Where are you on the political spectrum?

[D Angelo Barksdale]

The compass is always fun, but I'm not sure that it is particularly accurate or useful tbh.

Or that people are being honest when they post their results.

[Inanimate Carbon Rod]

Just now, NotThePars said:

Tony Blair's Labour 

Yeh, id agree with that, pretty much like a UK Democrat party in delivery? 
 

Lets face it theyre all shite. 

[NotThePars]

3 minutes ago, Inanimate Carbon Rod said:

Yeh, id agree with that, pretty much like a UK Democrat party in delivery? 
 

Lets face it theyre all shite. 

Could probably put aspects of David Cameron's Tories under it as well with a vicious Home Secretary and some patina of progressive social gestures (gay marriage) underpinning horrible economic policy.

As an aside it was funny to watch the Sensibles (led by that moron Stephen Bush) arguing Labour should praise Tory policy over the last decade to win over supporters and when they had their little debate I don't think a single one could point to the one actually good thing the Tories did which was legalising gay marriage presumably because they believe Red Wall bigots would foam at the mouth at the prospect.

Unserious people.

Edited January 3, 2022 by NotThePars

[welshbairn]

15 minutes ago, Scott Steiner said:

Instead of S Steiner, my username should really be C Kyle.

You mean the fantasist who pretended to have battered Jesse Ventura?

[HeartsOfficialMoaner]

4 minutes ago, Kima Greggs said:

The compass is always fun, but I'm not sure that it is particularly accurate or useful tbh.

Or that people are being honest when they post their results.

Yep. Some of the questions are mental. 

[Scott Steiner]

Great to see the few attempts at childish nonsense being largely drowned out by well thought out, sensible and reasonable replies!

[NotThePars]

I always get the Bolsheviks on the Russian Rev one but SMD everyone 

[coprolite]

There isn't just one left/right spectrum. 

If, like myself and other grown ups you view the scale as a description of economic views, there has been a clear shift to the right. State ownership, even of natural monopolies and failed industries, is regarded as a loony far left idea. Union membership is practically a historical curiosity. Nobody even mentions full employment as a policy goal. Corbyn's manifesto was comparable to an 80s SDLP one but laughably called far left. 

If however you view left/right as a cultural thing, then there probably has been a bit of a shift to the left, what with the gay marriage, racism becoming taboo etc. 

I think that to some degree, both of these shifts are linked to a decline in the influence of the church. I think that's a good thing in itself, because religion is an abdication of intellectual responsibility.  

On economic left right issues, although i disagree with a lot of the rights views i can at least respect them. 

On cultural left/right issues i can't see where the right is coming from at all usually. 

 

[G51]

My political position is "leftist shitposter". My political heroes are Chapo Trap House, the guy who made the Milk Gapes meme and Trump. 

[D Angelo Barksdale]

Pretty sure I was higher up towards the middle of the authoritarian/libertarian axis last time.

Here's the 2019 UK General Election one.

[Scott Steiner]

6 minutes ago, coprolite said:

There isn't just one left/right spectrum. 

If, like myself and other grown ups you view the scale as a description of economic views, there has been a clear shift to the right. State ownership, even of natural monopolies and failed industries, is regarded as a loony far left idea. Union membership is practically a historical curiosity. Nobody even mentions full employment as a policy goal. Corbyn's manifesto was comparable to an 80s SDLP one but laughably called far left. 

If however you view left/right as a cultural thing, then there probably has been a bit of a shift to the left, what with the gay marriage, racism becoming taboo etc. 

I think that to some degree, both of these shifts are linked to a decline in the influence of the church. I think that's a good thing in itself, because religion is an abdication of intellectual responsibility.  

On economic left right issues, although i disagree with a lot of the rights views i can at least respect them. 

On cultural left/right issues i can't see where the right is coming from at all usually. 

 

 

I agree with the general theme of your post (although not some of the specifics) that things have largely shifted right in terms of economics but left in terms of social issues.

The difference is that people aren't treated as pariahs for holding differing economic views in the same way they are for holding a different views on social issues.

I'd just love to see us have a free society where we can talk about anything.

[welshbairn]

19 minutes ago, NotThePars said:

I always get the Bolsheviks on the Russian Rev one but SMD everyone 

I presume you answered every question with Strongly Agree or Disagree?

[NotThePars]

I presume you answered every question with Strongly Agree or Disagree?

Nah there was a few I was a bit more open on but broad strokes I’m fairly certain on the majority.

[coprolite]

11 minutes ago, Scott Steiner said:

 

I agree with the general theme of your post (although not some of the specifics) that things have largely shifted right in terms of economics but left in terms of social issues.

The difference is that people aren't treated as pariahs for holding differing economic views in the same way they are for holding a different views on social issues.

I'd just love to see us have a free society where we can talk about anything.

We can talk about anything, more or less.

People should be free to express their contempt for certain views which they find objectionable without being accused of shutting down debate, cancelling or being against free speech.

People are treated as pariahs for holding left wing views, both economically and socially. Maybe not on here but this forum is only a very tiny part of the world. Look at the hounding Corbyn took. 

The right is generally in power everywhere significant so trying to pretend that the right are some oppressed minority without a voice is disingenuous and a little insulting. 

[Scott Steiner]

3 minutes ago, coprolite said:

We can talk about anything, more or less.

People should be free to express their contempt for certain views which they find objectionable without being accused of shutting down debate, cancelling or being against free speech.

People are treated as pariahs for holding left wing views, both economically and socially. Maybe not on here but this forum is only a very tiny part of the world. Look at the hounding Corbyn took. 

The right is generally in power everywhere significant so trying to pretend that the right are some oppressed minority without a voice is disingenuous and a little insulting. 

I'm afraid we can't, unless you're happy losing your job or becoming cancelled/ostracised.

Expressing contempt is one thing, but that's not what I'm against.  The pariah treatment for holding left-wing economic or social views simply doesn't happen.

[Dawson Park Boy]

1 hour ago, Scott Steiner said:

The only reason abortion is settled over here is the amount of pro-choice propaganda we're force fed as well as well-meaning politicians/media figures being scared to speak up due to the fear of being labelled.

Scan technology as well as scientific advances in the identification of DNA, realisation of when the child feels pain and develops organs/senses/a brain/a heartbeat as well as the harmful effects of abortion on the mother mean that attitudes could easily swing back some day.

In the USA we've had promising signs of hope from recent decisions regarding Texas and Mississippi.  I doubt 'Roe v Wade' will be overturned completely, but may eventually be largely rendered obsolete.

Interesting to note that 'Roe' is now a pro-life activist, as are many who witness the horrors of what abortion actually is such as ex-planned parenthood boss Abby Johnson.

All is not lost.

Abortion is an interesting one for a number of reasons.

Quite out of the blue, about 40 years ago, my wife became pregnant with our 3rd child with a gap of about 8 years between our 2nd one. We were naturally a bit upset about the disruption to our life both socially and economically and our GP suggested an abortion. That was all we needed! A jolt which made us realise that we’d be killing a part of ourselves for selfish reasons.
Thankfully, we didn’t go down that route but it changed our outlook completely and we took on board the ‘sanctity of life’ aspect.

Since then I am fairly anti-abortion but, at the end of the day, I do recognise that a woman has the right to chose and the current law is probably about right.

 

[Scott Steiner]

6 minutes ago, Dawson Park Boy said:

Abortion is an interesting one for a number of reasons.

Quite out of the blue, about 40 years ago, my wife became pregnant with our 3rd child with a gap of about 8 years between our 2nd one. We were naturally a bit upset about the disruption to our life both socially and economically and our GP suggested an abortion. That was all we needed! A jolt which made us realise that we’d be killing a part of ourselves for selfish reasons.
Thankfully, we didn’t go down that route but it changed our outlook completely and we took on board the ‘sanctity of life’ aspect.

Since then I am fairly anti-abortion but, at the end of the day, I do recognise that a woman has the right to chose and the current law is probably about right.

 

For some reason I thought you were a young thing, DPB!  Must be the 'boy' in your name.

[AsimButtHitsASix]

1 hour ago, Scott Steiner said:

Interesting to note that 'Roe' is now a pro-life activist, 

Nah. What is interesting is your knowledge, like your beliefs, are outdated: https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/jane-roe-from-roe-v-wade-made-a-stunning-deathbed-confession-now-what/2020/05/20/fad9d296-9a09-11ea-89fd-28fb313d1886_story.html
 

[Scott Steiner]

3 minutes ago, AsimButtHitsASix said:

Nah. What is interesting is your knowledge, like your beliefs, are outdated: https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/jane-roe-from-roe-v-wade-made-a-stunning-deathbed-confession-now-what/2020/05/20/fad9d296-9a09-11ea-89fd-28fb313d1886_story.html
 

Wow, wasn't aware of this Asim.  Looks like I was wrong there.

**Swallows pride**

[coprolite]

25 minutes ago, Scott Steiner said:

I'm afraid we can't, unless you're happy losing your job or becoming cancelled/ostracised.

Expressing contempt is one thing, but that's not what I'm against.  The pariah treatment for holding left-wing economic or social views simply doesn't happen.

 

There are like three cause celebre examples of people losing their jobs for political incorrectness that always get brought up and bandied about. I don't think that should happen and it is fair to complain when it does. I think the usual examples are all from US academia, and there is no evidence it is widespread. 

There is plenty evidence (a stammering buffoon in downing Street for example) that expressing racist views is no problem at all for your employment prospects and is generally socially acceptable.