[Brody]

Here's a link for a web quiz that plops you on a scale of Liberal to Conservative (0 to 40 points):

http://madrabbit.net/webrabbit/quizshow.html

I finished with a 14 - a little left of Bill Clinton but right of Hillary, Ted Kennedy and Jesse Jackson.

[the_logos]

Originally Posted by (Brody @ Oct. 27 2004,12:57) Here's a link for a web quiz that plops you on a scale of Liberal to Conservative (0 to 40 points): http://madrabbit.net/webrabbit/quizshow.html I finished with a 14 - a little left of Bill Clinton but right of Hillary, Ted Kennedy and Jesse Jackson.

Argh.

A one-dimensional political spectrum is crap and is one of the things wrong with the political process in this country. It leads to way too much of the "my team will beat yours" nonsense that goes on between the Republicans and Democrats, both of whom appear to operate nearly completely from a desire for power rather than from any consistent, principled stand.

Check out the political diamond, formed from a two-dimensional understanding (still not great obviously but better than just one dimension): http://www.theadvocates.org/library/...-homeless.html

While I find this more useful than the idea of a one-dimensional spectrum, I also find it somehow deceptive, because I see absolutely no fundamental difference between so-called economic and so-called personal freedoms.

Both major American political parties seek to reduce my freedom in too many key ways for me to be interested in identifying with them.
--matt

[Brody]

I also found this one to be pretty good:

http://www.politicalcompass.org

[dragon master]

Originally Posted by (the_logos @ Oct. 27 2004,14:05) Originally Posted by (Brody @ Oct. 27 2004,12:57) Here's a link for a web quiz that plops you on a scale of Liberal to Conservative (0 to 40 points): http://madrabbit.net/webrabbit/quizshow.html I finished with a 14 - a little left of Bill Clinton but right of Hillary, Ted Kennedy and Jesse Jackson. Argh. A one-dimensional political spectrum is crap and is one of the things wrong with the political process in this country. It leads to way too much of the "my team will beat yours" nonsense that goes on between the Republicans and Democrats, both of whom appear to operate nearly completely from a desire for power rather than from any consistent, principled stand.

I agree with this completely.

For example, in the survey it gives you 2 more conservative points if you don't trust the government. Trust the government how? I know plenty of liberals who don't trust the Bush administration, does that make them conservative?

People need to think about what they truly believe in instead of siding with a single party.

[Brody]

Heh. No one said it was scientific, valuable or valid. It's the Tavern of the Blue Hand, kids. Participate or don't. Or critique. It's all good.

I'm a 34... probably doesn't surprise anyone that knows me though. - I'm a campaign volunteer for GWB, have threatened to move to the constitutional party if McCain ever got the nomination, and openly say I'm a member of the religious right.

Maybe not scientific, but political compass last I checked had me at right in GWB's ballpark.

[Burr]

Well, according to the lot of them, I am an extreme moderate. Although, the political compass showed me with slight libertarian-conservative tendencies.

[Brody]

Yeah, politicalcompass.org seems like a much better one - of course, I say that because it plops me in the same area of the grid as Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and the Dali Lama.

[the_logos]

Yeah, it does seem pretty good. I'm put about where I expected: Middle of the lower-right quandrant.

--matt

Economic Left/Right: 8.25
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: 5.59

From politicalcompass.org

Slightly to the right of George W. Bush, right in Thatcher's area.

--- I've taken this 3 times over the past year, I've just been moving further and further right and upward. :>

[welcor]

Originally Posted by (Brody @ Oct. 28 2004,00:38) Yeah, politicalcompass.org seems like a much better one - of course, I say that because it plops me in the same area of the grid as Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and the Dali Lama.

Me too :) - Gandhi is my new middle name, I guess :P

Welcor "Gandhi" Lama

[Hephos]

Seems like i'm a gandhi mandela thing too

[shadowfyr]

Hmm, a lot of Gandhi types here... My score on the useless one was 13, but the second one I got:

Economic Left/Right: -4.50
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -3.90

Likely that score would have been more in the middle, between everything else if they gave the option - 'I don't entirely agree or disagree'. It is a valid point on some issues, where the simple, you agree or don't, mantra ignores the true complexity of the issue. It also creates some issues, since while many ideas might fall in the communist class (according the the people that put them there), the communist ideal is one I flat out reject, both on the basis of evidence and biology.

For those that landed in the same class as Bush though. All I can say is sorry, I'm pulling for you and hope you get better.

[Angie]

Heh, I got as far as page 2 on the compass test, before I realized it badly needs two more options: Wrong question and I don't care.

[Andhrimner]

To exclude the option to select "i dont care" is an easy way to force people to take a standing point, as you might have noticed there was also no "middle" answer. Which also can be seen as a way to force people to take a standing point.
Looks to me that the person who made the test had given it some thought on the psychological things, even if there is times where i wished that there was some sort of "middle" answer. Making decisions and taking stands can be a hard thing to do, heck i can almost get depressed when thinking of what to eat and what to not eat.


And on a side note:
Your political compass
Economic Left/Right: -7.75
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -8.87

And was a 7 on the first one.

[Yui Unifex]

Originally Posted by (Andhrimner @ Oct. 29 2004,19:36) To exclude the option to select "i dont care" is an easy way to force people to take a standing point, as you might have noticed there was also no "middle" answer.

It's also an easy way to get completely incorrect results, as people are forced to choose options that do not represent their views.

I agree with Angie.

[Brody]

Originally Posted by (Yui Unifex @ Oct. 29 2004,21:31) Originally Posted by (Andhrimner @ Oct. 29 2004,19:36) To exclude the option to select "i dont care" is an easy way to force people to take a standing point, as you might have noticed there was also no "middle" answer. It's also an easy way to get completely incorrect results, as people are forced to choose options that do not represent their views. I agree with Angie.

Eh. That's one way to look at it, I suppose. The other is to realize that people who can't make up their minds and/or don't strongly agree one way or another belong around 0,0 on the grid If some questions seem to push you too far to the left or right, you can account for that mentally, I suppose.

[Molly]

Heh, I'm with Gandhi too.

What I wonder is if anyone finding themselves up there with Hitler and Stalin would ever admit it (even to themselves), or if they'd just claim that the test was faulty.

[Andhrimner]

[quote= ]

Originally Posted by (Yui Unifex @ Oct. 29 2004,21:31) Originally Posted by Andhrimner,Oct. 29 2004,19:36 To exclude the option to select "i dont care" is an easy way to force people to take a standing point, as you might have noticed there was also no "middle" answer. It's also an easy way to get completely incorrect results, as people are forced to choose options that do not represent their views. I agree with Angie.

What i mean is that, how often are there an issue where you dont have an opinion? I guess it can happen, but if there is a "middle" option i would guarantie that it would screw things up more than not having it. But from time to time there would be nice to have it yes.

Edit: Fixed the nasty little quote box.