UKS Forum members' political leanings

[Matt]

Leaning in the same direction but not as far.

Economic Left/Right: -3.62
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -3.90

A touch more authoritarian than the Dalai Llama and slightly more Right wing than Ghandi. Much the same as I was last time I took this and the time before.

[Croydon Bob]

Maybe it's not a very good survey.

It is bound to have a bias, it's just a question of how big.

I recall that during the 2000 US Prez Election there was a similar questionaire that supposedly told you which party you should vote for. Most people came out as "Green" rather than Republican or Democrat because the idea was to get people to vote for Ralph Nader, not to actually help inform people. I don't think that this one is as biased, but I'd be interested to know what scores someone gets who is a self-identified capitalist, Tory activist or somesuch.

[Legaleagle]

These survey results just go to prove something I have long suspected... UK Skeptics is a front for International Communism!

I think I would define my own politics as Conservative, perhaps with a slightly more liberal stance on social issues. As I said, my score was bang on the middle. I think you'd have to be really right wing to get into the right hand quadrants.

[asthmatic camel]

It looks as though the results are skewed by taking American political attitudes as the norm. By UK standards I'm far more right-wing than the results would suggest.

The region specific section for the UK is interesting.

[Croydon Bob]

These survey results just go to prove something I have long suspected... UK Skeptics is a front for International Communism!

You couldn't be more wrong comrade. Now report to the gulag for reconditioning...

[Legaleagle]

You couldn't be more wrong comrade. Now report to the gulag for reconditioning...

I realise the error of my former ways and acknowledge the genius of Comrade Jackson. I denounce the international reactionary capitalist-woo conspiracy. I renounce my former bourgois intellectual pretentions and recognise the Marxist-Leninst dialectic as the only true path. ...Is this good enough?.. pass the turnip soup, comrade.

[chaggle]

These survey results just go to prove something I have long suspected... UK Skeptics is a front for International Communism!

I think I would define my own politics as Conservative, perhaps with a slightly more liberal stance on social issues. As I said, my score was bang on the middle. I think you'd have to be really right wing to get into the right hand quadrants.

It looks as though the results are skewed by taking American political attitudes as the norm. By UK standards I'm far more right-wing than the results would suggest.

The region specific section for the UK is interesting.

I have never voted anything but Conservative but then I haven't voted for more than ten years - I don't know what I would vote now. I agree that you would have to be pretty damn Fascist to be anywhere other than to the left of this survey.

I always thought that I was a dyed in the wool Tory but since Saint Maggie disposed of Old Labour (thereby removing my need to vote for her) and created New Labour in her image I've realised that I'm actually a floater.

All Skeptics should be floating voters anyway, shouldn't they?

[Harryprice]

All Skeptics should be floating voters anyway, shouldn't they?

I always oppose the government, whoever happens to be in power. Is that floating enough?

[Matt]

All Skeptics should be floating voters anyway, shouldn't they?

I'm sure you're kidding but Many a good question asked in jest.

Perhaps we should reset to this position at the begining of the campaign then examine the manifestos debates and ancilary evidence presented rather through the filter of critical thinking rather than the narrow eyes of pre-existing predjudice. One way of approaching this might be to have someone strip policy statements from party labels and see which you find most appealing whislt blind to their origin.

Of course there's nothing against forming an opinion after applying critical thinking to an issue. The whole exercise would be rather pointless otherwise.

[Croydon Bob]

I always oppose the government, whoever happens to be in power. Is that floating enough?

I once had a strange conversation with a civil servant who always voted for the Govt that was in power, on the grounds that you have to be loyal to them. I pointed out that if every state employee did that then they'd probably stay in power for ever and he expressed great sorrow at the fact that his colleagues weren't as loyal as he was. But he saw no problem whatsoever with then switching to a different party if they became the new Govt. I doubt that even the election of the Greens or BNP would have changed his position.

[chaggle]

I'm sure you're kidding but Many a good question asked in jest.

Perhaps we should reset to this position at the begining of the campaign then examine the manifestos debates and ancilary evidence presented rather through the filter of critical thinking rather than the narrow eyes of pre-existing predjudice. One way of approaching this might be to have someone strip policy statements from party labels and see which you find most appealing whislt blind to their origin.

Of course there's nothing against forming an opinion after applying critical thinking to an issue. The whole exercise would be rather pointless otherwise.

Don't know why you thought I was kidding Matt. I can't imagine how a skeptic should properly proceed other than how you have described.

[Floppit]

Your political compass

Economic Left/Right: -2.75
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -5.64

I held almost the exact same spot as the Dalia Lama! It was good of him to complete the questionnaire and I can't help but wonder if he posted his results somewhere (<- A joke!).

[Floppit]

Anyone fancy sneaking onto a god botherer forum, a CAM forum and a psychic forum to compare results?

Just post the thing and cross fingers it has wings (errrr... not crossed fingers, not real wings - GAH! Almost blew my cover!).

[Tony Williams]

Libertarian left again - but closer to the centre of the compass than the edge.

I'm a bit surprised - I expected to be bang in the middle.

[Matt]

It is bound to have a bias, it's just a question of how big.

I recall that during the 2000 US Prez Election there was a similar questionaire that supposedly told you which party you should vote for. Most people came out as "Green" rather than Republican or Democrat because the idea was to get people to vote for Ralph Nader, not to actually help inform people. I don't think that this one is as biased, but I'd be interested to know what scores someone gets who is a self-identified capitalist, Tory activist or somesuch.

Well I just tried to give as right wing and authoratarian answers as I could and got

Economic Left/Right: 9.00
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: 6.31

Sopme of the questions seemed to be forcing a choice between Right Wing and Authoritatian.