The Student Room Group
Uni students - Complete our survey >>
Uni students - Complete our survey >>
Uni students - Complete our survey >>

Leftists and Athiests

The TSR user base appears to be primarily left-wing and atheist. Obviously there are many exceptions this is just what I've observed.

My question is this: What does this say about today's youth? Furthermore, what does this say about the UK?

Scroll to see replies

It shows that education and scientific thinking is increasing.


Posted from TSR Mobile
Reply 2
Avatar for Etreo
Etreo
1
Original post by revron77
Liberalism is a lack of education. As a person gets older and wiser, the more they move away from liberalism.

Being a liberal is made up of a pack of hippies and DAMN COMMIES!

I think it's more likely that the older generations retain the social attitudes that they held during their adult lives into senility. Life hasn't been a never-ending cycle of legalising gay marriage, then banning it again when everyone went "Woah, that was pretty stupid. Let's never do that again".
Original post by RayApparently
The TSR user base appears to be primarily left-wing and atheist.


I would agree with atheist but I don't agree with the left wing bit. There are plenty of right wingers and centrists etc.
Reply 4
Avatar for Martyn*
Martyn*
13
Original post by revron77
Liberalism is a lack of education. As a person gets older and wiser, the more they move away from liberalism.

Being a liberal is made up of a pack of hippies and DAMN COMMIES!


Neo-Liberalism is a lack of education. As a person gets older they usually get more grumpier and then because of their own lack of achievement during their younger years, they see the new generation as "having everything handed to them on a plate".

Neo-Liberals become right wing, they are made up of Neo-fascists, dictators and megalomaniacs.
Original post by revron77
Liberalism is a lack of education. As a person gets older and wiser, the more they move away from liberalism.

Being a liberal is made up of a pack of hippies and DAMN COMMIES!


This post shows a lack of education :rolleyes:

Anyway most self identifying liberals on here would not like being called left wing I imagine.
(edited 9 years ago)
I've noticed there are quite a few Atheists here but I can't say the same for leftists though, I've mainly seen Centrists tbh.
On the contrary, there seems to be quite a lot of rightists on here... most of whom are clueless though, tbf.
Reply 8
Avatar for Etreo
Etreo
1
Original post by arson_fire
People are mainly left-wing when they`re young and angry and gradually drift right as they get old and wiser.

I think it's nothing to do with wisdom, but a pragmatic desire to absorb status quo to make the best of their lot in life. There's nothing wise about letting business trample people or regressive social attitudes.
I guess it shows that the TSR user base is a bit more intelligent than the national (and global) average

Posted from TSR Mobile
I'm an atheist and a libertarian/anarcho-capitalist~ (somewhere in between the two)
but I agree that usually atheists seem to be more left wing than usual
and that's a shame, but it's also a shame that those on the left seem to treat anything right wing economically to be nothing short of nazism :rolleyes:
I'm an atheist with regards to god as I am libertarian with regards to the government (well, almost)
(edited 9 years ago)
Reply 11
Avatar for TJHughes
TJHughes
Parents are having less and less influence on their children, possibly?
It makes perfect sense:

Atheism-religion has not been forced down the throats of our generation so naturally lots of us don't buy into it.

Left-wing-Unfortunately, students tend to be left-wing. When you're young you apparently have more of an idealistic worldview.
I suspect so regarding atheist, but tbh I don't know that for sure. As for the politics, loads of polls have been held on various issues and I'm yet to see one showing that TSR is particularly left-wing.
Thanks to everyone posting, it's been interesting to read your views and I hope there will be more to come. To answer a few people's points: I also have noticed a large faction on TSR who are on the 'right'. However I do think those on the 'left' constitute the majority (albeit a small one). At the very least the TSR Labour Party have the majority in the Model House of Commons. I myself am an atheist though I find my political stance to be more difficult to define. I tend to describe myself as a social democrat.

I don't know if I'd directly associate left wing beliefs with youth though I agree that young people i.e. students tend to be more idealistic. We mustn't forget that socialism is a prevalent political view today regardless of age. I'd also refrain from associating political beliefs with material success. I don't consider myself as liberal. I disagree with their 'small government' approach which conflicts with the idea of promoting freedom through government intervention. That for course may seem oxymoronic to some.

Saying that younger people are more liberal or more left wing because their more idealistic is an interesting notion, however, in that it suggest that from a moral/ideological point of view these view points are 'superior'. Libertarianism strikes me as an exciting stance that is gaining traction in the UK but I believe we are stronger together as a society and as a collective. Libertarianism, though fascinating, is too radical imho.

And those are just some of my opinions on the political themes here lol
AT some point when i have time I'd love to engage in a discussion on religion with one of you. As I've said I am an atheist, though I'm less outspoken about it than I used to be.
Original post by tengentoppa
It makes perfect sense:

Atheism-religion has not been forced down the throats of our generation so naturally lots of us don't buy into it.

Left-wing-Unfortunately, students tend to be left-wing. When you're young you apparently have more of an idealistic worldview.


It seems to be arts and humanities students who are mostly leftist. This shows up in student politics because the STEM students are all busy actually doing their degrees, so they don't spend their time in hopelessly vague campaigns opposing any and all reduction in government spending.
Original post by chrisawhitmore
It seems to be arts and humanities students who are mostly leftist. This shows up in student politics because the STEM students are all busy actually doing their degrees, so they don't spend their time in hopelessly vague campaigns opposing any and all reduction in government spending.

Interesting. I must be an anomaly, given that I'm right-wing and a social science (Law) student.
Original post by Sunny_Smiles
anything right wing economically to be nothing short of nazism :rolleyes:
I'm an atheist with regards to god as I am libertarian with regards to the government (well, almost)


You come out with equally extreme satements such as all tax is theft. You are effectively labeling anyone left wing as being some kind of Stalinist.

I got nothing against right wingers who make reasonable arguments and don't resort to strawmen.
Original post by revron77
Considering liberals mainly go into university and especially art degrees. They then end up with crap degrees and low employment.

So if anything, I think your theory on a lack of achievement would fit more rightly to the left.


*sigh* firstly most self proclaimed liberals on here are right wing economically. I am goign to assume you mean leftists when you say liberal. I am a physics undergrad and get called out for being extremly on the left on these forums.
Original post by ChaoticButterfly
You come out with equally extreme satements such as all tax is theft. You are effectively labeling anyone left wing as being some kind of Stalinist.

I got nothing against right wingers who make reasonable arguments and don't resort to strawmen.


I'm not a full-on anarchist; although I believe that taxation is theft, that doesn't mean I don't think it's necessary in maintaining a limited government. if I'm calling you a stalinist, I'm not doing it because of whether you thinking taxation is theft - if you deny that taxation upon an individual isn't theft, you'll have to define "stealing" and distinguish it from what the government does, without an appeal to authority :lol:

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you