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I have to say that I agree with several of the other contributors on this thread. I consider myself to be a political person. I read and I take stances and I like to talk about them. But I have to admit that I am often turned off by the discussions in the politics forum. Like pan, I feel as though I am an outsider for my moderate stances on many issues. Even though I consider myself to be very liberal in my views, I don't feel like I am "liberal enough" to be accepted by the other lefties on the board. And the righties tend to simply ignore me, lol. But that's okay really, because I don't come to conclusions and develop opinions simply to post them here and gain acceptance. I post here in the spirit of weighing in with my opinion - for better or for worse.
And they are opinions, folks. I don't care how much you think you know, what sources you have or how compellingly factoids line up, there is no way for any of us to take in the entirety of the machinations at work in the world and claim that we know "the truth." The forming of political views can be a very narcotic and womblike experience. It makes us feel more secure to know that we have a viewpoint and that there are "facts" out there that align with our thinking...that impart some "truthiness" to the political ethos we feel akin to. But how is this possible when there are two sides who feel exactly the same way about their political affiliation? Now I don't say all this because I think I am better or smarter or more savvy than anyone else here, because I am well aware that I am not. It's just where I'm at and it leaves me often with not a lot to say in the politics forum.
Like uber and Hal, I am also turned off by the mode of discussion, but I understand it. It is typical of political discussion on the internet and is oftentimes a necessary manner of responding to some posts. I also agree that the liberal vs. conservative imbalance on the board makes some discussions degenerate very quickly when certain conservative posters get involved. I've no interest in getting involved in most conversations about "right and wrong" because I just don't believe in them most of the time...when it comes to politics, that is.
Finally, somewhat like roachboy, sometimes I feel like I have said all that I can say (not only here) about the current issues and haven't much desire to recant my own words over and over. Even just writing what I am writing now, I feel like I am repeating myself ad nauseum.
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Most people go through life dreading they'll have a traumatic experience. Freaks were born with their trauma. They've already passed their test in life. They're aristocrats. - Diane Arbus
PESSIMISM, n. A philosophy forced upon the convictions of the observer by the disheartening prevalence of the optimist with his scarecrow hope and his unsightly smile. - Ambrose Bierce
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