My problem with politics!

[Aka90sKid]

I would like to know how you stay on one place on the political spectrum,
and not be too swayed by people's arguments.

 

[TheOldSchool]

Aren't you somewhere on the political spectrum? You do believe in things don't you?

 

[Aka90sKid]

I have some coherent idea of where I am on the spectrum,
I took this test online multiple times, but can't fully grasp the propositions.

I respond slightly different multiple times I took that test,
I would be in the right corner of the green left-libertarian box.

 

[Darkwind]

I have some coherent idea of where I am on the spectrum,
I took this test online multiple times, but can't fully grasp the propositions.

I respond slightly different multiple times I took that test,
I would be in the right corner of the green left-libertarian box.

Stop worrying about a scale that means nothing to anyone except political wonks.

Develop your sense of right and wrong, moral, and ethical. Base your life on these beliefs, and look at your government through that lens.

The Politics and spectrum will take care of themselves.

 

[JakeStarkey]

As long as you are not drifting into the far left libs and the far right reactionaries, movement back and forth from left of center to right of center is healthy. Where you are will change as your life changes. It's normal.

 

[Glensather]

I have some coherent idea of where I am on the spectrum,
I took this test online multiple times, but can't fully grasp the propositions.

I respond slightly different multiple times I took that test,
I would be in the right corner of the green left-libertarian box.

The test your speaking of puts me on par with the Dalai Lama and Gandhi, so take it with a grain of salt. It's a test for your political stance internationally, and international politics are very different from politics in your home country.

This is the same test that pegs Obama as a right-of-center person, after all, and I'm sure many Republicans would be insulted to think that he was anything like them.

 

[Aka90sKid]

No, I don't take it personally that an international test put Obama right-of-center,
What do you think about it?

 

[Mac1958]

I would like to know how you stay on one place on the political spectrum,
and not be too swayed by people's arguments.

I'd start by always remembering that partisan ideologues are rarely honest. They deploy spin, diversion, deflection, distortion, hyperbole and straw men arguments as naturally as the rest of us breathe. While they represent maybe 20% of the population, max, they make about 90% of the noise.

If you're interested in being aware, the only way to do it is to gather information from a wide rage of sources, analyze it carefully, stay humble and remember there are always two sides to a story, learn to identify the bullshit from the sincerity, keep your mind open to those with whom you disagree, and make up your own mind. Sometimes an argument will change your mind, other times it will reinforce it. You're under no obligation to stay in one place politically, although some appear to think they are.

But definitely, don't believe what you hear from one source.

.

 

[Black_Label]

No, I don't take it personally that an international test put Obama right-of-center,
What do you think about it?

It's true.

 

[JakeStarkey]

I have some coherent idea of where I am on the spectrum,
I took this test online multiple times, but can't fully grasp the propositions.

I respond slightly different multiple times I took that test,
I would be in the right corner of the green left-libertarian box.

The test your speaking of puts me on par with the Dalai Lama and Gandhi, so take it with a grain of salt. It's a test for your political stance internationally, and international politics are very different from politics in your home country.

This is the same test that pegs Obama as a right-of-center person, after all, and I'm sure many Republicans would be insulted to think that he was anything like them.

BHO is right of center when you look at the definition of fascism and consider the idea of crony capitalism.

 

[Dot Com]

No, I don't take it personally that an international test put Obama right-of-center,
What do you think about it?

It's true.

44 is a moderate by any rational standard, yes.

As to the OP, as others have said, people change positions through their lives as once tightly held beliefs are discounted. Case in point- Randianism. Most people leave that behind after HS or college.

 

[Aka90sKid]

What do you mean by sources?
You mean organizations rather than traditional news organizations right?

And how does one analyze these things?
I know it sounds intuitive, but I never paid that much attention before.

 

[Dot Com]

my eyes were opened when I found out that the voters were not the prime movers in U.S. Politics. Read about the Citizens United case and how Repubs always try to water down anything to do w/ limiting campaign contributions. Also see how the BCRA was challenged by, yes, the Right.

 

[Mac1958]

What do you mean by sources?
You mean organizations rather than traditional news organizations right?

And how does one analyze these things?
I know it sounds intuitive, but I never paid that much attention before.

Well, this part is as much an art as it is a science. By "sources" I mean television networks and websites for the most part. So, for example:

Conservative: Start with Fox News, townhall.com and the Weekly Standard.

Liberal: MSBNC, Huffington Post and DailyKos.

RealClearPolitics is a pretty good clearinghouse for partisan thought from both silly "ends".

Look around the sites, click on the links, and you'll find about a zillion other links and blogs and sites that peddle their intellectually dishonest partisan rhetoric.

You'll be amazed at how the two ends see the same event but can't even agree on the facts; how they'll avoid and ignore all information that doesn't fit their political agenda; how they love to misrepresent the views of the other. You can see that behavior on pretty much any given thread on this site. Then you have to sift through the crap, rely on your own observational skills, analytical skills and gut feelings to make your own decisions. And there's no law that says you can't change your mind as fact change, it doesn't make you a weak person.

And my favorite part: Both silly ends will tell you that they have a vice-like grip on "The Truth". Always makes me giggle. And I swear, I think they may actually believe it.

You'd think it shouldn't have to take this much effort, but I'm afraid it does.

.

 

[Aka90sKid]

Luckily, at least there are some people in the world with the common sense you have.

 

[bripat9643]

As long as you are not drifting into the far left libs and the far right reactionaries, movement back and forth from left of center to right of center is healthy. Where you are will change as your life changes. It's normal.

Of course, Fakey sees no problem with the far left. He only objects to what he calls the "far-right," and John McCain is on the far-right according to his yardstick.

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

I would like to know how you stay on one place on the political spectrum,
and not be too swayed by people's arguments.

One doesn’t.

A pragmatist follows objective facts and evidence, and eschews subjective partisan doctrine and dogma often devoid of facts or evidence, regardless where that might land him on the ‘political spectrum.’

For example: banning abortion is just as ineffective and un-Constitutional as banning guns, as there is no objective facts or evidence in support of banning either.

 

[Erand7899]

I would like to know how you stay on one place on the political spectrum,
and not be too swayed by people's arguments.

Staying in one place on any spectrum, political or otherwise, is far less important than having a rational, well thought out, reason for why you are where you are, and why you feel a need to modify that position.

The modern political spectrum has various elements. Economic, financial, and social, are primary elements and one can have different positions on each element. Just be sure that your reasoning is based on logic and not on emotions.

 

[National Socialist]

I would like to know how you stay on one place on the political spectrum,
and not be too swayed by people's arguments.

I haven't been swayed by people's arguments but by actions I see. I have turned 100% anti capitalist once I saw what the capitalists wanted to do and are doing to the poor in this country.I have always been pro white and that will never change.

 

[occupied]

Abandon fear as a political motivator. Best political advice I could give anyone. No politician who stands up there and tells America to vote their phantom fears should ever get a single vote. Americans are supposed to be courageous, it's part of our national identity.We do the impossible with style or at least we used to before the wretched bean counters and pinch pennies took over and said we are too poor to do the right things by our countrymen anymore. Beautiful aspirations built the country, not fear, xenophobia and negativity.