The Mini-Me Assumption
In a USA Today editorial piece, writerPhillip Longman, who's also the author of "Empty Cradle: How Falling Birthrates Threaten World Prosperity and What to Do About It," says that because liberals are more likely to be childfree than conservatives, we can expect a more conservative future. He writes:
It's a pattern found throughout the world, and it augers a far more conservative future — one in which patriarchy and other traditional values make a comeback, if only by default. Childlessness and small families are increasingly the norm today among progressive secularists. As a consequence, an increasing share of all children born into the world are descended from a share of the population whose conservative values have led them to raise large families.
While I think Longman is right, conservatives do tend to have more kids than liberals, he makes what I call the mini-me assumption: that your kids will turn out to be just like you. That's simply not the case. As one who leans left politically, I've certainly had friends tell me I should have kids so there can be more little lefties in the world. But I was raised by Conservative Christians and turned out to be neither of those things, so why should I assume that my kids, if I had them, would turn out just like me. To me, this is just wishful thinking!
[LINKS]
It's a pattern found throughout the world, and it augers a far more conservative future — one in which patriarchy and other traditional values make a comeback, if only by default. Childlessness and small families are increasingly the norm today among progressive secularists. As a consequence, an increasing share of all children born into the world are descended from a share of the population whose conservative values have led them to raise large families.
While I think Longman is right, conservatives do tend to have more kids than liberals, he makes what I call the mini-me assumption: that your kids will turn out to be just like you. That's simply not the case. As one who leans left politically, I've certainly had friends tell me I should have kids so there can be more little lefties in the world. But I was raised by Conservative Christians and turned out to be neither of those things, so why should I assume that my kids, if I had them, would turn out just like me. To me, this is just wishful thinking!
[LINKS]
6 Comments:
I saw this article, too, and was initially depressed. But your blog brought me back to reality--I came from a Midwestern, suburban, Catholic, Republican family and I'm now a gay atheist liberal. There is hope.
I've really concerned about this phenominon myself lately. But the Mini-me theory that you have does make a lot of sense. My father was a hunter and I'm a Vegan, so I'm living proof also. Whew, that's a load off my mind....
Personally, I think my ability to impose my beliefs on my nieces and nephews will far outweigh the ability of their parents to accomplish the same goal. Something about when the cool aunt says it that makes it much more believable and takes some of the fun out of rebelling!
I've seen this assumption time and time again, and it's just wrong. M parents are conservative Republicans. I love him, but I think my dad would vote for The Devil himself if he was on the Republican ticket :) My sis and I are both liberal, although my brother is more conservative.
It's like people who think it's great that the childfree aren't having children so that "our kind" will die out. Well, we didn't spring up from holes in the ground, so chances are some of the kids out there today won't have children.
Yeah, the Australian printed an extract of Longman's book over the weekend. He does accept that some kids will rebel against their parents, that's only natural.
I think his larger point though is that patriarchal families are the ones having more kids - and that's going to change the social climate.
Incisive Decisionmaker - thanks for giving me hope that I can model my godson. Should be fun!
I have two brothers and we were raised in a midwestern, suburban, catholic, republican family, and yet brother and I are liberal athiests...
So 2 catholic republicans produced only one catholic conserative, but twice as many liberal athiests... So much for the mini-me idea
Post a Comment
<< Home