Perhaps I could define for myself the term "political viewpoint". This only has one good interpretation for me. A political viewpoint is how a person thinks a government should run. I imagine each person's is unique since everyone else should unite in fulfilling that one person's needs.
I was once asked the question "What is freedom?". This seems like a simple question, and maybe it is. They furthered their question by posing the scenario: If you are the only person on earth you have total freedom to do anything you wish. You get hungry... kill an animal and eat it. Eat whatever, go wherever, you have no obligations or restrictions. So what happens when another person enters the picture. Now you might eat their pet, or poop on their bed. You may not ever see them, but if there will be sharing of any space there will inevitably be some kind of order to be kept (or you kill the other person and go back to the beginning of the scenario).
I know what you are thinking, but before you go and off the rest of the species, you may want to consider the things you are not free to do when there is no one else around. Like spill your soda on somebodies lap. I know this is a bit of an exaggeration, but what is to keep someone from getting rid of whomever they please in order to have their freedom. This is what I believe is the most basic purpose for people to unite and govern themselves. You should not have to let have the freedom they want at the expense of your own. In the declaration of independence this idea is stated much more eloquently. I believe that if a government does not protect the vulnerable from the opportunistic it has failed. I do not necessarily think it needs to save people from themselves.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Why Am I writing a Blog?
To state the obvious of course. That is that our country is deeply divided on just about every important issue anyone can have an opinion about. Make that, is divided on every issue whether or not it is actually even open to interpretation anyway. There is one item I have in mind to which I plan to dedicate this blog, political view points.
Original huh? Well, I am not about to try and change yours. I would actually like to develop my own. I did use to have a philosophy to which I subscribed which I came upon in a similar fashion to how I assume other people got theirs. I heard someone else's opinion, made it my own because I had none at the time, and defended it to the death (not literally) when it was challenged because that is what I believed. So now that I realize how dumb that was I aim to actually develop some stance (conservative/liberal/something that makes sense...) based on actual logic as opposed to emotion and defending my viewpoint at all costs (facing the fact that I had the wrong idea about something for such a long time and not wanting to cut my losses).
So how do I intend to accomplish my goal? I intend to state my observations on certain subjects, maybe state my stance on it based on my past experiences, other observations, some kind of analysis, or just intuitive guesses. What I would very much appreciate from you would be feedback involving the same, or similar parameters from your vantage point. Of course I am going to miss important factors which is why I thought it would be a good idea to open up my thought process to "public" scrutiny.
One thing that I am not looking for is a cheer leading squad. I would appreciate positive feedback, but I have noticed that discussions involving politics to tend to be more like people watching a football gave to support their team (just so you know "Go Cowboys"esq remarks are more than likely to be disregarded). This is not a sounding board for un-founded, or un-backable opinions. If I were to sway you in any way it would be to ask your self "Am I saying this because I know it to be true, or is it just something I've been told and decided to latch onto?".
I am typically a pacifist when it comes political discussions and ignore the stupid things people say in hope of moving on to a different subject, but I have realized that approach is not helping anybody. There is no real discussion anyway, just words that are exchanged propagating rifts between people that need to be working together. Perhaps if people stop and think about what they are trying to accomplish, they might accomplish it.
Original huh? Well, I am not about to try and change yours. I would actually like to develop my own. I did use to have a philosophy to which I subscribed which I came upon in a similar fashion to how I assume other people got theirs. I heard someone else's opinion, made it my own because I had none at the time, and defended it to the death (not literally) when it was challenged because that is what I believed. So now that I realize how dumb that was I aim to actually develop some stance (conservative/liberal/something that makes sense...) based on actual logic as opposed to emotion and defending my viewpoint at all costs (facing the fact that I had the wrong idea about something for such a long time and not wanting to cut my losses).
So how do I intend to accomplish my goal? I intend to state my observations on certain subjects, maybe state my stance on it based on my past experiences, other observations, some kind of analysis, or just intuitive guesses. What I would very much appreciate from you would be feedback involving the same, or similar parameters from your vantage point. Of course I am going to miss important factors which is why I thought it would be a good idea to open up my thought process to "public" scrutiny.
One thing that I am not looking for is a cheer leading squad. I would appreciate positive feedback, but I have noticed that discussions involving politics to tend to be more like people watching a football gave to support their team (just so you know "Go Cowboys"esq remarks are more than likely to be disregarded). This is not a sounding board for un-founded, or un-backable opinions. If I were to sway you in any way it would be to ask your self "Am I saying this because I know it to be true, or is it just something I've been told and decided to latch onto?".
I am typically a pacifist when it comes political discussions and ignore the stupid things people say in hope of moving on to a different subject, but I have realized that approach is not helping anybody. There is no real discussion anyway, just words that are exchanged propagating rifts between people that need to be working together. Perhaps if people stop and think about what they are trying to accomplish, they might accomplish it.
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