8 Values

[Belsnickel]

(07-22-2017, 08:24 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Correct, and many are also center-left.  Meaning that there is still more that unites most of us than divides.  Now, if only we could get our elected officials to realize that they are also all Americans, not just Left Wing or Right Wing, and start moving forward for the general good, things would be much better for all of us.

There are a couple of issues at play. The first is that a lot of people don't understand that the prevailing forces in the Democratic party is neo-Liberalism, and the Republican party it is neo-Conservatism. Both are roughly center-right. Social liberalism, what you see myself and some others on here espouse, is center-left. Of course, we are seen as just left to most, and far left to some others. The perspective in this country is skewed in this regard.

The other issue is that the majority of people, in my experience, don't truly hold to an ideology but more accurately have a series of ad-hoc opinions on issues that are formed at the time their opinion is being asked and can often change depending on who, how, or when the question is being asked. This makes it very difficult to really get into those sorts of conversations about things.

[Dill]

(07-22-2017, 08:41 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: There are a couple of issues at play. The first is that a lot of people don't understand that the prevailing forces in the Democratic party is neo-Liberalism, and the Republican party it is neo-Conservatism. Both are roughly center-right. Social liberalism, what you see myself and some others on here espouse, is center-left. Of course, we are seen as just left to most, and far left to some others. The perspective in this country is skewed in this regard.

I'm pretty sure I saw a socialist in the mix too.

The "skewing" you talk about generally includes centrists under the rubric of "left" too.

By the way, someone can be both neo liberal and neo conservative where foreign policy is concerned. And I am not sure neo conservativism prevails in the Republican party anymore. Remember strong foreign policy was one of their central goals--The New American Century, etc.  Trump has abandoned that.

[Bengalzona]

(07-22-2017, 08:41 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: There are a couple of issues at play. The first is that a lot of people don't understand that the prevailing forces in the Democratic party is neo-Liberalism, and the Republican party it is neo-Conservatism. Both are roughly center-right. Social liberalism, what you see myself and some others on here espouse, is center-left. Of course, we are seen as just left to most, and far left to some others. The perspective in this country is skewed in this regard.

The other issue is that the majority of people, in my experience, don't truly hold to an ideology but more accurately have a series of ad-hoc opinions on issues that are formed at the time their opinion is being asked and can often change depending on who, how, or when the question is being asked. This makes it very difficult to really get into those sorts of conversations about things.

The poll is skewed. They all are. Also, as you pointed out, people generally have ad-hoc opinions on issues and those change, sometimes quite often. A poll collecting a few of your opinions doesn't define you so that others can label you correctly. That is why I take these with a grain of salt.

[Dill]

(07-24-2017, 07:24 AM)Bengalzona Wrote: The poll is skewed. They all are. Also, as you pointed out, people generally have ad-hoc opinions on issues and those change, sometimes quite often. A poll collecting a few of your opinions doesn't define you so that others can label you correctly. That is why I take these with a grain of salt.

I think there is something to be said for this one, though. Most people agreed with their results, insofar as they understood them. That in itself is not proof of accuracy, of course, since one's desire to be on one point in the spectrum may skew one's answers to produce that desired result.

Also, a number of the questions are not ones upon which people have ad hoc opinions. E.g. most people have fixed views on state vs private ownership of the means of production or state intervention in the economy. To their credit, the creators of this exercise understand it is not perfect and encourage feedback and suggestions. Measuring and labeling political views is inherently difficult since one person may be, for example, pro-life and pro welfare at the same time.

Overall, I think it was not a bad diagnostic exercise, which helped all of us understand more about our political investments, whether we knew we had them or not. 

So thanks to SSF for starting an interesting thread.