How Similar are your views to those around you?

[Michael Hardner]

Interesting question came up in a discussion with Bloodyminded on another thread:

Are our views similar to those around us?

I made a point that political discussion doesn't happen in public so much these days, following the thesis of Neil Postman in "Amusing Ourselves to Death" and bm disagreed. My experience is that almost all of my friends are liberal, and conservative views are rare, and his experience is one of diverse views in his social group. ( At least, that's my summary of his POV. )

What is your experience?

[bloodyminded]

Just to clarify, Michael (and my convoluted style was likely at fault): I do agree that political discussion doesn't happen in public so very much. (If it used to be different, it must have been before my time.)

Edited September 9, 2011 by Charles Anthony
deleted re-copied Opening Post

[eyeball]

I see people in my small community keeping more of their views to themselves as time goes by.

Even the regard people might have had for local politics and government has sunk to a low I don't recall seeing in 38 years or so that I've lived here. Social contact between people who have jobs working for the government (municipal, prov and federal) and people who don't seems a little strained to say the least. It must be a lot easier to be a government worker in the anonymity of the city than a small town. I seem to hear about a lot of workplace stress from people I know in government than anywhere. That seems a little incongruous given the job insecurity that exists just about everywhere else. I guess government workers must be feeling the heat that is more rightly being directed at the politicians and big bureaucracies they work for.

I think most people are just so disgusted with politics they've tuned it out. Most discussion I do hear almost always revolves around the more ridiculous things politicians and governments say and do.

The volunteer APC I've been associated with the last 25 of those years has all but disintegrated and I don't anyone rushing to fill the void. I'd rather be dragged through broken glass and razor-blades than go back myself. Maybe if I was getting paid to be there I might feel different.

[Silas XIV]

Being a National Socialist certainly isn't all that common, as you would've guessed.

[bloodyminded]

Being a National Socialist certainly isn't all that common, as you would've guessed.

I suppose not!

[Pliny]

One of the answers should have been "Many of my family, friends and associates have dissimilar views to mine."

Edited September 24, 2011 by Pliny

[Bonam]

Definitely lots of diverse views among the people I know. My family are all considerably more liberal than I am. My friends range from liberal, to socialist, to right wing, to libertarian. Most don't care to discuss political issues too much but some do.

[CitizenX]

Most don't care to discuss political issues too much but some do.

Do you find it strange that most people are uncomfortable with discussing political issues and views?

What do you think the main reason for this?

Why is it not polite to talk Religion And Politics?

[GostHacked]

Just to clarify, Michael (and my convoluted style was likely at fault): I do agree that political discussion doesn't happen in public so very much. (If it used to be different, it must have been before my time.)

I try to bring up this kind of stuff in family conversations when I can. It's not comfortable or even in the rhealm of reality for them.

Example:

Was at my sister's to pick her up, one of her friends stayed the night and was sitting in the living room, she was still asleep. So we chatted about the uprisings in Africa and the Middle East, specifically Egypt. As my sister came down the stairs trying to wake up said 'you guys got anything lighter to talk about???' .. I told her this was light. :/

I bring up this stuff (geo-politics, financial melt downs ect) whenever I can, I am not interested in sports or most TV shows (really people watch 'American Hogger??') But a good deal of my family almost can't deal with it because it is an information overload. Makes their head spin.

Reality sucks, but it's real.

[Bonam]

Do you find it strange that most people are uncomfortable with discussing political issues and views?

What do you think the main reason for this?

Why is it not polite to talk Religion And Politics?

Well, I know three kinds of people when it comes to this:

1) Those who love to debate and discuss, such as the people here on these forums for example

2) Those who don't know and don't care about these issues, which is probably the majority of the population

3) Those who feel that it is uncomfortable/taboo to discuss these issues, which are relatively few from my experience and come from old school families where talking about just about anything meaningful is taboo

[Bob]

Many Canadians I know are afraid to discuss their political views. It's a testament to the success of the indoctrination campaign of political correctness wages against Canadians via schools, mass media, and politicians. Many Canadians walk on eggshells when discussing "touchy" things. It's one of the biggest weaknesses of Canadian political culture, and it will be our undoing if it doesn't change.

Of course, the leftist rats and traitors who hate Canada and want to destroy the country typically have no shame in espousing their hatred and historical revisionism. Case in point, most of the "demonstrators" at Parliament Hill today.

Edited September 27, 2011 by Bob

[Bob]

I am far to the right of most people I know and associate with, but that's generally because they cling to several mythologies - that all people are born equal, that all groups/cultures/societies are equal, and that equality of result is something worth striving towards. All of the lies they subscribe to are often predicated on these foundational lies.

Edited September 27, 2011 by Bob

[Shwa]

Interesting question came up in a discussion with Bloodyminded on another thread:

Are our views similar to those around us?

I made a point that political discussion doesn't happen in public so much these days, following the thesis of Neil Postman in "Amusing Ourselves to Death" and bm disagreed. My experience is that almost all of my friends are liberal, and conservative views are rare, and his experience is one of diverse views in his social group. ( At least, that's my summary of his POV. )

What is your experience?

I would disagree that political discussion doesn't happen in public much, in fact I believe it provides a great deal of news content on any given day, one way or another.

But qualify "views." My "views" are generally like most mainstream Canadians and that is firmly liberal whether they vote CPC, LPC or NDP, it is all a form of liberalism. Other than the familiar liberal refrains, other than the fringe and some different cultural views, what other views are there?

[Pliny]

I would disagree that political discussion doesn't happen in public much, in fact I believe it provides a great deal of news content on any given day, one way or another.

It doesn't for the reason you express below. Most mainstream Canadian views are firmly liberal, so what's to discuss?

But qualify "views." My "views" are generally like most mainstream Canadians and that is firmly liberal whether they vote CPC, LPC or NDP, it is all a form of liberalism. Other than the familiar liberal refrains, other than the fringe and some different cultural views, what other views are there?

Not many. The Canadian media presents your view quite well and doesn't present any other in a favourable light - especially the CBC that depends upon public money and would never support downsizing government.

As Bonam says, and I agree, most people don't know and/or don't care about politics. The role of government in their lives is what politics is and they only have a general idea of it's influence. As long as it isn't too forceful they don't feel threatened by it. They might grumble about taxes and make jokes about politicians all being the same or how voting makes no difference or some policy is stupid so discussion is kept fairly superficial and banal.

[Oleg Bach]

Compared to the average person - young or old - I am an alien from another dimension....the day I started my quest for the truth - was the day I left planet earth for the earthlings to figure out. Views depend on perception of reality - SOME PEOPLE CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH.....cos it takes them out of their comfort zone - cows just prior to entering the slaughter house are very comfortable also.... But in the great alternative there are quite a few people who are hard nose realists - but they keep to them selves.

[wyly]

I try to bring up this kind of stuff in family conversations when I can. It's not comfortable or even in the rhealm of reality for them.

Example:

Was at my sister's to pick her up, one of her friends stayed the night and was sitting in the living room, she was still asleep. So we chatted about the uprisings in Africa and the Middle East, specifically Egypt. As my sister came down the stairs trying to wake up said 'you guys got anything lighter to talk about???' .. I told her this was light. :/

I bring up this stuff (geo-politics, financial melt downs ect) whenever I can, I am not interested in sports or most TV shows (really people watch 'American Hogger??') But a good deal of my family almost can't deal with it because it is an information overload. Makes their head spin.

Reality sucks, but it's real.

I often find that true as well...

normally I don't discuss politics and religion with people I don't know and I think that's true of most of us...

those that I've developed friendships with I find I'm generally on the same page with some disagreements, maybe it's just "birds of feather" situation...those I find myself at odds with generally are not well educated or they are and as you observed just never give much thought to things like

(geo-politics, financial melt downs ect)

and that's reflected in their opinions when questioned on them...

with most of my family the mention of any serious topic is accompanied with the sound of crickets in the background and a vacant look in their eye...

[wyly]

Compared to the average person - young or old - I am an alien from another dimension....the day I started my quest for the truth - was the day I left planet earth for the earthlings to figure out. Views depend on perception of reality - SOME PEOPLE CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH.....cos it takes them out of their comfort zone - cows just prior to entering the slaughter house are very comfortable also.... But in the great alternative there are quite a few people who are hard nose realists - but they keep to them selves.

you're a strange duck Oleg ...but I still like your posts... Edited October 7, 2011 by wyly

[tducey82]

Federally my politics are different than the rest of my family. I like PM Harper and vote for him all the time, the rest of my family not so much. Provincially most of me and my family are PC's.