h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi Guys

I'd like to join your society and add a few thoughts to the mix
my leanings tend as follows;

Political:
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Relatively Apolitical - centre left-ish

Religious:
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Non believer in mainstream religion still open minded to a God-like-thingy-person.

Philosophical:
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"It ain't what you don't know that's the problem, it what you think you know that just ain't so." (that about sums it up)

Conclusion
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Byrnesnight is a middle of the Road - Fence sitter.


Best regards, BFS

hello, i would like to join after an arduous task of finding you. i probably won't contribute much. but i do sometimes ask questions

political leaning:
searching for the democracy in voting in a dictator.

philosophical:
never ask the meaning, ask the use.

religious:
more a believer than an atheist snail.


creachy

If it's okay I'd like to throw my hat in the ring:

Politics: Centrist

Religion: Christian

Philosophy: Personal liberty, personal privacy, eternal consequences for an individual's actions following the end of life.

Welcome to the fray, guys.

I'm looking for something a bit shorter for the political/religious/philosophical bit of the application. I can take some editorial license with some of these, but I have no idea what to do with creachy's responses. And RE1's philosophical response leaves me puzzled. Could you guys give me something a bit briefer I can go with? I'll update the page all at once as soon as I can get the info I need.

***

I'll go ahead and close the polls on the name change... it appears that Open Debating Society will remain the name.

Now I've just got to get off my butt and write that argument summary and get it over to Ste so he can put in his part, and we'll get this thing some real advertising.

Philosophy: Christian indivisualism

Hi Blathers

Can I have a page listing too? I'm feeling left out

political: liberal left
religious: non-atheist humanist
philosophical: Fan of WD Ross and John Rawls

While I'm self-promoting, is it worth adding a link to Speaker's Corner at A756605? It's a place where people can post links to longer and more detailed arguments as guide entries. Also, perhaps, A617843 on How to be a Philosopher, which may or may not be useful. Just suggestions - please feel free to use or ignore, I really don't mind!

Otto

Political: a sore point with me, why is the political *spectrum* lineal? I am right on some issues and left on others. I believe in a social democracy but like a free market system with reins and limits. I am pro abortion and anti capital punishment but in favour of more prisons and castration (chemical or physical) for sex offenders. What am I?

Religion: Agnostic with athiest leanings.

Philosophical:Secular Humanist Determinist Scientist? Not sure really.

Welcome to the fray, guys. I've processed the new applications, though they could be improved with a couple of clarifications:

Otto: I'm not sure what your philosophy means, because I've never heard of those writers. Could you describe their position in three words or less?

zoomer: Actually, the political spectrum *isn't* linear... it's planar. I could help you determine your general categorization with the answers to two simple questions:

1) Economics - Free-market capitalism with limited regulation, strong federal regulation and extensive social programs, or a balance of the two?

2) Society - "An ye harm none, do as ye will," legislation protecting moral values, or a balance of the two?

------------

I've completed my contribution to the big Post article I'd proposed to advertise this place, so whenever Ste has a chance to look it over and respond, I'll incorporate his position and drop it off with the Post editors. You can find it here: A1104814

ok, sorry for the delay

political - Democrat

I'm currently in the middle of packing the house up and shipping out in the next week. I'll probably have some time nearer the end of the month to write my half of the Iraq war legality debate then. Sorry for the delay, but I'll get it done eventually.

Thanks for being patient...



Ste

Well, I guess you would say a free market economy with socially conscious regulation (and an eye to similar regulation of international corporate power) and a captial punishment system with lots of room for appeals.
But as far as a succinct political label, I am not comfortable with the choices available.

Hope I don't sound too vague.

But capital punishment is only one issue in the larger realm of social legislation. I can't judge from your answer whether you'd fall more in the socially liberal or conservative part of that axis.

Though from what you've answered so far, moderate conservative sounds like a fair approximation of where you'd land.

Oh, I'm sorry, I thought those two questions are what you needed to *rate* me as it were.
Well, I suppose but in actual fact I vote the Canadian version of Liberal, which is leaning toward free enterprise, but is *socialist* enough to be described as that by some US pundits. The only things I tend to disagree with them on is capital punishment and of course, size of government which is almost universally to big in all parties. But in addition, this is the party which is decriminalizing Marihuana and has made same-sex marriages legal (both of which I applaud) so a classic *Liberal* definition may or may not apply to me.

Don't pay attention to what US pundits say. Half of them think Joe McCarthy is an unsung hero.

And after perusing the philosophy statement, it appears that the Liberal Party of Canada uses the term liberal in its classic sense. Those of us who live in places where the term has been hijacked are forced to use the term libertarian in its place.

And libertarianism is as far as you can get from socialism.

But they support national medical health care and even state sponsored day-care. Almost communist back in the 50s when it started. Is that Libertarian?

Am watching avidly in the hope of catching the difference between classic liberal, nu liberal, libertarian and socialist...

I've forgotten since last time, refresh my memory: is a libertarian an individualist, championing the rights and aspirations of the individual, just as a socialist champions the rights and aspirations of the community, society as a whole?

Pattern-chaser

"Who cares, wins"

>>>Otto: I'm not sure what your philosophy means, because I've never heard of those writers. Could you describe their position in three words or less?

Sorry, I can't - probably best to leave the philosophical bit blank....


Otto

cl: Well, their philosophy statement reflects classic liberalism, but from what you say, their actions more closely reflect modern liberalism. Economically I'd say they are centrist, since they balance debt reduction and low taxes with social programs like socialized medicine and day care. Politically, they'd be individualist. I think that puts them on a 45 degree angle somewhere halfway between modern liberal and modern libertarian.

Fnord: Classic liberalism = libertarianism. Modern liberalism differs from classic liberalism in that, while they still protect the rights of individuals to choose for themselves the sort of lifestyles they live, they favor economic measures that take extra tax dollars from the individuals that are spent in ways that will, in theory, provide for a healthier society as a whole. A nationalized health service is a good example.

P-c: Your characterizations of libertarianism and socialism are correct.

My point, exactly. The political definition of left/right is no longer valid. If something is at a *45 degree angle* it can't fit in the classic definition of left/middle/right any more than someone who has another idea can be *sitting on the fence*. There must be a better way, the complexities of modern politics should not be simplified into a lineal definition. If I had the power in this pea brain I would be able to think three dimensionally about it, but I can't and I think that is the cause of the simplification. The public (and again, calling them classes or white collar, blue collar is a fatal error in this time and economic/information age) needs a simple explaination. But for those of us who think a bit more, do we?