Is there a such thing as a moderate?

Cainkane1 · 31st May 2010, 06:27 AM

While I am conservative on many issues I'm very liberal on others. Is there a way of making this known without making both sides think you are wishy washy and causing hard feelings.

rwguinn · 31st May 2010, 09:05 AM

Originally Posted by Cainkane1

While I am conservative on many issues I'm very liberal on others. Is there a way of making this known without making both sides think you are wishy washy and causing hard feelings.

Apparently not.

Genesius · 31st May 2010, 09:11 AM

Carefully considering the issues and taking a position based on that process rather than blindly following the party line seems to be the ultimate political sin these days. I suggest stocking up on ashes and sackcloth, and when you leave the house don't forget to ring a bell and call out "Unclean! Unclean!"

dasmiller · 31st May 2010, 09:26 AM

Originally Posted by Cainkane1

While I am conservative on many issues I'm very liberal on others. Is there a way of making this known without making both sides think you are wishy washy and causing hard feelings.

It's worse than that - you're both wishy-washy and extremist, for clearly only an extremist could seriously believe <insert viewpoint here>. I mean, you're obviously not dumb because you also believe <insert another viewpoint here> and yet you make the obvious mistake of <insert 3rd viewpoint here>.

Slightly more seriously - having a set of views that doesn't line up with either of the traditional sides of the political spectrum doesn't make you a moderate. You're a moderate on individual issues if you fall between the traditional positions.

Though I'll allow a fair amount of moderate-cred to anyone who simply acknowledges that there is some merit to opposing viewpoints.

Of course, I wouldn't go so far as to consider opposing viewpoints to <insert 4th viewpoint here>, because anyone who doesn't agree with that is clearly either <insert derogatory here> or <insert a different derogatory here>.

Jekyll's Guest · 31st May 2010, 10:32 AM

At best you may get someone able to juggle enough balls at once that a slim majority identifies with him enough to consider them a 'moderate', but everyone else will rate them anything from pinko to Nazi.

There possibly was a time when American politics had a middle of the road option, but until their is some kind of drastic shift it's basically two opposing camps, and you're either on a side or in no mans land

Nursedan · 31st May 2010, 10:57 AM

I'm the same way, although I lean toward the conservative end of things. Take away the religious aspect and I'd probably be classified as a Republican.

On my Facebook profile under political views I wrote "Depends on the issue", and I'm pretty comfortable with that.

Tsukasa Buddha · 31st May 2010, 02:35 PM

Seems like in America we get off on how independent/moderate/against-the-two-parties we are. I mean, 43% of Tea Party goers labelled themselves Independent. And for politicians they are against the "entrenched forces on both sides in Washington".

And we especially enjoy the myth of "vote the person, not the party".

In my experience, moderates really do have a preference, they just don't like admitting it, or their preferences are so outside the mainstream that they might as well not even have them.

rwguinn · 31st May 2010, 05:28 PM

Originally Posted by dasmiller

It's worse than that - you're both wishy-washy and extremist, for clearly only an extremist could seriously believe <insert viewpoint here>. I mean, you're obviously not dumb because you also believe <insert another viewpoint here> and yet you make the obvious mistake of <insert 3rd viewpoint here>.

Slightly more seriously - having a set of views that doesn't line up with either of the traditional sides of the political spectrum doesn't make you a moderate. You're a moderate on individual issues if you fall between the traditional positions.

Though I'll allow a fair amount of moderate-cred to anyone who simply acknowledges that there is some merit to opposing viewpoints.

Of course, I wouldn't go so far as to consider opposing viewpoints to <insert 4th viewpoint here>, because anyone who doesn't agree with that is clearly either <insert derogatory here> or <insert a different derogatory here>.

Originally Posted by Tsukasa Buddha

Seems like in America we get off on how independent/moderate/against-the-two-parties we are. I mean, 43% of Tea Party goers labelled themselves Independent. And for politicians they are against the "entrenched forces on both sides in Washington".

And we especially enjoy the myth of "vote the person, not the party".

In my experience, moderates really do have a preference, they just don't like admitting it, or their preferences are so outside the mainstream that they might as well not even have them.

Sigh...

Tsukasa Buddha · 31st May 2010, 06:37 PM

Originally Posted by rwguinn

Sigh...

*Smug*

TragicMonkey · 1st June 2010, 08:14 AM

Politics is just like everything else when it comes to categorizing people: inexact. It's probably very rare for two different people to agree on everything. Choosing a particular political party would necessitate compromise on a lot of things. You just have to decide what's most important to you, and whether it's worth letting lesser issues go.

Personally, I have trouble relating to either of the two major parties in my country because some of my positions are located in extremes neither party is willing to represent. So like everybody else I have to vote for the jerk who comes closest to what I want, even if they're still way far off.

I find it especially irritating that so many people assume these parties are truly representative of anybody, and that to agree slightly with someone on a few issues is the same as supporting everything absolutely.

Mycroft · 1st June 2010, 08:19 AM

I think most people are moderate, but it doesn't seem that way because the people who speak up and get the attention are the extremes. This is due to the duel factors that the extremes are more motivated to speak up and also that the media gets more exciting coverage in presenting them.

coalesce · 1st June 2010, 08:42 AM

Is there such as thing as a moderate?

Maybe.

Michael

sgtbaker · 1st June 2010, 09:08 AM

Originally Posted by Cainkane1

While I am conservative on many issues I'm very liberal on others. Is there a way of making this known without making both sides think you are wishy washy and causing hard feelings.

Cainkane, as I get older the gray area widens. I have learned, at least with myself; the more opinionated I am on any particular topic, the less experience I actually have with it. I could care less of someone else thinks I am wishy washy, just because I can identify more than the black and white in any situation and I don't recommend you caring either. The older I get, the more independant I feel from any political affiliation. I think the more we learn about humanity; behaviors/experiences, the more we learn about the many fields of science, the more obsolete party lines should become. Like others have mentioned, blind loyalty to an outdated idea is counter-productive.

31st May 2010, 06:27 AM	#1
Cainkane1 Philosopher Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: The great American southeast Posts: 7,198	Is there a such thing as a moderate? While I am conservative on many issues I'm very liberal on others. Is there a way of making this known without making both sides think you are wishy washy and causing hard feelings.
	__________________ If at first you don't succeed try try again. Then if you fail to succeed to Hell with that. Try something else.

31st May 2010, 09:05 AM	#2
rwguinn Philosopher Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: 16 miles from 7 lakes Posts: 8,456	Originally Posted by Cainkane1 While I am conservative on many issues I'm very liberal on others. Is there a way of making this known without making both sides think you are wishy washy and causing hard feelings. Apparently not.
	__________________ "Political correctness is a doctrine,...,which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end." "I pointed out that his argument was wrong in every particular, but he rightfully took me to task for attacking only the weak points." Myriad http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?postid=6853275#post6853275

31st May 2010, 09:11 AM	#3
Genesius Apathetic Agnostic Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Reading, PA Posts: 1,534	Carefully considering the issues and taking a position based on that process rather than blindly following the party line seems to be the ultimate political sin these days. I suggest stocking up on ashes and sackcloth, and when you leave the house don't forget to ring a bell and call out "Unclean! Unclean!"
	__________________ "We must respect the other fellow's religion, but only in the same sense and to the same extent that we respect his theory that his wife is beautiful and his children smart." - H. L. Mencken "Why believe in things that make it tough on you?" - Devo, "Love Without Anger" GoogleBomb Sylvia Browne now! www.StopSylvia.com

31st May 2010, 09:26 AM	#4
dasmiller Just the right amount of cowbell Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Well past Hither, looking for Yon Posts: 3,465	Originally Posted by Cainkane1 While I am conservative on many issues I'm very liberal on others. Is there a way of making this known without making both sides think you are wishy washy and causing hard feelings. It's worse than that - you're both wishy-washy and extremist, for clearly only an extremist could seriously believe <insert viewpoint here>. I mean, you're obviously not dumb because you also believe <insert another viewpoint here> and yet you make the obvious mistake of <insert 3rd viewpoint here>. Slightly more seriously - having a set of views that doesn't line up with either of the traditional sides of the political spectrum doesn't make you a moderate. You're a moderate on individual issues if you fall between the traditional positions. Though I'll allow a fair amount of moderate-cred to anyone who simply acknowledges that there is some merit to opposing viewpoints. Of course, I wouldn't go so far as to consider opposing viewpoints to <insert 4th viewpoint here>, because anyone who doesn't agree with that is clearly either <insert derogatory here> or <insert a different derogatory here>.
	__________________ "In times of war, we need warriors. But this isn't a war." - Phil Plaitt

31st May 2010, 10:32 AM	#5
Jekyll's Guest Graduate Poster Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 1,948	At best you may get someone able to juggle enough balls at once that a slim majority identifies with him enough to consider them a 'moderate', but everyone else will rate them anything from pinko to Nazi. There possibly was a time when American politics had a middle of the road option, but until their is some kind of drastic shift it's basically two opposing camps, and you're either on a side or in no mans land
	Last edited by Jekyll's Guest; 31st May 2010 at 11:02 AM.

31st May 2010, 10:57 AM	#6
Nursedan Critical Thinker Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 492	I'm the same way, although I lean toward the conservative end of things. Take away the religious aspect and I'd probably be classified as a Republican. On my Facebook profile under political views I wrote "Depends on the issue", and I'm pretty comfortable with that.
Nursedan Critical Thinker Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 492	__________________ "I'm a conservative. Now, you may not like that, but I am" - Frank Zappa

31st May 2010, 02:35 PM	#7
Tsukasa Buddha Other (please write in) Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: NeverLand Posts: 9,925	Seems like in America we get off on how independent/moderate/against-the-two-parties we are. I mean, 43% of Tea Party goers labelled themselves Independent. And for politicians they are against the "entrenched forces on both sides in Washington". And we especially enjoy the myth of "vote the person, not the party". In my experience, moderates really do have a preference, they just don't like admitting it, or their preferences are so outside the mainstream that they might as well not even have them.
	__________________ As cultural anthropologists have always said "human culture" = "human nature". You might as well put a fish on the moon to test how it "swims naturally" without the "influence of water". -Earthborn

31st May 2010, 05:28 PM	#8
rwguinn Philosopher Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: 16 miles from 7 lakes Posts: 8,456	Originally Posted by dasmiller It's worse than that - you're both wishy-washy and extremist, for clearly only an extremist could seriously believe <insert viewpoint here>. I mean, you're obviously not dumb because you also believe <insert another viewpoint here> and yet you make the obvious mistake of <insert 3rd viewpoint here>. Slightly more seriously - having a set of views that doesn't line up with either of the traditional sides of the political spectrum doesn't make you a moderate. You're a moderate on individual issues if you fall between the traditional positions. Though I'll allow a fair amount of moderate-cred to anyone who simply acknowledges that there is some merit to opposing viewpoints. Of course, I wouldn't go so far as to consider opposing viewpoints to <insert 4th viewpoint here>, because anyone who doesn't agree with that is clearly either <insert derogatory here> or <insert a different derogatory here>. Originally Posted by Tsukasa Buddha Seems like in America we get off on how independent/moderate/against-the-two-parties we are. I mean, 43% of Tea Party goers labelled themselves Independent. And for politicians they are against the "entrenched forces on both sides in Washington". And we especially enjoy the myth of "vote the person, not the party". In my experience, moderates really do have a preference, they just don't like admitting it, or their preferences are so outside the mainstream that they might as well not even have them. Sigh...
	__________________ "Political correctness is a doctrine,...,which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end." "I pointed out that his argument was wrong in every particular, but he rightfully took me to task for attacking only the weak points." Myriad http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?postid=6853275#post6853275

31st May 2010, 06:37 PM	#9
Tsukasa Buddha Other (please write in) Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: NeverLand Posts: 9,925	Originally Posted by rwguinn Sigh... Smug
	__________________ As cultural anthropologists have always said "human culture" = "human nature". You might as well put a fish on the moon to test how it "swims naturally" without the "influence of water". -Earthborn

1st June 2010, 08:14 AM	#10
TragicMonkey Poisoned Waffles Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Monkey Posts: 30,112	Politics is just like everything else when it comes to categorizing people: inexact. It's probably very rare for two different people to agree on everything. Choosing a particular political party would necessitate compromise on a lot of things. You just have to decide what's most important to you, and whether it's worth letting lesser issues go. Personally, I have trouble relating to either of the two major parties in my country because some of my positions are located in extremes neither party is willing to represent. So like everybody else I have to vote for the jerk who comes closest to what I want, even if they're still way far off. I find it especially irritating that so many people assume these parties are truly representative of anybody, and that to agree slightly with someone on a few issues is the same as supporting everything absolutely.
	__________________ One cannot expect wisdom to flow from a pumpkin.

1st June 2010, 08:19 AM	#11
Mycroft High Priest of Ed Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 16,109	I think most people are moderate, but it doesn't seem that way because the people who speak up and get the attention are the extremes. This is due to the duel factors that the extremes are more motivated to speak up and also that the media gets more exciting coverage in presenting them.
	__________________ Surely Israel is the party to blame? -a_unique_person I do have Mycroft on ignore, he is pretty much the Matt Giwer of your side. -a_unique_person Palestinian Refugees

1st June 2010, 08:42 AM	#12
coalesce Illuminator Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Queens, NY Posts: 3,354	Is there such as thing as a moderate? Maybe. Michael
	__________________ "I want the kids in bed by nine, the dog fed, the yard watered and the gate locked. And get a note to the milkman NO MORE CHEESE!"

1st June 2010, 09:08 AM	#13
sgtbaker Philosopher Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 5,551	Originally Posted by Cainkane1 While I am conservative on many issues I'm very liberal on others. Is there a way of making this known without making both sides think you are wishy washy and causing hard feelings. Cainkane, as I get older the gray area widens. I have learned, at least with myself; the more opinionated I am on any particular topic, the less experience I actually have with it. I could care less of someone else thinks I am wishy washy, just because I can identify more than the black and white in any situation and I don't recommend you caring either. The older I get, the more independant I feel from any political affiliation. I think the more we learn about humanity; behaviors/experiences, the more we learn about the many fields of science, the more obsolete party lines should become. Like others have mentioned, blind loyalty to an outdated idea is counter-productive.
sgtbaker Philosopher Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 5,551