What Makes You Tick

Out of curiosity and a desire to pick up some tips, what are the main influences on your political beliefs?

Some examples: Parental influence, education, “news” media, history and philosophy, and religion.

More specifically, are there any actions you take to keep an open mind, such as watching/listening to both right and left wing media?

Finally, how much time do you spend actually thinking about issues as opposed to just taking in information?

Personally, I’m not really a historian, but a lot of my opinions are based on what I see as lessons from history. My parents opened my eyes to the danger of blindly trusting media. My belief in the existence of right/wrong has roots in religion and logic.

To keep perspective I take news information from all sources. I listen to wildly opposing podcasts including Pod Save America, The Federalist Radio Hour, With Friends Like These, and various others. Of course the PF helps as well!

My occupation blesses me with a lot of quality time to just think and process information. Still, sometimes I feel I would be better served thinking more and consuming less.

 

I'm a 'far left' Leftist, born into a moderate Leftist family. When I was learning about politics in the 1980's, the Left was almost entirely different than it is today. We were concerned only with the material circumstances of human existence, and did not give a damn about your politics, religion, race, gender, etc. It was about keeping everyone fed, educated, and in reasonable health. We ran a side line in hoping for an end to wars and famine, but that was about as far we got in the 'feelings' department. We stayed well out of that side of things, believing that emotional and ideological politics was the Conservative purview.

I also had the opportunity to live on Communes during my 20's, as well as travel widely - including living in the Third World. Both of these activities taught me even more about the importance of the liberal approach to Leftism, and introduced me to Socialism (voluntary only, of which I'm a big fan).

Fast forward to the 21stC, and we see the rise of Progressivism. An odd choice of name for a group who are actually conservative - in that they believe in a fixed solution for all times and circumstances. The very antithesis of 'forward momentum' - which necessarily must allow for a wide variety of potential political solutions. Anyway, watching the increasingly shrill and 'religious' ideology of the 21stC Progressive has been a another learning curve, and has consolidated my Far Leftism. Again though, I'm actually liberal and progressive, with no requirement for those in my sphere of interest to kowtow to any particular brand of politics or ideology. And no requirement for future political solutions to be MY preferred politics. The key is adjusting and adapting to the ever changing needs of humanity as the future unfolds. The answers won't always be Left, neither can they always be Right. They will be one today, another tomorrow, and so on and so on. PROGRESS. Forward.

Apologies for stream of consciousness!

 

^ Great post.

Also a good thread.

I lived and worked in DC, so know the lay of the land pretty well, and that's informed my perspective of utter disgust for the entire landscape and both parties, including the fetid lobbyists whose sponsors own our government.

I try to be guided by sanity and reason (sometimes even succeeding!), and often find myself battling with people on one issue while heartily agreeing with them on another; partisanship is poison.

I think the Constitution is a remarkable document, and do NOT take kindly to attacks upon it.

 

Good topic.

As most of us, I am a product of my genes, upbringing, education, and environment.

My genes have "blessed" me with pre-diabetes and bad hips, which means I have to be extra careful with nutrition and getting enough (but not too much) exercise. They have also blessed me with a mind that has the ability to comprehend math and science pretty well, which shaped my career choice.

My upbringing was very conservative, church going etc. It instilled in me the appreciation for hard work. It also made me question the concepts of conservatism, which may have been one of the reason I later in life switched to a more liberal stance, as many people do the opposite of what their parents did. However, sometimes the conservative in me still wins, especially when it comes to household finances. My wife probably wishes I was more of a spender and less of a saver .

My education was in the sciences, chemistry. I have a love for chemistry, which I think I am able to convey to at least some of the students I teach. My education taught me to view every aspect of life in terms of the 1st and 2nd laws of thermodynamics, which can explain all of life's processes, including the economy.

When I did my postdoc, coming to the US from Germany in the early 90s, I met a nice American girl. More than 20 years later, we are still married with two kids. However, I experienced a huge change in environment moving from Germany to the US. If at all, this made me more liberal, since even a conservative in Germany would be more of a centrist/liberal in the US, in which the whole political spectrum is shifted to the right. For the first time in my life, I had to start thinking about guns and mass shootings, a non-issue in Germany.

 

Non authoritarian

I used to hate the Pubs because they were the more controlling of the two

But now, it isn’t even close

Progs want to control everything you do, from health to finance to information, heck, they are even trying to change scientific definitions and demand we agree and use the same rhetoric

It’s absolutey disgusting

The Democratic Party of 2000 is basically the Republican Party of tofay

 

Nature. Nature won't give you something for nothing. Nature has all the provisions but you must do something to benefit from it.

 

Thanks for your reply.

Great point about times past when politics was about material circumstances not feelings, pigmentation, etc. Most disagreements here seem to be at least somewhat predicated on this silliness we didn’t entertain before.

Doubt I’ll ever be exposed to a commune but I’ll bet the lessons learned there about base human nature and interaction are invaluable.

 

Well, I’ve been to DC a couple times but have always lived and worked at least 1200 miles away. Yet, I share your feelings on the place and it’s inhabitants.

You’re pretty successful in the reason department I think. Sanity...well I haven’t come to a definitive conclusion on that. I am kidding about the sanity part. I appreciate your ability to get people (who are in to that sort of thing) to think deeply.

I also believe the Constitution is key to our successes of the past and those to come.

Thanks for sharing.

 

I envy your mathematical abilities. I love all the other sciences but have no love for math.

I am thankful for good science teachers. I was lucky enough to learn enough in general biology and general chemistry classes as a college freshman to carry me through the rest of my college career without any difficulties. The teachers were the reason.

That’s good advice on the laws of thermodynamics.

Just out of curiosity, would you have stayed in the US if you hadn’t met your wife? My geographical location is directly linked to the woman I fell in love with.

Yes, I suppose the US would seem odd as we are descendants of the oddballs that didn’t fit in to European (and other) cultures for one reason or another! You just have bad timing with the mass shooting thing. In the mid 1900’s the reverse would have been true. And I certainly mean no disrespect as I’m of German descent as well!

Thanks for sharing.

 

Non authoritarian is the root of it all isn’t it? As others have mentioned in this thread the great Liberal ideas are being destroyed.

Went fast too! Took me by surprise.

Thanks

 

Working class oik. Most of my family died young or in agony. Mortality and morbidity from being exploited by their bosses. I got a few breaks, allowing me to become my own person. I've never lost where I'm from, nor how most folk are denied genuine economic choice. A socialist out of individualism.

 

My father taught me the basics between conservatives and liberals. In the U.S., conservatives believe in equality of opportunity whereas liberals seek equality of results. Equality of opportunity is a distinctly American value. Equality of results is a European value. Both sides want "equality", but they have very different perceptions of what that means.

I was a freak as a kid. I read the newspaper (cover to cover) beginning in 1972 when I was 10. I've also watched the network evening news almost every night since then. My formal education ended with a master's degree in American history. As an adult, I watch all three cable networks (40% Fox, 40% MSNBC, and 20% CNN). I listen to conservative talk radio (Rush and Dennis Prager). I also listen to NPR. I no longer read the Dallas Morning News every day since they became the unofficial LBGTQXYZ newspaper of America about 20 years ago.

I'm a Reagan Republican. I agree with 80% of what Trump does and about 50% of what he says. I believe government has grown far beyond what our founders intended and it should be cut drastically.

 

Shame he got that wrong! Liberal and social democracy is merely a debate over how to achieve equality of opportunity. America doesn't have any.

 

I probably hadn't stayed in the US if I hadn't met my wife. In fact, she moved to Germany with me for 2 years, but she hated being away from her family, that's why I applied to faculty positions mostly in the US and not in Germany. So, I had to make the sacrifice to be away from family, which was a great burden on the family in the last few years of the life of my parents, and a regret that I have to live with for the rest of my life.

Living away from your home country is never easy. You are a misfit everywhere. I am a misfit in the US, and I am a misfit in Germany, because everyone can sense that I have been away from the German culture for decades. Oh well, choices have consequences.

 

What's so funny? Are you implying that the economy doesn't have to obey the laws of thermodynamics?

 

My life is a rags to riches story. Dirt poor growing up and embarrassed at my humble surroundings. But as soon as I was able to get a morning paper route I have worked, sometimes two jobs. Served in the Navy for 3 years, learned a trade and I mean learned it better than most. Rose in my trade and the corporate ladder. Retired at age 55 in perfect health and financially secure. My politics are conservative because I believe the opportunity was there for me and it's still there for anyone willing to put in the effort. I have never asked the government for any help and never used my GI Bill for anything. I liked Reagan's politics and I like Trump's politics. I believe in self-help and long range planning in all lives will produce success. It has nothing to do with who is in the White House. I just shake my head at the rhetoric of the liberals.

 

Thanks for sharing. I believe it is important to understand that our background and life experiences are powerful influences. And that we all, regardless of our politics, as humans can aid others in need.

 

And also realise our error in individualism!

 

Ah, no.

Leftist politics is only concerned with income redistribution to equalize wealth.

The right thinks it’s ok for some people to earn $100,000 per year and some people to earn $20,000 based on their capabilities and work ethic.

The left just wants everyone at $30,000, because that is more “fair”.

 

You might have been a freak as a kid but I’m probably the freak today. I have never, not once, watched cable news. It’s all print and audio for me.

Wish I could download your knowledge of American history right into my brain. I enjoy forums etc. but I see they are detrimental to me in that I read less than I did before.

You aren’t supposed to agree with what Trump says, that’s trolling others. I agree that most of what he actually does is positive.

Thanks for the reply.

 

Cable news can be worthwhile as long as you can detect bias. If you can’t see the bias, you’re doomed to ignorance. And it can’t be your only source of news, even if you watch all of the networks.

 

No, I'm implying that saying they explain the economy is retarded.

Hell, you might as well say the rules of chess explain why Fischer beat Spassky.

 

Good stuff. Details differ but from 30,000 ft our backgrounds are very similar. But I will not retire. My occupation is a lifelong obsession it seems...

As far as the White House occupant I agree. People are always looking for hand holding or excuses from government. We just want to be left alone. Also good point about long range planning. Instant gratification is the “devil” so to speak. Ruins many with potential.

 

I've been a political junkie most of my life. I studied political science, and when younger subscribed and read a great variety of political magazines from all different perspectives. So for most of my life I've lived with the vanity that my political positions were based on, and vetted with, logic and careful study, Yet I find myself with the political positions that are not too different from any other middle class white male military veteran from the South who never really gave too much thought to politics or political philosophy.

So it may be that demography is a far bigger influence than all of my careful research and study. It's tough to admit, but I can see it in others fairly easily, but it's much more difficult to diagnosis oneself.