General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Getting more conservative as you get older? [View all]GoldenSF
(27 posts)As an ethnic minority, I've seen how far ideals about how we've become a color-blind society are from reality. When I was younger, I really wanted to believe there were equal opportunities for people of color. While things have certainly improved, an opportunities are generally better than they have ever been in the history of this country, we still have a long ways to go. People are surprised when I tell people I've been stopped by police more than once just for walking down the street (I'm not African-American and so I can't even begin to understand what it must be like for them to deal with this on a daily basis). I'm clearly not a physical threat (5'10" but pretty thin with a long-distance runner's physique), but I'm not white either.
There is also subtle discrimination, where despite being articulate and having delivered numerous successful multidisciplinary projects for my employer (and having graduated from two of the top universities in the country), I feel I've hit a glass ceiling at my workplace and in applying for other jobs.
I'm fortunate that income is not a day-to-day issue as I earn more than enough to pay the bills (but am unable to buy a home). I live in a city where there is a widening gap between the well off and those who are struggling to make ends meet. There is massive displacement here and it's hard for me to imagine what it's like when all of one's disposable income is going to pay rent.
Rather than making me more conservative (which is fueled by a net-zero/winners & losers/hoarding mentality), these life experiences have made me more liberal/progressive. Much to my surprise, I've drifted left!