What is your political ideology?

[WI_DEM]

[chuck555]

1. Ideology is dumb.

Have you ever met or known an ideal person or group or nation?

[kiahzero]

8. Interesting that you would call something dumb

By the way, the definition of "ideology" is:
1. The body of ideas reflecting the social needs and aspirations of an individual, group, class, or culture.
2. A set of doctrines or beliefs that form the basis of a political, economic, or other system.

[bemildred]

10. I agree. I prefer thinking to believing.

Ideology is for ideologues.

[kiahzero]

15. Do you even know what the word means?

It would appear not, from your post.

[bemildred]

21. Do you even know how to think?

2. A set of doctrines or beliefs that form the basis of a political, economic, or other system.

I think "doctrines and belief systems" are inferior to more
flexible and open-minded approaches to understanding the world.
But don't let me stop you.

[kiahzero]

25. Yes, I think quite well, thank you

The two things you list ("doctrines and belief systems" and "flexible and open-minded approaches to understanding the world") are not mutually exclusive.

Furthermore, I would argue that no matter your approach to gathering understanding about the world, when you reach an opinion on the matter, you have a belief:
Mental acceptance of and conviction in the truth, actuality, or validity of something: His explanation of what happened defies belief.

Therefore, the collected system of beliefs that you gather, through whatever approach you like, could accurately be called an ideology.

The problem is not HAVING an ideology. The problem is blindly following an ideology when the evidence contradicts it.

[bemildred]

30. Splitting hairs.

You do not have to believe anything at all, at least in
the realm of verbal constructs, you can treat it all as
working hypotheses, and in fact this is better. Hence one
need not have any belief-system or any ideology. One can
merely have a set of working theories, models, descriptions.
The point is that one need not cling to them, it's all just
words anyway, fun to play with, but not to be confused with
what is real.

Animals have no belief systems and no ideologies and they
function perfectly fine. (Just supporting my thesis.)

Edit spelling.

[kiahzero]

32. Yes, yes you are

Animals have no belief systems and no ideologies because they do not have the higher thinking necessary to have them, so no, you're really not supporting your thesis.

No, one does not NEED a belief system - one can take the skeptic's position and argue that they don't believe anything to be true. But given that in most epistemological systems, belief is necessary for knowledge, if you were to take that position, you would also have to take the position that we can't know anything either.

[bemildred]

36. Still don't get it.

Well that is common. Belief is not necessary for knowledge.

One can hold ideas up like little jewels, examine their
facets, compare them with each other, see how they fit
together or not; but one is not required to say: "this, this
is the one true jewel, all the others are false".

So long. :hi:

[kiahzero]

38. There are a bunch of philosophers that would like to have a word with you

Read a bit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epistemology

The one sentence that puts it the most simply: That is, the things we know form a subset of the things we believe.

[bemildred]

39. Ah yes, another little jewel made of words.

I know I said so long, but that was just too easy.
You have a bootstrap problem.
:hi:

[kiahzero]

42. How so?

Where's the bootstrap problem in pointing out that knowledge requires belief?

[Xipe Totec]

41. I Thought Epistemology was

The study of how to get people pist at each other. :eyes:

[bemildred]

44. Episstemoffigy. nt

[Xipe Totec]

45. Even Better!

:headbang:

[ulysses]

31. why vote? why participate at all?

:shrug:

[K-W]

51. LOL, ideology comes from the word Idea, not ideal.

Yay language!

[jtb33]

2. Definitions?

Can you define these?

[Reverend_Smitty]

3. I align myself with...

Kucinich democrats...way left of the DNCers but would have a hard time voting for a 3rd party candidate. I feel the best way to reform the country is to change the democratic party from within

[smada]

4. how about

socially liberal, fiscally conservative libertarian.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

5. Don't see Socialist on there.....

n/t

[leftyandproud]

7. ditto...

I think if most people were honest, they would admit they are socialist.

The word scares them though.

[WI_DEM]

9. sorry,

I guess either that is under "other"

[rogerashton]

6. Libertarian socialist.

eom

[Mr. McD]

11. A Libertarian Socialist here.

[no name no slogan]

23. Same here

Right on brothers and sisters!

[troublemaker]

48. Libertarian leaning Democratic Socialist

[sendero]

53. "libertarian socialist"

... sounds as absurd as "compassionate conservative". Is this a term you coined yourself or are there people who really tie this oxymoron together?

[Screaming Lord Byron]

12. Social Democrat, Socialist, Democratic Socialist, whatever.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

22. That most closely describes my leanings

but I also support the notion of a democratic society where all viewpoints can be heard AND ARE REPRESENTED in government, and where the extremes keep each other honest.

[Bandit]

13. Interesting bit of word play.. Liberal Democrat but Progressive Independen

:shrug: Things that make you go Hmmmm.

[Rainbowreflect]

14. I had to vote other because I am not just a liberal Democrat,

I am a rabid, far left, outside the mainstream, tree hugging, femNazi, socialist, almost commie, wacko liberal Democrat and proud of it.

[merh]

29. But are you card carrying?

heehee - just had to ask! :hi:

[Rainbowreflect]

56. I could tell you, but then I would have to kill you!

;-) :hi:

[Eloriel]

16. Other: Dean Democrat

I used to be "liberal," but Dean showed me that it's possible to take that one step further in order to enhance unity, not polarize.

[PassingFair]

24. Thank you, Eloriel

Can I change my vote? I was looking for "progressive Democrat", but Dean Democrat really hits the nail on my pointy little head!

[madfloridian]

28. I am also a Dean Democrat.

We can not be labeled very easily.

[AntiCoup2K4]

34. I too, am a Dean Democrat

..from the Democratic wing of the Democratic party.

Actually, if it weren't for Howard, I would have been an EX-Democrat after the DLC threw the game in 2002

[NoPasaran]

49. Another Proud Dean Democrat

I used to be an independent who usually voted Democratic with a sigh and a wish that they would grow a spine.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

17. Socialist

Seems there a more than a few of us around.

[Zynx]

18. Between moderate and liberal Democrat.

[Nocturnes]

19. Libertarian Socialist

Hey I did manage to reconcile the two

[vetwife]

27. I am a compassionate Liberal.......you know like Jesus talks about

and Bush don't listen !

[TrogL]

20. Born-again Communist

[vetwife]

26. You could have clicked any ROFL and they would call us that !

[ulysses]

33. liberal Democrat

trending progressive independent.

[kiahzero]

35. Liberal Democrat (n/t)

[Raiden]

37. There are many words which describe me

Hardcore Liberal
Progressive
Socialist
Social Democrat

Let's see...

Pro-Strong Families (Strait, Gay, whatever works)
Anti-Death Penalty
Pro-Choice
Pro-Gay Rights
Pro-Gay Marriage
Pro-Affirmative Action
Pro-Marijuana Decriminalization
Pro-Stem Cell Research
Anti-Cloning
Pro-Euthanasia
Pro-Environmental Protections
Pro-Universal Health Care
Pro-Social Safety Net
Anti-Iraq War
Pro-Freedom of Speech
Pro-Separation of Church and State
Pro-Employee Rights
Anti-Patriot Act

:)

[keyzersoze13]

40. Socialist

Definately Socialist. Progressive works too.

[Xipe Totec]

43. Yellow Dawg Democrat

Put a yellow dawg on the Dremocratic ticket and I'll vote for it.

:dem:

[0rganism]

46. I'm a "Kucinich in the primary" Democrat

I changed my registration from Green to Dem a few months ago to vote for Dennis, and I'm staying to help Sen. Kerry in the fall.

[Seabiscuit]

47. I didn't see "Free Thinker"

so I voted "Other", although I'd NEVER vote Republican.

[Xipe Totec]

52. I Charge For Thinking

That's how I make a living.

[starroute]

50. Approximately anarcho-syndicalist

With an ecological slant.

[blindpig]

54. ecosocialist

a new term that I picked up at Grist magazine lately. Sums up my position nicely.

[0007]

55. Will the "Mainstream Republican" please stand up?

[ASanders84]

57. Where's fascist?

You totally left out the religious-right!

Ack, I'm a left-winger.

[wadestock]

58. Progressive Democrat should be on there.....

Democrat -

1. Pertaining to democracy; favoring democracy, or
constructed upon the principle of government by the
people.

Progressive -

1. a person who favors a political philosophy of progress and reform and the protection of civil liberties
2. a tense of verbs used in describing action that is on-going
3. favoring or promoting reform (often by government action)
4. advancing in severity; "progressive paralysis"
5. favoring or promoting progress; "progressive schools"
6. (of taxes) adjusted so that the rate increases as the amount increases
7. gradually advancing in extent

Key words, by the people, reform by government action, promoting progress, for the people, and adjusting tax rates and other things in a progressive way so that they are actually put in place....