At least, according to this article, which is essentially about how wonderful it is that kids are getting more conservative these days. Of course, to support its thesis it uses anecdotal evidence, umpteen billion polls that aren’t even linked to, surveys ditto and shows some signs of having the graph drawn first, then picked out the data points, but that’s par for the course (and across the board). It’s nicely written, and I’m glad Pejmanesque pointed it out, but as a persuasion piece it’s got some holes*.
Moe
*Don’t get me wrong: I – like most people, whether Republican or Democrat – would find it wonderful if the rate of teenage pregnancy, divorce and illegal drug use (to pick three examples) all went down. I’m sure that most people here would agree. I’m even willing enough to believe that this is happening. But give me some real links, forget polls, don’t assume that data from your immediate circle tells me anything except about your immediate circle and (most importantly) come up with your conclusion in response to your hypothesis.
Avoiding relevant anecdotes on the other side because we needn’t go there, I don’t think not getting pregnant as a teen, not getting a divorce and not using illegal drugs and being a liberal are mutually exclusive, and my 14-year-old junkie baby’s momma agrees.
If conservative and liberal have much meaning anymore (pro-gay marriage and anti-abortion, anyone) some decent statistical information may come in November.
It has been a bad job economy, with one of the worst affected groups recent college graduates…which might make them socially more conservative, at least temporarily.
I’ll try to get the data from DeLong or Sawicky tomorrow if you doubt this.
What Carpeicthus said.
From what I know, teenage pregnancy has in fact been declining steadily for some time now. Of course, that could be due in large part to increased use of contraception, which is somehow not what I think the author of the linked article had in mind.
But why exactly are you happy Pejmanesque pointed it out?
“But why exactly are you happy Pejmanesque pointed it out?”
Umm… because I’m one of those hopeless weirdos who reads long articles about policy and society for fun*?
I mean, shoot, I even read the ones that don’t have any pictures. How sad is that?
Moe
*I believe that the technical term for this is ‘blogger’.
I would go so far as to say that an article claiming that hating your parents and writing naughty rap lyrics are liberal values is simply stupid and offensive.
The liberal argument, to the extent that there even is one in these contexts, is that you should have a right to do these things, because it is not the job of the state to prevent you. If you choose not to, all for the better.
Umm… because I’m one of those hopeless weirdos who reads long articles about policy and society for fun*?
I mean, shoot, I even read the ones that don’t have any pictures. How sad is that?
Sorry, I shouldn’t post before I’ve had anything to eat. I was just struck by the phrasing given that you clearly didn’t think very highly of the article. I also have to admit that I don’t really get the point behind these articles; as you say, they’re not going to convince anyone who doesn’t already agree with them.
I have to admit that the article lost me by the first paragraph. I watched Lord of the Rings and Master and Commander, and anyone who thinks that people were watching either of those with completely pure and sexless feelings was, well, not in the same universe as me.