Sunday, April 17, 2005
Suze and Politics Part 4: A Semi-Blank Canvas
When it comes to politics I am a semi-blank canvas. A semi-blank canvas that I used to think was tilted to the left.
Semi-blank
I don't like politics. I have deliberately avoided it in the past because I don't like liars and incompetent people with no integrity, no morals, no intelligence, and narrowminds etc. I don't know that political people are like this. It's just what I imagine they are like. The little pieces of news that filter through and the general state of the country certainly seems to support my imagination. Not that I spend much time imagining things about politicans...probably next to no time...perhaps if I imagined harder I might believe that they are all moral and intelligent and open-minded and doing an excellent job.
My dislike of politics has led to political ignorance. A state which, although I don't particularly like, I can live with. Time is limited. I can't be informed about everything, and politics and activism are not my thing. If anything, I am a pacifist.
In addition to being politically ignorant I am also ignorant about current affairs. I don't read newspapers. I rarely watch tv, and never the news. I don't listen to the radio. I only look at news sources on the internet every now and then. Usually there is something much more interesting to look at when I am online.
I'm not apathetic about the world. I'm just highly skeptical. I don't automatically trust what people and the media say. Like I said before I don't like lies. The most interesting stories (and therefore the ones that sell) are those that are extreme. And I think that extreme stories could probably do with a generous sprinkling of salt. People seem to watch/read/listen to news just for entertainment purposes anyway. A form of gossip I guess.
Tilted to the left
I always thought I was left wing. Why? I don't know...perhaps because I like what I thought were typically left things like peace and trees and dolphins and new age bookshops. I suspect that others would say I was left wing as well. But maybe left and right are not what I thought they were.
According to the Political Compass I am pretty much smack bang in the center when it comes to the Economic dimension. Although I tend to waver across the center line depending on my mood. The last time I took the test I was slightly (+2) right. This time slightly (-0.1) left. On the Social dimension I am most definitely Libertarian. No surprises there. I don't like being told what to do.
My Political Compass Results (scale -10 to +10)
Economic Left/Right: -0.13
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -6.72
Is this helping when it comes to deciding who to vote for this election? It might if I knew where the NZ political parties fall on the compass.
Semi-blank
I don't like politics. I have deliberately avoided it in the past because I don't like liars and incompetent people with no integrity, no morals, no intelligence, and narrowminds etc. I don't know that political people are like this. It's just what I imagine they are like. The little pieces of news that filter through and the general state of the country certainly seems to support my imagination. Not that I spend much time imagining things about politicans...probably next to no time...perhaps if I imagined harder I might believe that they are all moral and intelligent and open-minded and doing an excellent job.
My dislike of politics has led to political ignorance. A state which, although I don't particularly like, I can live with. Time is limited. I can't be informed about everything, and politics and activism are not my thing. If anything, I am a pacifist.
In addition to being politically ignorant I am also ignorant about current affairs. I don't read newspapers. I rarely watch tv, and never the news. I don't listen to the radio. I only look at news sources on the internet every now and then. Usually there is something much more interesting to look at when I am online.
I'm not apathetic about the world. I'm just highly skeptical. I don't automatically trust what people and the media say. Like I said before I don't like lies. The most interesting stories (and therefore the ones that sell) are those that are extreme. And I think that extreme stories could probably do with a generous sprinkling of salt. People seem to watch/read/listen to news just for entertainment purposes anyway. A form of gossip I guess.
Tilted to the left
I always thought I was left wing. Why? I don't know...perhaps because I like what I thought were typically left things like peace and trees and dolphins and new age bookshops. I suspect that others would say I was left wing as well. But maybe left and right are not what I thought they were.
According to the Political Compass I am pretty much smack bang in the center when it comes to the Economic dimension. Although I tend to waver across the center line depending on my mood. The last time I took the test I was slightly (+2) right. This time slightly (-0.1) left. On the Social dimension I am most definitely Libertarian. No surprises there. I don't like being told what to do.
My Political Compass Results (scale -10 to +10)
Economic Left/Right: -0.13
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -6.72
Is this helping when it comes to deciding who to vote for this election? It might if I knew where the NZ political parties fall on the compass.
// posted by suze @ 10:25 PM 
Comments:
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Sadly, no matter who you vote for, a politician will get in.
I'm deep into the libertarian sphere, and a shade right.
Whilst I do not agree with every-thing ACT say and do, they are my closest match. My blog will ultimately say what I need to say.
You are right to distrust every-thing other than what you can experience directly yourself. Every-thing else is some-one else's reality.
And of course, what you experience and decide is the truth is only your reality, and changing your reality can be as simple as a choice.
Life is meaningless, and then people add meaning to it. The only freedom you ultimately have is to choose the meaning.
Blah blah blah ...what the catepillar calls the end of life the master calls the butterfly...blah blah blah
And of course, all this could be wrong.
I'm deep into the libertarian sphere, and a shade right.
Whilst I do not agree with every-thing ACT say and do, they are my closest match. My blog will ultimately say what I need to say.
You are right to distrust every-thing other than what you can experience directly yourself. Every-thing else is some-one else's reality.
And of course, what you experience and decide is the truth is only your reality, and changing your reality can be as simple as a choice.
Life is meaningless, and then people add meaning to it. The only freedom you ultimately have is to choose the meaning.
Blah blah blah ...what the catepillar calls the end of life the master calls the butterfly...blah blah blah
And of course, all this could be wrong.
ACT....hmmm...I have the funny feeling that I will be stuck voting for ACT or National. Which I don't like, but there may be no other option.
It's almost enough to make me want to take up politics and create my own party that fits me perfectly....of course no one else would vote for me ;-)
I like to think people choose their realities. It makes sense that they choose their perceptions. Although if that is the case, then some people seem to have very stressful and tedious realities. I suppose in a way they must enjoy it.
Oh dear. Veering off politics and on to metaphysics/philosophy again.
I like this butterfly quote:
"How does one become a butterfly?" she asked pensively.
"You must want to fly so much that you are willing to give up being a caterpillar."
~ Trina Paulus
It's almost enough to make me want to take up politics and create my own party that fits me perfectly....of course no one else would vote for me ;-)
I like to think people choose their realities. It makes sense that they choose their perceptions. Although if that is the case, then some people seem to have very stressful and tedious realities. I suppose in a way they must enjoy it.
Oh dear. Veering off politics and on to metaphysics/philosophy again.
I like this butterfly quote:
"How does one become a butterfly?" she asked pensively.
"You must want to fly so much that you are willing to give up being a caterpillar."
~ Trina Paulus
Excellent. If you haven't, you might enjoy Dan Millman's book "Everyday Enlightenment"
My suggestion would be to try to avoid the "vote for me thing" and get the "divine appointment" angle working.
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My suggestion would be to try to avoid the "vote for me thing" and get the "divine appointment" angle working.
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