Robert Williams Posted April 4, 2009 Report Share Posted April 4, 2009 It just occurred to me that none of my friends are liberals. I can't think, off the top of my head, of any liberals I enjoy talking to or would want to spend time with. And as I think about it some more, it seems most people tend to associate with people of their own political polarity. I can usually tell if someone is a liberal or a conservative in very short order and, without attempting to be insulting, I can say that the degree of capacity for rational and logical thinking usually tells me exactly where they stand. The more logical and rational, the greater the likelihood that they are conservative-leaning. The more emotional or flightly, the greater the likelihood that they are liberals. Other cues/indicators: Hunt or fish -----> conservative vegan -----> liberal Vocal Christian -----> conservative Union member -----> liberal GW believer -----> liberal NASCAR fan -----> conservative Shooting sports ---- > conservative Pro White bigot -----> conservative Pro Black bigot -----> liberral Business owner -----> conservative Hourly employee ----> liberal Homosexual -----> liberal Spiritualist/psychic believer ----> liberal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gamakatsu Posted April 4, 2009 Report Share Posted April 4, 2009 I'd say that my friends are both liberal and conservative, about 50/50. My patience wanes with the lunatic fringe on both sides. I'd also say that your list is useless. There's plenty of union hugging, fudge packing, time clock punching, atheist palm reading right wingers running around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gamakatsu Posted April 4, 2009 Report Share Posted April 4, 2009 It's the zealots who don't allow anybody to have an opinion that differs from their own who turn me off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Williams Posted April 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2009 I didn't say "acid test", I merely pointed out what I've found to be indicators of political polarity. There are too many exceptions to any of them for them to be considered a "rule". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Williams Posted April 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2009 It's the zealots who don't allow anybody to have an opinion that differs from their own who turn me off. Well, that's your opinion and you're not entitled to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe G Posted April 4, 2009 Report Share Posted April 4, 2009 I think it is only natural that people associate with folks who hold views similar to their own. Even in an environment where people hold different views, sub groups develop based on some common theme. That said, I'm not sure such exclusivity associations with members who think and act alike makes for a well rounded, open minded, receptive individual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lichum Posted April 4, 2009 Report Share Posted April 4, 2009 It just occurred to me that none of my friends are liberals. I can't think, off the top of my head, of any liberals I enjoy talking to or would want to spend time with. And as I think about it some more, it seems most people tend to associate with people of their own political polarity. I can usually tell if someone is a liberal or a conservative in very short order and, without attempting to be insulting, I can say that the degree of capacity for rational and logical thinking usually tells me exactly where they stand. The more logical and rational, the greater the likelihood that they are conservative-leaning. The more emotional or flightly, the greater the likelihood that they are liberals. Other cues/indicators: Hunt or fish -----> conservative vegan -----> liberal Vocal Christian -----> conservative Union member -----> liberal GW believer -----> liberal NASCAR fan -----> conservative Shooting sports ---- > conservative Pro White bigot -----> conservative Pro Black bigot -----> liberral Business owner -----> conservative Hourly employee ----> liberal Homosexual -----> liberal Spiritualist/psychic believer ----> liberal Someone investigated what factors into tenacious adherence to political orientation. They found the higher the level of education the greater the adherence, and that strong adherents tend to associate with those of like mind. Around 1950, an English philosopher named Hare developed the concept of "blik." Everyone has a blik which influences how they experience and react to the world in which they live. I believe liberals are more right brain dominant and conservatives more left brain dominant. I think we now have some brain science which lends support to Hare's notion of blik. "Who is John Galt?" Who? You? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe G Posted April 4, 2009 Report Share Posted April 4, 2009 There was an article in this AM's WSJ (section B1) dealing with known genetic markers found in ones DNA that predisposes some folks to risk taking in investing. In brief.... the article points out that perhaps 20% of the variation in risk taking among individuals is genetically determined.....with the rest coming from ones upbringing, experience, education, and training. I wager that genetic markers also have a great deal of influence in our associations as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSpaniard Posted April 4, 2009 Report Share Posted April 4, 2009 The sad part to me RW is that you still just want to paint people as liberal or conservative with no degree in between. So from your stance which is very far right it would seem that about 90% of the people in this country are liberal's to you. If you don't have any friends who you would consider liberal I think you limiting yourself and possibly this is why you only see things from your own persepctive...... There are people exactly like you on the left side of the spectrum and my opinion is you guys have more in common with eachother than anyone else living in this country....At least you can relate to zero tolerance stepping beyond your stance..... John Create instead of living off the buying and selling of others....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishnmagician Posted April 4, 2009 Report Share Posted April 4, 2009 VOCAL Chrisitian.... there's a crowd I don't want to hang with. he has homosexual wrong too, closeted homosexual - conservative, open homesexual - liberal my guess is closeted homosexual = vocal Christian a LOT as well. it also explains why the GOP doesn't win elections, if business owners are conservative, and hourly employees are liberal, it's a numbers game conservatives can't win. but that harkens back to my Archie Bunker thread, there WAS a time when hard working blue collar union men felt the GOP spoke for them... evidently they aren't even welcome in the party anymore, just rich people and Vocal Christians. Eggy 10-13 LAA 7-14 50-50 2-15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimW Posted April 4, 2009 Report Share Posted April 4, 2009 Seems you just want to stereotype people so you can apply your own prejudices. What you perceive to make from these observations will likely prevent you from learning what these people you judge are actually all about. Doesn't surprise me that you would have no friends with opposing view points "I have ... put a lump of ice into an equal quantity of water ... if a little sea salt be added to the water we shall produce a fluid sensibly colder than the ice was in the beginning, which has appeared a curious and puzzling thing to those unacquainted with the general fact."- Joseph Black Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Williams Posted April 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2009 Give it up and quit sniveling about sterotyping and labels and all that crap. Damn, you can't talk about people's inclinations, mindsets, philosophies or anything else without someone shaking their politically correct finger at you and going "tsk, tsk, tsk.... you just want go label people". And, no, it shouldn't be surprising that I'm not friends with people who want to take my guns, raise my taxes or convert me to eating tofu instead of steak. I don't have much time for activities with other people and I sure as hell don't want to spend time with other people hearing about the evils of capitalism, hunting, conspiracy theories, global warming b.s. or the evangalical threat. Opposing viewpoints on lots of things isn't a big deal. But opposing things that are important to me is a big deal. If you don't approve of my core beliefs, you can kiss my hairy ass and probably won't end up being one of my bosom buddies. If you think that's sad, then go cry me a river. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2d Posted April 4, 2009 Report Share Posted April 4, 2009 without attempting to be insulting, I can say that the degree of capacity for rational and logical thinking usually tells me exactly where they stand. The more logical and rational, the greater the likelihood that they are conservative-leaning. The more emotional or flightly, the greater the likelihood that they are liberals. when do you get to the not insulting part? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Williams Posted April 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2009 when do you get to the not insulting part? I said without ATTEMPTING (i.e. trying - intending - or aiming for) insulting, I stated what I think. If you consider that to be insulting, then I guess I failed in my attempt. Oh well. And how do I know you're a liberal? Because a rational and logical take on it might be that you disagree and consider the liberal arguments to be extremely rational and know many highly intellectual liberals, of which you may count yourself in their number. But no..... It's "waaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh, that was insulting", instead. Liberals.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonpool Posted April 4, 2009 Report Share Posted April 4, 2009 I always thought a NASCAR fan was a Red neck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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