How to spot a baby conservative (Ultra mega barf alert!)

The Toronto Star ^ | Mar. 19, 2006 | KURT KLEINER

[Abathar]

Remember the whiny, insecure kid in nursery school, the one who always thought everyone was out to get him, and was always running to the teacher with complaints? Chances are he grew up to be a conservative.

At least, he did if he was one of 95 kids from the Berkeley area that social scientists have been tracking for the last 20 years. The confident, resilient, self-reliant kids mostly grew up to be liberals.

The study from the Journal of Research Into Personality isn't going to make the UC Berkeley professor who published it any friends on the right. Similar conclusions a few years ago from another academic saw him excoriated on right-wing blogs, and even led to a Congressional investigation into his research funding.

But the new results are worth a look. In the 1960s Jack Block and his wife and fellow professor Jeanne Block (now deceased) began tracking more than 100 nursery school kids as part of a general study of personality. The kids' personalities were rated at the time by teachers and assistants who had known them for months. There's no reason to think political bias skewed the ratings — the investigators were not looking at political orientation back then. Even if they had been, it's unlikely that 3- and 4-year-olds would have had much idea about their political leanings.

[rightinthemiddle]

How to spot a "baby liberal":

Easy. Any Liberals is a baby.

[Termite_Commander]

Caution!

A Projectile Vomiting Advisory is in effect for the following area(s) -- Free Republic -- until 9:00 P.M. EST Monday. If you are located within the warned area, please exercise extreme caution when reading topics.


A Projectile Vomiting Advisory means conditions are favorable for violent and/or sustained projectile vomiting. Exposure to extreme liberal bias is possible for the viewing area. If you have a heart condition or high blood pressure, please seek shelter immediately.


If you are exposed to heightened levels of Moonbat, remain calm, step away from the computer screen, and procure a vomit receptacle as soon as possible. If vomiting persists for more than 12 hours, gets worse, or is accompanied by swearing fits, listen to two hours of Rush Limbaugh, or read assorted quotes from Ann Coulter.


Again, a Projectile Vomiting Advisory is in effect for -- Free Republic -- until 9:00 P.M. EST Monday due to abnormally high levels of Moonbat.

[Reactionary]

I get it: Confident and wonderful liberal children grow up to rely on the Nanny State to make the world a tolerable place to live, and whining conservative kids grow up thinking that individual initiative is key.

Yeah. It makes sense. In Idiot Liberal Land, that is.

[CharlesWayneCT]

That's interesting. The kids who were picked on, who had to overcome adversity, became republicans.

The popular self-confident kids, who had everything handed to them, became liberals.

[Millee]

self-reliant kids mostly grew up to be liberals.

Would these be the same self-reliant people who rely on the government to help them with every aspect of their lives??? Horse pucky.

[dirtboy]

The confident, resilient, self-reliant kids mostly grew up to be liberals.

In other words, the kids who used brute force to beat lunch money out of law-abiding kids are now liberals using the force of government to force tax money from law-abiding working stiffs.

Makes sense to me.

[LaineyDee]

I believe this is called "projection". *chuckle*

[ClearCase_guy]

Excellent assessment. Another way of looking at it:

Kids who were cognizant of the rules, and thought rules were a good thing, became Republicans.
Kids who thought they were special, and that rules did not apply to them, became Liberals.

[Cementjungle]

At least, he did if he was one of 95 kids from the Berkeley area that social scientists have been tracking for the last 20 years.

If I grew up in Berkely I would probably be insane by now with all those moonbats around me.

[TXBSAFH]

Here are two if I have anything to say in the matter.

[Rick_Michael]

yeah, so!?

[JOAT]

Remember the whiny, insecure kid in nursery school, the one who always thought everyone was out to get him, and was always running to the teacher with complaints? Chances are he grew up to be a conservative.

At least, he did if he was one of 95 kids from the Berkeley area that social scientists have been tracking for the last 20 years. The confident, resilient, self-reliant kids mostly grew up to be liberals.

Easy to explain. Growing up in the 'Berkeley area' indicates that the area is infested with Liberals. The conservative kids accurately understood even at a young age that the environment was hostile to their families. This was interpreted by the wacko lefties as 'whiny and insecure.'

Simple really.

[lafroste]

Ouch! That'll leave a mark. Great analysis.

[PeteB570]

That's what I was thinking when I read it. The bullies grew up to be libs.

[rhombus]

Talk about profiling... this is longitudinal profiling.

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

The confident, resilient, self-reliant kids mostly grew up to be liberals.

[Billthedrill]

How to spot a liberal baby - bawling, soiled diapers, and 27 years old.

[trimom]

Another theory is that most of the kids who grew up to be conservative were at home, being raised by their parents instead of given over to day care sites DISGUISED as nursery schools.

[Centurion2000]

That defies all logic considering the liberals are the party of dependence. Of course this is a liberal article so logic has nothing to do with it.

Self reliant people do not need or want government interfering with their lives.