jrock2310 Posted November 9, 2017 Share Posted November 9, 2017 because party X does this - like blood in the water - Party Y jumps on it and uses it against them in efforts to boost themselves. The next day... Party Y does this, and lo and behold... Here come the sharks of Party X. Doesn't it get tiring having to defend something you may not actually agree with, but feel obligated to defend because you've aligned yourself with a party and/or an ideology? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impartialobserver Posted November 9, 2017 Share Posted November 9, 2017 Group dynamics are powerful. Everybody claims to think for themselves but then inevitably they identify as one or the other and seek the security blanket of the group. Being a singular individual opens you to criticism from both sides not just one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scout Posted November 9, 2017 Share Posted November 9, 2017 7 minutes ago, jrock2310 said: because party X does this - like blood in the water - Party Y jumps on it and uses it against them in efforts to boost themselves. The next day... Party Y does this, and lo and behold... Here come the sharks of Party X. Doesn't it get tiring having to defend something you may not actually agree with, but feel obligated to defend because you've aligned yourself with a party and/or an ideology? I don't do that. I only defend what I think is just (as best a flawed human can do so). That said, I am not claiming to have been immune from 'peer pressure' in my youth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrock2310 Posted November 9, 2017 Author Share Posted November 9, 2017 Of course detractors are everywhere. I get it all the time. But I don't carry the burdens of association like either side. Free thinkers are not bound by ideaology. I find that people don't necessarily want to know something, they want to believe something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impartialobserver Posted November 9, 2017 Share Posted November 9, 2017 Most want affirmation not information. They want to be right instead of getting it right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrock2310 Posted November 9, 2017 Author Share Posted November 9, 2017 Just now, impartialobserver said: Most want affirmation not information. They want to be right instead of getting it right. I tend to agree. I use the phrase 'affirmation over information' a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impartialobserver Posted November 9, 2017 Share Posted November 9, 2017 1 minute ago, jrock2310 said: I tend to agree. I use the phrase 'affirmation over information' a lot. This is why when you really strip an issue down to its core, most balk. You strip the ideology/partisan element out of it and they lose interest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skans Posted November 9, 2017 Share Posted November 9, 2017 Quote Doesn't it get tiring having to defend something you may not actually agree with, but feel obligated to defend because you've aligned yourself with a party and/or an ideology? No. I accept that as a member of the Republican Party, I will not agree with everything the party advocates, but I will likely agree with most of it. I also accept that there will be party members who do things I disagree with and will not defend. Isn't that the same as with belonging to any group? I don't believe in isolating myself as an "Independent" just because some day someone in the group I am affiliated with does something I don't like. I like belonging to groups who have similar beliefs and goals to my own. I like being a Republican. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrock2310 Posted November 9, 2017 Author Share Posted November 9, 2017 1 minute ago, impartialobserver said: This is why when you really strip an issue down to its core, most balk. You strip the ideology/partisan element out of it and they lose interest. That's interesting. I wonder if there is a study examining issues minus the names and affiliation... If either side would/could feel comfortable drawing any conclusions. That would be fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impartialobserver Posted November 9, 2017 Share Posted November 9, 2017 Just now, jrock2310 said: That's interesting. I wonder if there is a study examining issues minus the names and affiliation... If either side would/could feel comfortable drawing any conclusions. That would be fun. It would be an interesting study. I am sure that it has been done but I do not have the time to scour the internet for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrock2310 Posted November 9, 2017 Author Share Posted November 9, 2017 3 minutes ago, Skans said: No. I accept that as a member of the Republican Party, I will not agree with everything the party advocates, but I will likely agree with most of it. I also accept that there will be party members who do things I disagree with and will not defend. Isn't that the same as with belonging to any group? I don't believe in isolating myself as an "Independent" just because some day someone in the group I am affiliated with does something I don't like. I like belonging to groups who have similar beliefs and goals to my own. I like being a Republican. I don't mean independent as a third party affiliation, like a Jill Stein or anything. I mean as a lone individual. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitemajikman Posted November 9, 2017 Share Posted November 9, 2017 28 minutes ago, jrock2310 said: I don't mean independent as a third party affiliation, like a Jill Stein or anything. I mean as a lone individual. You mean somebody who looks upon the world with no preconceived notions or bias. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skans Posted November 9, 2017 Share Posted November 9, 2017 Quote I don't mean independent as a third party affiliation, like a Jill Stein or anything. I mean as a lone individual. That's what I understood you to mean when I posted my reply to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuckin futz Posted November 9, 2017 Share Posted November 9, 2017 personreal attacks me all the time for being an independent, FREE THINKER! I am a CENTRIST, and can swing either way! That drives him bonkers! Known as roadkill (roadscum) on the other forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Middl3 Posted November 10, 2017 Share Posted November 10, 2017 Independents are already the majority......and have been since around 2004 Interesting chart: Party Affiliation http://news.gallup.com/poll/15370/party-affiliation.aspx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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