3 ms·

I was under the impression that this was because the left skews younger, and Gen X and millennials are more active and capable online.

Proziam 7y ago
Age is a component, but it doesn't adequately explain the difference in movements that occur in the real world as well as online. Universities have students organizing protests against right-wing figures quite frequently, and it was almost exclusively the left who pushed for the $15 minimum wage - despite both parties populations being affected heavily. From what I've seen (living in US, Germany, and Sweden) no matter where you go there is a difference in 'wiring.' [0]And according to some sources I've read there appears to be some science behind that as well. [0]https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/10/can-your-genes-predict-whether-youll-be-a-conservative-or-a-liberal/280677/ https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/10/can-you...
- bawolff 7y ago
  Universities skew younger even more than the internet does. I think there is an element of the left wanting to "fix" the world which appeals to young people, and the right wanting to "protect" the world from bad changes, which appeals to older more cautious people.
  - Proziam 7y ago
    The US military also skews young but leans more towards the republican party. https://news.gallup.com/poll/118684/military-veterans-ages-tend-republican.aspx https://news.gallup.com/poll/118684/military-veterans-ages-t...
    - defertoreptar 7y ago
      Looks like there are 1.29 million in the US military (0.3% of US population), with an average age of 34.5. (All figures from top search result of Google.) 59% of millennials lean or identify as Democrat compared to 35% Republican https://www.people-press.org/2018/03/01/1-generations-party-identification-midterm-voting-preferences-views-of-trump/ https://www.people-press.org/2018/03/01/1-generations-party-...
      - Proziam 7y ago
        [0]There were 18.8 million veterans living in the US in 2017. I don't know a single person in the military today that is over 30, and I live right by Nellis(Not exactly hard data, of course). Most people go into the military right after high school. I'd be surprised if the average age is actually that high, especially considering you can't even join the military over certain ages - though that depends on the branch and other factors. IIRC you cannot join the marines if you are >30 I suspect you probably are specifically looking at officers, which is an entirely different story. [0]https://www.ncsl.org/blog/2017/11/10/veterans-by-the-numbers.aspx https://www.ncsl.org/blog/2017/11/10/veterans-by-the-numbers...
- booboolayla 7y ago
  >Universities have students organizing protests against right-wing figures quite frequently Young people are just pawns in that example, the true "activists" are the professors/TAs hiding behind the students.

Proziam 7y ago

Age is a component, but it doesn't adequately explain the difference in movements that occur in the real world as well as online. Universities have students organizing protests against right-wing figures quite frequently, and it was almost exclusively the left who pushed for the $15 minimum wage - despite both parties populations being affected heavily. From what I've seen (living in US, Germany, and Sweden) no matter where you go there is a difference in 'wiring.' [0]And according to some sources I've read there appears to be some science behind that as well. [0]https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/10/can-your-genes-predict-whether-youll-be-a-conservative-or-a-liberal/280677/ https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/10/can-you...

bawolff 7y ago
Universities skew younger even more than the internet does. I think there is an element of the left wanting to "fix" the world which appeals to young people, and the right wanting to "protect" the world from bad changes, which appeals to older more cautious people.
- Proziam 7y ago
  The US military also skews young but leans more towards the republican party. https://news.gallup.com/poll/118684/military-veterans-ages-tend-republican.aspx https://news.gallup.com/poll/118684/military-veterans-ages-t...
  - defertoreptar 7y ago
    Looks like there are 1.29 million in the US military (0.3% of US population), with an average age of 34.5. (All figures from top search result of Google.) 59% of millennials lean or identify as Democrat compared to 35% Republican https://www.people-press.org/2018/03/01/1-generations-party-identification-midterm-voting-preferences-views-of-trump/ https://www.people-press.org/2018/03/01/1-generations-party-...
    - Proziam 7y ago
      [0]There were 18.8 million veterans living in the US in 2017. I don't know a single person in the military today that is over 30, and I live right by Nellis(Not exactly hard data, of course). Most people go into the military right after high school. I'd be surprised if the average age is actually that high, especially considering you can't even join the military over certain ages - though that depends on the branch and other factors. IIRC you cannot join the marines if you are >30 I suspect you probably are specifically looking at officers, which is an entirely different story. [0]https://www.ncsl.org/blog/2017/11/10/veterans-by-the-numbers.aspx https://www.ncsl.org/blog/2017/11/10/veterans-by-the-numbers...
booboolayla 7y ago
>Universities have students organizing protests against right-wing figures quite frequently Young people are just pawns in that example, the true "activists" are the professors/TAs hiding behind the students.