I discovered this article (HERE) by someone who seems to know what they're talking about, on voters regretting their choice in the referendum. The title is - Why most leave voters won't have Bregret. And yet the article is reassuring despite the headline. It explains that our voting choice in the referendum was more based on our character and sense of identity, with remain being more open to different cultures and leave having a more authoritarian view of the world and preferring a more ethnically uniform society. Facts apparently played only a small part in the result.
I think we all know there is a lot of truth here - certainly on the leave side but also in the case of remainers. If we were assured that Brexit would be a great success economically with Britain becoming a global powerhouse, most remainers would still opt to stay in the EU. This is the other side of the coin where a majority of older leave voters thought Brexit was worth taking an economic hit for. So, let's be honest we are probably just as irrational
This is apparently a well known phenomenon called belief polarisation. These deep rooted emotional characteristics mean both leavers and remainers will resist any change in their beliefs even when faced with facts that show their thinking is wrong or erroneous. So, those of us who think leave voters are going to experience a change of mind any time soon are going to be disappointed. Arguing with leave voters is only going to reinforce their beliefs.
Why then do I think it is reassuring? Firstly, belief polarisation should reinforce the demographic argument (HERE) that says younger voters are far more pro EU and older ones more likely to be anti EU. As old voters pass on there will be a majority to remain sooner or later. If voters stick to their beliefs, as apparently they will, this will not be a long process - perhaps four or five years at most.
Secondly, the writer does not say leave votes will never change their mind, only that change will come slowly. Brexit will bring a lot of change, some good but a lot will be bad. People generally are resistant to change and this applies particularly to leave voters who are less open to new things. Couple this with an almost certain downturn in the economy and I believe Brexit will eventually get a bad name.
Thirdly, I think we can be reassured there is not the huge shift from remain to leave that the right wing press and many Brexiteers believe has happened. And it won't happen either. The future is ours.
