime more, and they are affraid of people who don't look like them. Fear is what drives them to be conservatives.

I don't recall the link, but one psychologist also pointed out that conservatives have nightmares 6 times more frequently on average than liberals.

[Screaming Lord Byron]

3. A lot of us are mouthy bastards who like an argument.

That's me, anyhow. I'll pick an argument anywhere, anyhow.

[david_vincent]

4. Behold the difference

between self-confidence and self-righteousness!

[Screaming Lord Byron]

5. I'll go for self-righteous, myself!

[Kamika]

6. You might have a point

I never ever run across a freeper that wasnt 100% sure god loves him and hates democrats etc etc

I did meet alot of democrats that are nervous and such though

[Bucky]

9. Signs of insecurity, of course

There's a big difference between being certain that God loves you and being certain that God hates people different than you. But Kamika, I'm more concerned that you're "running across freepers". Unless you use a hum-vee that is.

Go to the Clark meet up tonight (or the Dean meet up Wednesday) and I'm sure you'll find plenty of well adjusted patriotic folks.

[alwynsw]

12. I don't see confidence or lack thereof as a determining factor.

But I do know that most folks I know that are conservative tend to be more confident that God is on their side.

My liberal friends tend to be more uneasy concerning religion in general.

Both sides in my circle tend to be VERY confident in their political beliefs.

[corarose]

7. Kids that are picked on are conservatives

They are angry people who don't know how to have fun and love others.

[alwynsw]

14. Where do you get off with that???

I was never picked on in school and I'm an upstanding, proud....oh, never mind...

[Bucky]

8. Voted no, but will say this...

I voted no, but I have to mention that I've never met a communist who had a happy childhood. I've always wondered about the correlation between abusive parenting and extremist or aberrant political views.

[thethinker]

10. Don't agree

The exact opposite is true. Ditto-heads have a need to "go along to get along". They aren't confident enough in their own opinions to have an original opinion. Did you ever meet a conservative with an original opinion or a good idea?

The other thing I notice about conservatives is they love being on stage with their opinions. They need attention. They call the radio talk shows to listen to themselves talk. They say exactly what the talk radio show host wants them to say. That is why they are called "ditto-heads". These are not confident people.

People who were picked on in school had a choice of several ways of dealing with it. The easy way to deal with it was never challenge the bully. Be come a member of the pack (or gang) and be accepted by the bully. Do his bidding, and always agree with him. I see this carried over into adulthood in many conservatives.

I agree with you that schools socialize people. Many students suffer a lot because of our schools. I sincerely believe there are better ways of doing things and the schools need to find the better way. Our schools undermine the self confidence (and independent thinking) of most students. It is worse now than when most of us were in school.

I also think that it takes a hell of a lot of self confidence to be a liberal. In Texas everyone is a conservative. If I turn on the radio or TV, or pick up a newspaper, I get a conservative opinion. Yet, I know the liberals are right and the conservatives are wrong.

Somehow I made it through the public school system with my ability to think intact.

[mac56]

11. There's a missing ingredient "X".

It's called being an asshole.

Assholes are supremely confident individuals, in my experience.

Assholes also vote Republican, in my experience.

Ergo, supremely confident individuals are more likely to vote Republican. QED.

[Kamika]

13. No, but conservatives tend to be more confident

nt

[no_hypocrisy]

15. Don't confuse confidence with arrogance/hubris.

n/t

[stanwyck]

16. It's not confidence

it's fear-based arrogance, as many of you have already mentioned. I had a very happy childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. Thank you, Mom and Dad. (liberal, progressive people). And my friends who are liberal were achievers early in life...grade wise, sports, socially. Some more than others. I believe exactly the opposite. I believe people who learned to be self-reliant early on, possibly experiencing hard times and coming out OK, have learned to be happy with themselves and with others. We're not so worried about "someone" coming and taking away our things. I believe we're more comfortable with people of different religions, races, gender, and backgrounds. Our lives are larger. Our frame of reference larger. We travel, read, and talk to people. The right-wing people I know keep their lives small.