I’ve been raised by conservative parents in a liberal state. Although it doesn’t sound extremely impactful, this dichotomy changed the way I approach issues and engage in politics.

My experience

One of my former classmates did a study on political psychology, and in her final presentation, what stuck with me the most was that a parent’s political preference is the most accurate way to predict a child’s political preference. Out of all the other factors that could contribute to an individual’s thinking — where they live, the media they consume, their friends’ preferences — their parents’ ideas are the ones most deeply impressed upon them.

That makes sense in my experience — while I definitely don’t agree with all of my parents’ ideas and beliefs, their political standing definitely swayed me further right than many of my peers. This was not true when I was in middle school, as many of my teachers, friends, and messages on social media influenced me heavily, especially during COVID. But as I’ve grown older and more able to have thoughtful discussions with my parents as equals, I slowly shifted towards their ideas and became more independent-thinking. Now, while I stand further left than my parents in many regards, I hold some political beliefs that few of my friends agree with.

The result

Ultimately, I wanted to write this blog specifically to talk about how, as a young girl growing up in a world filled with media and messages that aren’t necessarily consumed, but rather unintentionally absorbed by society, I’m grateful that I’ve had to balance distinct ideas and preferences in life within and outside of my family. This sort of dual-life, as I sometimes used to think of it, exposed me to contrasting ideas and forced me to make up my own mind about everything.

I’m grateful that my parents never imposed their political beliefs on me when I was young and still today, but merely explained where they were coming from and engaging in debate with me. Sure, sometimes the words “you’re too young to understand,” or “you’ll see what I mean when you’re older” put a damper on that discourse, but never to an extent where I no longer felt compelled to forge my own ideas. I’m also glad none of my teachers were ever forceful in that way — ultimately, the fact that those two sides passively influenced rather than forcibly converted me was what shaped me into who I am today.

I wouldn’t necessarily recommend that conservative families move to liberal areas and liberal families to conservative areas, but I can say that it changed my life for the better.