What role does age play in how we view and engage in politics?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

While there is little solid evidence to prove that people tend to become more conservative in their political views as they age, there are clear and consistent differences in political engagement among age groups. Middle-age and older citizens typically are more politically attentive and active, engaging in such things as persuasion of others, frequent voting, letter writing, and political contributions. Political generations are also a key part of age-related political activity. These generations are characterized by shared experiences and events such as 9/11, the civil rights movement of the 1960s, the Vietnam War, World War II, and the Great Depression. Known by such names at the New Deal generation, the Baby Boomers, and the Millennials, each of these groups possesses their own unique views of politics. The New Deal generation tended to be more Democratic that preceding generations. Baby Boomers, born during the post–World War II years, were more diverse and are now in their late middle ages. The Millennial generation that followed the Baby Boomers is even larger, more diverse, less religious, and typically more cynical about the media. Political events and age ultimately intersect leaving a permanent impression upon each generation as it develops its own unique political views. Through the process of generational replacement, older age groups die and overall opinion among the citizenry changes.