Just Curious. What Are You?

Thank you!

Thanks but I haven't requested commentary on conservatism or progressivism. Feel free to provide yours, though, as they might stimulate good discussion.

Thank you.

Very interesting Can you explain anarchy-syndicalism in the sense that it can be relied upon to inform your world view?

Since you tend to perceive, from me, sneers where they do not always exist, I assure you I am not sneering. I am trying to understand if this is a philosophy/ideology (whatever) that can, generally, predict your views on a broad range of topics.

That was just a bit contrived Walter. I suppose I deserved it, but I still think that ole Setanta enjoys a fight even more than I do.

Thank you Lash.

I deliberately didn't ask for party affiliations.

Having "socially liberal" very often means "libertarian" views.

Personally, I think that all drugs should be made legal, but I don't believe that the State has an obligation to care for those people who abuse them.

For some conservatives this is apostasy, and for some liberals it is cruel.

To be it's a conservative position.

I don't at all understand the concept that equal rights can be a conservative or progressive position. Unequal rights is not consistent with conservative principles.

I would consider you ( in general) a conservative. Of course this doesn't mean that you have to agree with everything every self-identified conservative politician pronounces.

I see no reason why you should be able to "predict" my views. I can think of no good reason for you to do so. Anarcho-syndicalism is a system intended to put the means of production, and the control thereof into the hands of organized labor. A simple-minded reaction would be that this is the same as communism. That is not necessarily so, however, as there wold be no impetus to organize agriculture along collectivist lines, and management would be the paid employees of organized labor rather than those who govern them. It is arnarcho-syndicalism in that it holds that all staes are organized to benefit a privileged few, and that one end goal of the movement would be the abolition of government.

I diverge form their point of view in that i am not opposed cooperative economic systems, because i consider such ventures a necessary first step to giving labor control of their society. I believe i am correct in stating that although the philosophy was conceived by a couple of Frenchmen, it was first attempted in Barcelona in Spain. Barcelona is the metropolis of Catalonia, and Catalonia is the industrial heartland of Spain. The fascists during the civil war of the 1930s made anarcho-syndicalists a particular target--usually attempting to dispose of them by assassination, often using police personnel for that job. Mondragon in the Basque region in Spain is the home of the first genuine and successful effort of which i know to create worker-controlled industry, and has been very successful.

I've actually explained all of this already, although i am not unwilling to give more detail and some historical context. How you think that would enable you to predict my views is beyond me.

Thanks, but, again, I didn't ask for commentary on what conservatives or progressives might be. I disagree with yours in certain key areas though.

Whether one or the other is more or less judgmental or "open minded" is a matter of whether or not you agree with stereo-types. I could provide you with numerous examples of liberal/progressives being judgmental and close minded
And so these are not traits specific to either mindset.

Taxation, however is a valid subject upon which to base a comparison.

Religion, less so, but possible.

Exactly

Thank you.

I have no idea how Zen enters the picture, but your emphasis on the collective rather than the individual clearly places you on the left side of the spectrum.

I'm not sure how your list is consistent with your declaration, and so maybe you are one of the rare few who have a near equal blend of conservative and progressive opinions.

Is there some panel of alien savants that get to declare a system an oligarchy?

Who made the declaration which you reference? I would be interested in seeing there declarations relative to the systems of governments in all the nations of the world.

Since "you" is all that you are, I would argue that it makes a hell of a lot of difference how you see yourself. Whether or not it will alter history or current affairs is immaterial.

Your view that the Big Picture is more important than an individual's view, I think, tells us a lot about your mindset.

This thread has turned out pretty much as i expected it would. Finn gets to sit in judgment on everyone here who responds.

Please stay a while longer.

I love your sig Didge

I am conservative - it's my nature to be independent and to help when I see folks need help. I like taking care of my own (everything) and not having people tell me how to do it...however....I abhor politics. I abhor politicians. I think our government is broken and has been for quite sometime.

Frankly - I don't see how it can be fixed until the folks in leadership positions start thinking about someone besides themselves. Selfish buttlickers -most all of them.

I actually have become quite the activist. I get out and see what's right with the world and when I see what's wrong, I try get in there and make it better. And that's all I have to say about that.

Here's a hint for you frank: "conservative" politicians are not alway the exemplars of conservative views.

Forget it.

Then why have you spent so much time here stirring up ****?

Just can't help yourself?

Even when I go out of my way to attempt to engage you in a reasoned discussion, you get pissed off.

You have serious problems.

There are many good comments posted here and I appreciate them.

Since I started the thread, I think it not only makes sense, but is my obligation to respond to most if not all comments. If someone sees this anything but reasonable, I can't help it.

Unfortunately, I can't stop someone from entering the thread and spraying it with bile.

It's probably come to an end, but it was good while it lasted.

I know what I am.
How others see me all depends on their political views.
I am usually careful in expression my ideas.
For a rightwinged repulican I am a communist
I never met a real communist but there I problably am I capatalist.
A republican see me as a socialist and a democrat probably as a rightwinged democrat.
Scandinavia and GB would see me as a liberal and critical to EU´s often hopeless and thousands of new laws.
In Germany I am also seen a liberal,but if I dare to be critial to EU I right away am considered Xenophobic even though EU´s laws has nothing to do with being hostile to foreigners.
I have the feeling there are to many working for EU who concider themselves as L` Europe c`est moi
What am I - it all depends on whom I talk to.

Neither are most American conservatives these days!

Your regard for conservatives is irrational and really no different from the ravings about commie liberals surrendering our country to the UN.