Do you consider yourself an "absolutist"?

[chimpy the poopthrower]

The GD death penalty poll got me thinking. I'm a lot less of an "absolutist" than I used to be. What I mean is, there is hardly any issue where I take an absolute black-or-white stance with no room for gray. I'm wondering whether other DUers think of themselves the same way. I guess there are some who would say people like me just don't stand by our principles while others would say that it's a good thing to be more negotiable and more willing to see the exceptions to rules. I wonder whether "absolutism" is more a trait of those on the left or those on the right, or whether there is no connection. And what would you call the opposite of an absolutist? Thoughts?

[lcordero]

1. hmmmmmmmm

No

I only agree with the death penalty when it comes to mass murderers, serial killers and corporate white-collar supercriminals

[Carni]

2. I used to be...

But thanks to this fabulous bush economy I have had to switch to Smirnoff! ;)

[ret5hd]

3. I am in no way...

an absolutist. Never. Not once, EVER. Absolutists are scum. Not regular scum, depths of the pond scum...bottom-scum. The world would be MUCH better without absolutists. In fact, if there is a case to be made for the death penalty, it should be for absolutism. There is NO excuse for absolutism.

I am always open-minded...ALWAYS. So never ever say I am an absolutist.

[chimpy the poopthrower]

4. We sure have a lot of wiseguys tonight!

LOL! :hi:

[Carni]

16. Couldn't resist lol

But seriously...No, I have to say I am not.

As an example, on the death penalty I flounder around all over the place.
For the average killer, no, I don't agree with the death penalty...for serial killers I usually do because I don't want them floating around out there if they by some chance escape.

But then again... this topic is hitting me on a bad day due to the that situation with the guy that ate someone in Germany.

I heard the details on BBC about him and his pal this morning and have felt sick most of the day over it :(

[corporatewhore]

5. well realissing that its all gray makes me against the death penalty

[spindoctor]

6. Dualism is a disease

But as I like to point out, it requires sufficient grey matter to create grey areas. Black and white is so much easier on the mind.
I think its part of Bush's popularity. You're either with us or against us. You are good or evil. People can relate to that better (or easier) than to 500 buts.

[ret5hd]

7. The opposite of absolutist would be "thinker"...

(at least in part)

Absolutism leaves no room for thinking or debate or reflection. It leaves no room for self-doubt. It leaves no room for the maturing process, changing our mind as we get older and wiser.

[ulysses]

8. on the whole, no, although I've certainly been called one.

On some issues, though, there is what's right and true and there's everything else. The DP is one of those issues for me.

[TolstoyAndy]

9. I've changed on gun rights

As a constitutionalist, I've decided I can live with the Second Amendment.

I am an absolutist in the sense that all of the Bill of Rights Amendments are important. In order to build bridges with my fellow countrypeople, I decided it's more important to get back all our rights.

[Sandpiper]

12. Yes, but if you were a true absolutist

On the second amendment, then you would have to support a person's right to own nuclear weapons.

[Sandpiper]

10. The opposite of an absolutist

Is a relativist.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

11. Absolutely not!

:evilgrin:

[EstimatedProphet]

13. Not really

Except in that I have been absolute in being repulsed by the Bush* administration...

[0007]

14. No!

I don't believe in an absolute doctrine that gives power to one. Nor a form of government which is the sole power.

Isn't this a no brainer?

[chimpy the poopthrower]

17. Oh, I didn't mean it that way.

I just looked up "absolutist" and I see that is one of the meanings of it, perhaps the primary meaning, but what I meant is someone who holds a principle to be absolutely true without any exceptions. For example, someone who believes that (blank) is wrong 100% of the time.

And where I say (blank) I mean fill in the issue of your choice -- I don't mean like "Bush" is wrong 100% of the time (although he probably is!). LOL! :)

[izzie]

15. Hop on the fence with me, I see the world in grays.

As an artists I must tell you you can also get black from many tints and tones and white is also many shades.In oil painting you never use black and whites gives you fits as it may fade, yellow or what ever. also love playing the devils advocate.

[Devlzown]

18. Don't think I'm an absolutist.

If I am, I'm a very fickle one. I'd say that a pragmatist would be opposite from an absolutist, since absolutism seems synonymous with idealism. I wish people were more pragmatic, rather than letting people scare them away from trying new ideas because they've been labeled this or that.

[mulethree]

19. Probably

Life was simpler, you didn't question authority and had only two authorities (mom and dad). You defined yourself as "me"

Then it gets more complex you get authorities like laws, bosses, coaches, teachers and you get to define yourself as a catholic, polish-american, democrat, ohioan.

Then you discover that you can choose among bosses, coaches, teachers and have a lot of latitude as to the laws. You get to define yourself as a catholic (who believes in birth control and not in original sin, detests the inquisitions and holy wars), a polish-pomeranian-prussian-russian-slavic-goth-germanic-american, democrat (libertarian, humanist, pacifist who usually votes democrat), Lived 10 years in ohio - 8 in california - 5 in texas - 3 in germany - 10 in the big city - 8 in a small town.

So, longing for some simpler labels that fit, you explore and the more you look the less chance any of them has of fitting until you can't identify yourself in a thousand words or less and are truly an individual. You're back to being just "me" but the meaning is a bit different.

Kinda sucks.

[ajacobson]

20. Yes, I always drink Absolut

:crazy: :party: :hangover:

[KingofSwords]

21. I may be an absolutist sometimes

However I try to temper it with being a realist. I also have found myself adapting my political views to fit with my lifestyle(like driving a gas-guzzling vehicle). I don't like political candidates that expect voters to make sacrifices in order to support them. Successful politicians follow the rational choice theory. They tell voters how their policies will accomodate their lives or their ideal life.

[jsw_81]

22. No

Dogma or "absolutism" can lead to a disaster.

[bhunt70]

23. I am very anti-absolutist