Another DU Liberality Pulse-Feeler

[porphyrian]

Poll question: Another DU Liberality Pulse-Feeler

While there is inconsistency between what you might consider yourself, what others perceive you as, and what you actually are, it's interesting to see what DUers think of themselves periodically. So, given an arbitrarily left to right spectrum, which of the following would you say best describes you?

[salvorhardin]

1. The left-right thing is a false dichotomy

and pretty much has been misapplied since the concept was created back during the French revolution.

[skids]

2. Ditto.

...which is rare, as I hardly ever agree with dancing cthulhus.

[salvorhardin]

12. Don't fear Hello Cthulhu!

She only wishes to bring you the wisdom of the ages -- and then devour you! :-)

[porphyrian]

3. I agree, but it remains a part of our self-perception as a society...

...and that's what this poll's about.

I rather prefer this one, honestly:

http://politicalcompass.org/

[porphyrian]

9. Which, by the way...

...I just took again. Today, my score is:
Economic Left/Right: -5.75
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -6.56

[WiseButAngrySara]

18. Thanks! I just took it (I had taken it about a year ago and had lost the

link) Today, my score is:

Economic Left/Right: -7.13
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -4.31

The scores are similar to what I'd scoed before, being closely placed to Ghandi. So it looks as if I'm more left than I had thought! But where does this place me in the proposed political scale in this post?

[porphyrian]

21. Wherever you feel it does.

The point was to see what place you pick based on how you think of yourself, not on how I define it.

[salvorhardin]

10. I do too

I prefer the political compass idea too, although I feel we need at least three axes.

Yeah, I understand it's part of our self-perception as a society, but I'd really like to encourage people to move beyond that because both parties are using it as a tool to pigeonhole people and issues. I just don't find it useful.

No reflection on your poll.

[porphyrian]

13. I see your point, and I don't disagree with it.

I was just curious what people considered themselves today on my arbitrary scale.

What three axes would you use, by the way?

[salvorhardin]

15. Political Compass comes close

Economic Organization ranging from communist (100% state ownership and control) to capitalist (0% state ownership and control).
Governmental Organization ranging from pure anarchy to pure dictatorship
Social Organization ranging from social conservative (very slow/little social change) to social liberal (fast/dynamic social change)

Again, sorry, I'm not doing your question justice either.

[Blue State Blues]

16. Great link, thanks!

And it's nice to confirm my suspicion that my political leanings are closer to Gandhi than Hitler. Whew! What a relief!

[porphyrian]

24. It can be a difficult question to ask of oneself.

Am I more likely to hunger strike or annex the Sudetenland? After all, both Ghandi and Hitler were vegetarian.

[manic expression]

4. How so, exactly?

I somewhat agree with you, but it does follow a certain pattern. However, when one claims that Stalin and Mao were "leftists", or that Libertarians are "rightists", then it is very misapplied.

[salvorhardin]

7. It collapses a whole host of factors onto a one dimensional scale

Among the various things all pushed into this one dimensional scale are political ideology, governmental organization, economic organization, social values... It creates this illusion that there are only two basic ways of thinking about things and leads to gross generalizations. "All liberals are communists" "All conservatives are fascists" It's become a tool to get people to stop thinking critically about individual issues and just say "well, the conservatives are for it so I'm against it 'cause I'm a liberal".

BTW: This isn't directly addressed to you, but anyone who isn't aware of the historical origins of the terms.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left-right_politics#Historical_origin_of_the_terms

On edit: I'm not doing your question justice here. It's really something I could devote a few hundred words to.

[xchrom]

5. i believe in a secular, planned society

-- i'm a socialist, with an abhorence for nationalism.

in the u.s. -- that makes me very liberal.

[Burma Jones]

6. Libertarian Leftie

[mestup]

8. Define "Liberal" - in the US in 2005.

:shrug:

[porphyrian]

11. This poll is about what you consider yourself more than...

...the actual definition. If you think you're liberal, you are, at least with regards to this poll.

[ms liberty]

14. It is all about the context...

Todays "very liberal" might very well be yesterdays moderate. The Repugnicans, beginning with Raygun, moved the center rightward; then Poppy moved it even further with his attacks on ACLU. He actively pushed making liberal a dirty word. Throughout the 90's Clinton and Gore were demonized as liberals, but they governed as moderates.

Where we are now is that anyone to the left of James Dobson, Pat Robertson, and Jerry Falwell are liberals - even though it isn't true, it is how we're portrayed.

So I picked the most liberal choice. In an unskewed world I would probably call myself a moderate. In this effed-up world we're in now, I call myself a liberal...and the longer the radical RW nuts push their agenda, the more liberal I get. If we don't stop them soon, I'll be a socialist!

[porphyrian]

23. I'd say some of our own have helped bring us to the right, too.

Clinton was a liberal-leaning moderate, yet he was branded a pinko-commie by republicans, and the Democratic party never successfully challenged them on it.

[WiseButAngrySara]

17. Please define your terms! Otherwise this poll is useless, IMHO.

I am anti-war, anti-neocon, anti-BFEE, anti-corporations, anti-gun, anti-abortion (with exceptions) because abortion as a means of birth conrol is morally repugnant to me, but pro-choice because I don't believe the government has the moral authority to dictate what women choose to do with their own bodies, anti-death penalty (with rare exceptions?), anti-gay marriage, but pro-gays, pro-government health care and health insurance, pro- environment...

I usually describe myself as a moderate liberal, but I don't fit into all of the so-called formulas. You should list yours, or the poll means nothing.

[porphyrian]

20. The intent of this poll is to see what DUers identify themselves with...

...according to my arbitrary spectrum. So, it means what you think it means.

[More Than A Feeling]

19. My political compass score and a list of what I believe

Your political compass
Economic Left/Right: -2.75
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -4.62

Socially, I am the Dalai Lama, and economically, I am where Pope John Paul II used to be.

I believe that capitalism, properly regulated and with its harsher effects ameliorated through both public and private assistance, is the proper economic system for the United States.

I believe that we must never shrink from protecting ourselves, but that the army cannot be the only tool for this purpose, nor should it be the one we automatically reach for.

I believe that our representative democracy requires more checks and balances, since it is clear that the ones we have were easily subverted by a rampaging president, a lickspittle congress, and one party domination.

I believe that we can be proud to call ourselves Americans because we have the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, and these must be protected at all costs from those who would tarnish them with the prejudice du jour.

I believe that we must never be blind to the potential negative effects of our actions, but that in every moment we should strive to reach the highest standard of human nature.

I believe that our country is too big and diverse to be governed by the cultural expectations of any one class, confederation, or group.

I believe we should do what we can to ensure equal opportunity, regardless of what position a person begins life in.

[in_cog_ni_to]

22. I chose very Liberal, but I'm really very Radical....as far left as one

can go. :hi:

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

26. If you were that far left...

... you wouldn't have an internet connection.

Busted.

[Bouncy Ball]

27. RUMMY very rarely ever when I type LOL do I actually

mean I laughed out loud, but yeah. I laughed out loud.

I was about to say I was radical too, then I read that.

How about this? I have very radical ideas!

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

28. I'm as far left as not grinding my own grain allows me to be.

:D

[UDenver20]

25. An interesting bird...

A pseudo-religious, pro-business, social liberal.

[porphyrian]

29. Pseudo-religious?

You've got to explain that one. Does that mean you practice a false religion, you pretend to be religious, or are you being sarcastic? Inquiring minds and all.

[Armstead]

30. Mostly liberal but I try to be intellectually honest about issues

Most everything about the liberal philosophy makes perfect sense to me, and I am baffled by conservatives who don;t "get it."

But sometimes, in practice, liberalism is just as idiotic or misguided as conservatism, or else good intentions go awry.

Plus I think there are enough beliefs that honest conservatives and liberals share that the differences are often a false dichotomy. Credit should be given where credit is due, and when conservatives make sense, I try to acknowledge it.

Sometimes this stance gets me into trouble with fellow liberals and progressives.