OK - let's draw the line

[alvarezadams]

The "political compass" has received good reviews from the academic community as well as from the more open-minded pundits.

It takes a 3ed-dimension view of the political spectrum, adding a different perspective more in accordance with today's sociopolitical debate. Love it or hate it, its pov is at least worthy of contemplation.

The link: http://www.politicalcompass.org/

So... take the test and spit out the results.

For reference, my score is:

Your political compass
Economic Left/Right: -7.00
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -5.79

[ChairmanAgnostic]

1. I guess I better join the GOPers

Economic Left/Right: -7.13
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -8.21

[alvarezadams]

3. lol!

You're more radical than I am!

(I held backl a bit)

[Blue_In_AK]

2. I'm always aligned with the Dalai Lama. n/t

[alvarezadams]

5. Which brings up a point

Every time I've brought up this test, to people from any number of countries - most "progressives" tend to end up as strongly libertarian.

Libertarian, of course, in the global sense --- as opposed to the parochial "freeper" sense that only exists in the US.

And virtually everywhere we (the "social libertarians") are not represented. The commies are collectivists. The socialists are too "godfatherly". The social dems are too right-wing and too prone to elicit mindless faith. The right--- fuck those nutcases.

I strongly believe that there's a need to satisfy amonst those of us who are socially aware yet zealous in defending individuality. This might be of interest: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2678558

[whistle]

10. You must be an evolved soul

[SteppingRazor]

4. I think it's a DU rule that this site gets posted at least weekly...

But, just for fun, my results this time around were:

Your political compass

Economic Left/Right: -7.63
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -6.00

[alvarezadams]

6. Yet nobody---

--- reaches any conclusion.

Time and time again "progressives" are shown to be far more "extreme" than their representatives, while "centrists" refuse to post their results.

And virtually NO Dem candidate represents the lower-left quadrant of the compass.

Abstention? Wonder why?

[SteppingRazor]

7. I think the basic reason for this is that...

the far lower-left points of the quadrant -- where you and I sit -- are inherently anti-government. Not anarchy, mind you, but our perfect government would remove an awful lot of power from the government. And no institution -- government, corporate, or otherwise -- is in the business of ceding power to the masses.

[Bjorn Against]

21. I think you are absolutely right, but...

Don't you find it interesting how we are always accused of being for "big government" by the Republicans? It is a line that has very effective, even though the Republicans support a MUCH more powerful government and people on the left generally are in favor of a significantly smaller government. The right has been so effective with their "big government" talking point however that even many of us accept it without really giving it much thought. I really think we could win some converts if we really started pointing out the ways the Republicans support big government I think we could win a lot of converts. No one can tell me that a party that believes we should tap the phones of every American is for small government.

[Warpy]

9. I take it every six months or so

and I consistently fall off the southwest edge, over 8 in both liberal and libertarian. Oh well.

Once a rabid lefty, always a rabid lefty.

[whistle]

8. I would never have guessed this about myself

Your political compass
Economic Left/Right: -7.38
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -5.03

I seem to be right in there with the likes of Nelson Mandela, the Dalia Lama and Mahatma Gandhi.

So where do the likes of Neil Boortz get off calling themselves Libertarian anything? Maybe Nazi Libertarian.

[SteppingRazor]

11. They are libertarian...

it's just that they're in the far edge of the southeast quadrant, and you're in the far edge of the southwest quadrant -- lots of space between the two.

[whistle]

14. But there is only one person in the southeast quadrant, Milton Friedman

...Shouldn't there be an equal number of personalities in each quadrant. It seems very unbalanced. What about the neocon favorite Leo Strauss. Why not stick some of his ideas in there and plot him under one of the quadrants.

[alvarezadams]

23. I'd place Leo

High on the authoritarian and far to the right.

For all his anti-Nazi rhetoric the man was a fascist with a soft spot for capitalism.

[whistle]

12. Forgive me but this test is basically like astrology only it uses

...socio-economic-political opinions and ideas instead of the stars in the heavens. Do those opinions and ideas predict likely behavior in the average person?

[skids]

20. Individually, no, collectively, yes.

Though some of the questions were decidedly poorly posed, and likely net an opposite result to what they are intended to find.

(on edit: Like for example, "There are no civilized people/savages only different cultures."

I had to disagree with that one, but I'm not thinking of natives in the jungle or rainforest when I think of savages. I'm thinking more like European soccer fans.)

[whistle]

22. ...and neocons and fascists....I agree

[Totally Committed]

13. Proudly... I am so far left, I'm almost off the chart! LOL!

Your political compass:

Economic Left/Right: -9.00
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -6.62

TC

[KitSileya]

15. I end up, as always,

Economic Left/Right: -8.25
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -6.62


I find it highly significant that on the international chart, I share a quadrant with Mandela and Gandhi. They are the only two mentioned there that I think are people to emulate ( which may be why I ended up there too,) but that they should be emulated is something most sensible people would agree on. The fact that the rest of the politicians, from Chirac to Mugabe end up on the authoritarian half of the chart isn't such a surprise - I guess you have to believe in the power of government if you want to have the power of government.

[Crunchy Frog]

16. My score this time.

Economic Left/Right: -5.25
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -7.08

I've taken it a few times. Can't remember how this time compares with previous ones.

[flaminbats]

17. wow..does this make me a political Gandhi?

Economic Left/Right: -6.13
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -3.33

[skids]

18. Yeah I came up just about there

Which irks me, because I'm no fan of libertarianism of either variety, and decidedly not a peacenick.

[LWolf]

19. I tend to run about

- 6 or 7 degrees Economic left, and the same for social libertarian/authoritarian. I've taken it many times, and it's always in that range, depending on how I answered a few questions that don't give me a clear choice.

It's pretty accurate, where I'm concerned.

[Lindacooks]

24. Economic Left/Right: -7.88

Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -7.59

I'm more liberal than the Dalai Lama and Ghandi.

[alvarezadams]

25. So who represents us?

Certainly not the DLC.

The results are as I expected - mirroring what I've invariably noted wherever posters post their test results: progressives are far from being authoritarian and might be called "social libertarians".

Perhaps Kucinich is the closest to a representative... any thoughts?

[Debs]

26. Interesting

Economic 10.0

Social 7.79