Do you see yourself as a centrist?

[Bozo Erectus]

Or do you see yourself as an extremist?

 

[thetrooper]

Opportunist.

 

[bhsup]

I'm normal. Anyone to the left or right of me is the extremist.

 

[Desmond Hawkins]

I see myself as a downer.

Just kidding, I think I am very liberal in a social context, but surprisingly centrist in most other contexts.

 

[El_Machinae]

I have no idea what that means. I've got about a thousand opinions, some better researched than others.

 

[Irish Caesar]

Neither. A centrist doesn't know how to take a stand; an extremist doesn't know when to sit down and shut up.

 

[amadeus]

Between the two, I had to pick "extremist," but I think my values are more traditional in many ways than contemporary welfare-state politics and our lawsuit crazy society.

Are common sense and individual liberty "extreme" points of view? They seem to be in our society now. You have to put warning labels on everything. Don't jump up and down on a ladder? Do you really need to be told that?

 

[downtown]

Neither. A centrist doesn't know how to take a stand; an extremist doesn't know when to sit down and shut up.

I disagree with that statement. I think one can be passionate, take a stand...but make that stand a mixture of the other two choices.

I consider myself a lefto-centrist. I dont usually see things in black and white, but that doesnt mean I cant take a stand against or for something

 

[Little Raven]

I don't really think of myself as a centrist, no.

 

[betazed]

Centrist? Hell no! I am far-out over there man!

But seriously, you can't really answer that question unless you describe what you mean by centrist. If i am correct, that term means many things to many people.

 

[mrtn]

I'm centrist from a Swedish point of view.
This doesn't mean that I'd vote for Centerpartiet, though.

 

[Little Raven]

But seriously, you can't really answer that question unless you describe what you mean by centrist. If i am correct, that term means many things to many people.

Ah, but the question is not "Are you a centrist?" but "Do you see yourself as a centrist?"

So you get to use your own definition.

 

[El_Machinae]

Oh, then yes, I'm a centrist.

 

[IglooDame]

People initially think I'm a centrist because I side with the Democrats and Republicans in about equal portions. But they soon realize their mistake. Right facts, wrong conclusion.

 

[betazed]

Ah, but the question is not "Are you a centrist?" but "Do you see yourself as a centrist?"

So you get to use your own definition.

Aha!

So a reasonable definition would be something like: remember that poll that keeps popping up in CFC OT "where do you fit in this chart"? You answer a bunch of questions and you finally come up as a point somewhere on the 2d plane according to you political view. If you are close to the center then I guess you are centrist!

I looked at the poll and I soon realized that my opinions are really off the plane. They would need another dimension to accomodate me. They need to make that 3d.

e.g. I sure do not believe in an authoritative government but I do not see the benefit in democracy either (1 man 1 vote system). Private healthcare as in US is a farce and public healthcare as in Canada is an unmitigated disaster-to-be etc. etc.

No I am definitely not a centrist. I am a off-planist.

 

[Aphex_Twin]

I looked at the poll and I soon realized that my opinions are really off the plane. They would need another dimension to accomodate me. They need to make that 3d.

e.g. I sure do not believe in an authoritative government but I do not see the benefit in democracy either (1 man 1 vote system). Private healthcare as in US is a farce and public healthcare as in Canada is an unmitigated disaster-to-be etc. etc.

No I am definitely not a centrist. I am a off-planist.

You soud vaguely libertarian and vaguely anarchistic, but I have a feeling there is still an authoritative governmentalist out there inside you.

What are your oppinions on private property, BTW?

 

[betazed]

You soud vaguely libertarian

I am definitely not libertarian. I do not feel humans value/need liberty/freedom (as generally understood) at all. They freely trade it for money (I do everyday and I will always do it happily).

and vaguely anarchistic,

Anarchy? Me? Given that I view a ordered Vulcan society as an ideal, anarchy would be completely contrarian isn't it?

but I have a feeling there is still an authoritative governmentalist out there inside you.

Again do not think so.

What are your oppinions on private property, BTW?

Private property should remain private unless in any circumstance it can be logically shown that it should not.

 

[Hitro]

There is something between centrist and extremist, is there not?

Well anyhow, I am an extremist, but ironically I think that just like rmsharpe's "my values are more traditional in many ways than contemporary welfare-state politics and our [...] crazy society".

 

[ChrTh]

Hrm, I'm a libertarian, which is sort of anti-centrist based on how the current spectrum is defined.

 

[Aphex_Twin]

I am definitely not libertarian. I do not feel humans value/need liberty/freedom (as generally understood) at all. They freely trade it for money (I do everyday and I will always do it happily).

Values are inherently non-tradeable and freedoms differ in that aspects from ordinary goods. I cannot trade values in the same way I cannot 'buy' the ability to like the colour red. I can have the freedom to use a chair if I own it, that 'freedom' I can trade. But I cannot trade the freedom to own goods. I can give my life away, but I cannot give someone else the freedom to live by that action alone.

Private property should remain private unless in any circumstance it can be logically shown that it should not.

Is it your oppinion that 'society' can manifest itself the same way a person can? Or maybe, do you have a set of first assumptions, which to use when you apply logic in this field?