Help, I have no political vantage point

[George_Bonanza]

I have a problem. I have no roots in the political compass. I am fervent about certain liberal issues, abortion, gun control, and anti video game censorship being the prime ones, but am helplessly rather lethargic or even indifferent to others. I don't find myself really caring about gay marriages, free trade, etc. I never really did. What I mean by not caring is that I will not register a significant emotion when the topic is brought up. If somebody goes on a tirade against gay marriages, I will just wish it to be over, not feeling any anger or will to argue. Same with free trade. Same with socialism. Same with communism. I know that I could never cross over into the right-wing side of uppity religious morals and such, but I always find myself riddled with jealousy when encountering socialists who are so sure of their beliefs, because I have none. I think of them as pretentious, but I secretly wish to be like them, yet am unable because if I were to regurgitate their beliefs, I could never live with myself for being a mere lemming to a prevailing notion, at least among here.

Mind you I am in my mid-teens, yet I have a younger brother who's so planted in his beliefs it almost repulses me. He scours socialist sites. He truly abhors conservatives, while I merely politely disagree with them. Am I lesser for being like this?

I do not want to become part of a liberal faction because I think it's right, I want to feel it's right. So here I am, wandering listlessly in DU, an avid supporter of John Kerry, but not really knowing why he appeals to be so much. I appreciate his liberalism among the 10, but do I really? I don't find myself rooting for other candidates in other elections because of their greater liberalism.

This is just a personal problem of mine, a problem which has escalated because my brother is getting more and more ingrained into his beliefs, and I am angry because I have no philosophy to adhere to. Some help would be appreciated.

[Nikia]

1. Maybe, it is just you

Some people care about some things more than others. I care about almost everything and have since I was a young child. Unfortunately, this has caused me a great deal of anxiety. If I didn't care about anything, I wouldn't worry about anything. I suppose there are some things I don't care too much about. For example, some people care a great deal about professional sports and get emotional about them. I follow the sports that family and friends care about so I'm not ignorant on the subject, but I feel little emotion about it. That's just how you are with most political issues. At least, you care about some issues. Some people don't care at all.

[Kenneth ken]

2. my $.02

let me sort out a couple things about you: mid-teens, care about abortion, gun-control, and anti-video game censorship.

On that limited basis, I'd guess your 'political ideology' is based largely in self-interest. Your self-interests will change as you go through life, so some of your ideology will also change.

" I do not want to become part of a liberal faction because I think it's right, I want to feel it's right. "

It's probably better to come to an opinion based on thinking rather than feeling. Read, listen, consider, evaluate the various pluses and minuses of a position, then you can know why you favor this position rather than that position.

There is no reason to be a political lemming; you just have to decide how much time and effort you want to invest in defining your own political identity. You can question those around you about their positions and beliefs. It is perfectly acceptable to maintain a neutral position until or unless you have a sensible (to yourself) reason to pick one side or the other.

In life, you do have to be accountable for your actions, and your choices. You are right to not embrace an ideology because it seems 'trendy'. Find your own beliefs, and from that basis, find your own voice.

[benddem]

3. Consider yourself

in the FORWARD wing of the Democratic or Progressive movement. We have to change the rhetoric and not allow the repugs to label us. If we call ourselves the forward movement...they have to be the backward one.:bounce: :bounce:

[alexwcovington]

4. Don't worry!

Everybody cares more about certain issues than others.

Everyone comes up with their own political philosophy through a great deal of personal thought. Sometimes it coincides with the beliefs of others, sometimes it doesn't.

It's OK to have your own views. DU has a wide range of liberal viewpoints on a wide range of issues. You can participate or not participate as you please.

That's the freedom of America...

And since you're a teen I feel obliged to point you over here: http://www.youthrights.org/

[pretzel4gore]

5. read 'Babbitt'

by Sinclair Lewis....i wish i had done so long ago so the trend highlighted by the reagan election toward fascism and the moral implications of that would not have been such a shock.....
The US political animal has a nature and loosing restrictions on it always have threatened calamity......the intelligensia knew this back in the 1920's and nothing going on now is truly surprising!
Therefore, it can be said that even when millions of americans are in death camps, say, the same observation made in Babbitt remains valid. That's what is so scary....

[laura888]

6. absolutely don't worry, dear!

you have PLENTY of time to define your beliefs.

Now's the time to look around, ask questions. The defining part can come 10-20-30 years down the road. And then you might change your mind again :)

My advice: ask a lot of questions.

Peace.

[George_Bonanza]

7. How'd you guys arrive at your fundamental core beliefs?

Was it a personal experience? Was it from a book?

[Nikia]

8. Everything

Everything that I experince in life, everyone who I talk to, everything that I read, and everything that I think about has established my beliefs and continues to provide evidence for or against those beliefs. There are some things that I haven't decided for sure and some things that I think are permanently decided, I change my mind about. I have always believed in personal freedom. I find the evidence for that overwhelming.

[toddzilla]

9. you should examine the beliefs that you have..

since most belief systems feed on themselves.. ask yourself why you believe in the things you do. It may enlighten you more than you think. many answers to our questions are already known to us we just have to dig for 'em.