Maybe that's true, but there's sort of a mean undertone to that theory that bugs me for some reason. It sounds too much like we're saying 'ha-ha! you're still the class nerd! and we're still cooler than you!' which works counter to our goal of embracing and coalition building. And Coulter and Carlson are neo-cons, not true conservatives.

By which I mean, the whiny kid sees something like this and assumes we're still the big meanies who picked on him when he was young which is only going to make them worse and dig their heels in deeper is what I'm saying.

also, the fact that this study took place in Berkeley should be taken into account. A kid who feels left out and persecuted is going to side against the majority, and in Berkeley the majority is pretty much far left.

(again this is not an apologia for the right, just ana ttempt at come critical analysis)

I was wondering when this would show up in the MetaMonkeyMechaFilter constellation.

Yeah, I wonder how the demographics of Berkeley influenced the study.

Though, it makes all kinds of sense to me. The people I knew growing up that ended up more-or-less "conservative" were all kinds of fussy and bitchy when we were kids, pre-occupied with the morals and sexuality of others, prone to tattling and more. Anecdotal, but there you go.

jmc, I was going to point out the same thing about the tone, which is decribes the findings as being: rigid & conservative vs creative & liberal. There's a complete bias there that doesn't sit well. You could turn it around and say law-abiding and upstanding vs shiftless and flaky; it's merely a matter of perspective.

Besides, I know plenty of whiny 'hippies'.

I think we all know plenty of whiny hippies, but I think it's relevent to ask what it is they're whining about.

It's one thing to whine and whinge about, say, the quality of one's hotel room or job and entirely another thing to whine about the quality of the leadership or policy of one's country.

Most of the "hippie liberals" I know are either mildly to extremely independent, pragmatic and sensible when it comes to day-to-day life, survival, food, clothing, housing and all that. Most of the "conservatives" I know really aren't. If everything is not just so in their immediate environment or their personal senses or sensibilities are offended, watch out.

But again, context is everything. I live in urban environments. Most of these same hippie-liberals that I know would probably be bitching and whining if they had to, say, butcher a cow, age it, salt it and whatever, (unless they were hard core techno-pagan-post-industrial, shotgun and flamethrower-weilding Burning Man sorts) while there's plenty of "conservatives" who do just that as a matter of fact and daily life, if not for livelihood.

but...but...i don't want to go to sleep! i want to watch tv....awwwwwww....why?????.....can i have some water first????....awwwww....i'm not tired tho.....just 5 minutes of tv? 4 minutes?.... pleeeeeeeeeeeeassssseeeeee?...awwwww

; >

i wonder what we're going to see rebellion-wise with all these playdate kids who never had a minute that was unscheduled growing up---it'll be big, i'm betting.

oh, that study is a crock--whiny kids aren't insecure or fearful at all---they're more often assertive (but in a passive-aggressive way) and never-satisfied, i find. So i'd agree with the rigid (bec they want things their way and their way only), but not that it's fear-based at all.

I would wonder if it isn't so much conservatism as it is an attraction to the solid base of structural authority. I.e., in Canada I can think of plenty of the same types who were attracted to the Liberal party, not so much for its ideals (it doesn't have any that aren't apt to change with the winds) but for the institutional nature of its position.

Maybe these types of people are attracted to institutionalized religious organizatons for the same reason, which could be another channel for their becoming 'conservative'.

all the whiny people i know have repeatedly switched allegiances to everything--from political parties, to religious denominations, to clubs and social groups, to people, to everything... they make me seem like a rock of stability compared to them (and i'm not).

i find that they're never happy or satisfied with anything, and not "true believers" at all. Or--they are in the beginning, til they find one thing or person they don't like, and then they leave it.