It's not that I think I'm the center of attention--I've just seen a prevalent train of thought here on FR that looked like it was appearing yet again. I've commented on it before, and this time was no different.
Well if that "prevalent train of thought" comes choo-choo'n by, you ping me, will ya?!?!
You wanna know where it comes from? That discrimination comes from the experience of dealing with liberals in general.
Edmund Burke claimed that conservatism was always doomed to failure, because, by definition, conservatism does not initiate opposition to progressivism. In other words, conservatism eschews change and leftists are constantly looking to overturn the long-standing traditions of economics, religion etc., so they can "do it the just and fair way."
Look at home ownership. Conservatives believe everyone should have the same /opportunity/ to earn and save and work hard so that someday they might earn the "privilege" to own a home. Just like everyone always has. Progressives think home ownership should henceforth be a "right." Housing should either be granted by the government, or, the government should mandate a "living wage" that does away with any need for individual differentiation through effort, and thus individualism.
So, Burkian conservatives believe in the maintenance and at most very cautious change away from established traditions of their forefathers. Leftists and socialists and communists on the other hand, still retain the adolescent arrogance that their parents and grandparents couldn't possibly have any important insights on the world today, and that if the old order would just get out of the way, then they could remake the world how it's supposed to be, and this time, it would be perfect.
That's admirable idealism, but after a while, you realize, "Wowsers, them old folk created tradition from hard knocks and wisdom of compromise."
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I still consider myself young, but I've crossed the Rubicon of progressivism. I'm an arrogant SOB, but I no longer think I could fix everything if only I were in charge. I know you'll have to get bloodied and bruised (only intellectually, I hope) and figure out your own perspective on this, but I wish I had read about Burke before college. (Russ Kirk, "The Conservative Mind." Kinda sleepy reading, but it's the King James version of conservatism, IMHO.)
If someone raps you for seeming to possess an "adolescent arrogance" they might assume you're a liberal. Nothing wrong with that!
Like they say, "If you don't lean liberal in college, you have no heart. If you don't lean conservative after college, you have no brain!" Let's all have fun with this for crying out loud!
As far as being offended, get over it! You have no right to not be offended! (Bear with me, please! This is not an insult, but you will of course take it as you please.)
If someone insults "your age group," you can:
1) Take the generalization as a personal insult.
2) Disagree with the generalization, but consider why someone would generalize something "incorrectly" about your age group and try to correct their misunderstanding.
3) Agree with the generalization, but perhaps differentiate why you are not part of that group.
4) Demand that the person renounce all hasty generalizations, insist that they conform to a politically correct code of respect for all diverse types of individual, and scorn them if they don't.
I'd recommend a mix of 2 and 3, but your mileage may vary!!!