Eugene Debs

If you will, a form of insanity. I do not get these labels. It is so thoroughly absurd. Down the rabbit hole stuff. Truth is truth. What is best is best. What is wrong is wrong. But most cling to instead of looks to be free of pre-suppositions based on anything, ideological imperatives, and party platform. It is a mental illness to call oneself Conservative or Liberal. Perhaps the solving of social problems does not come down as clean as math, though it may, then try solving a math problem by party affiliation. Oops. We do that with Climate change. That does not mean we have to limit our discernment or thought process by party affiliation. Such labels are a disgrace to God's gift of Reason and the integrity of humankind.

PeterS

Confirmation bias? Both are political ideologies and based on the form of philosophies that we follow. To have no ideology means you have no philosophical foundation and that's just scary. With all due respect you have no clue what you are talking about.

Eugene Debs

I disagree. One has no need for a philosophical grounding: that is bias. To think a math background makes you biased to a certain conclusion is not bias but precise thought: there is one answer. The illusion that Party affiliation gives you a better or right or true perspective on any issue is delusion. Madness. Decisions should not be based on any philosophies we follow. That is arrogance. With no respect, you are clueless as to true intellectual discourse. We self-centeredly think, at the greater expense of humanity, that some philosophy or ideology can save us. Nonsense. All beliefs are useless.

missinglink Loc: Tralfamadore

Gee thanks Doc . Now please get rid of those from less lofty perches . You know . Those pesky little people who Identify with one generalized political label or other .
When you are done there , in oh say a couple of months , why not spend some time on those who identify car manufactures or underwear of choice . Granted
they are not ideologies but there is certainly some work to be done there.

I take it you were at the head of god's line when he was handing out reason . How forunate
for you .

Eugene Debs

Thank you, yes, very fortunate, happenstance. Had a moment with God for one question: are you right of left, I asked? He looked around and then said, "I am the center of all that is."

PeterS

Everyone has a political ideology of some type or another--it is simply a matter of propensity to be one thing or another. To then sit there and say there is somehow something wrong with this only demonstrates the you don't fully know what you are talking about. You need to take a course in political science or pick up a book on political ideologies. So long as you can be objective your ideology is largely irrelevant though far right Conservatives call these people RINO's and those to the far left simply simply view them as traitors. That's bias there but has little to do with ones ideology.

And please note, I said nothing about any one ideology saving us. None of us has anything figured out enough for that to happen...

archie bunker Loc: Texas

I sincerely hope Eugene doesn't injure himself when he falls off his high horse.

missinglink Loc: Tralfamadore

That might be a pretty far piece to fall alright .

lpnmajor Loc: Arkansas

I know people who profess, as do I, to being non partisan, but few of them are non ideological or do not subscribe to someone else's ideology. It has been my mission to see an end to the two party system we've adopted, and a return to a true representative government. Both Democrats and Republicans, recognizing the danger presented by those not joining either party, labeled those folks "Independents", thus separating them from mainstream governance and the political system.....and they accepted that title. They are not independent from the RNC/DNC, they are a power in and of themselves, and it's high time they flexed those political muscles.

This need to separate folks out by ideology has been one of the tools used by the RNC and DNC, to control those people NOT on their membership rolls, and it has been a successful campaign. I personally do not subscribe to any particular ideology, but make my decisions and assessments based on logic, common sense and common decency, yet every idea or argument I present is invariably jammed into an ideological pigeon hole by those who read/hear it - as though they are incapable of understanding the concept until an ideological label has been applied. After researching this phenomenon, I discovered that these people are suffering from a massive and long term conditioning program, designed and maintained by both the RNC and DNC in a collaborative effort. This conditioning began in 1864 and has been maintained ever since.

To be fair, I had an advantage over most Americans, as my formative years were spent out of the country, and I returned as an adult to a country I knew little about. I had little interest in politics ( or anything other than girls and having a good time ), but joining the Navy soon upon my return, opened my eyes real quick. I learned about America and our political system from books, and not those written by someone giving me THIER opinions either. After seeing what's SOPPOSED to be, compared to what IS, lead me to conclude that America had strayed far from it's roots. Further research showed me that the singular cause of this aberration, was the collusion between the new Republican party ( 1862 ) and the older Democratic party, where they proposed splitting the country between them ( 1864 ), barring anyone else from the political process. The two party system was born in 1864 and we have been it's slaves ever since.

Labeling is the single most effective tool preventing people from thinking for themselves.

Manning345 Loc: Richmond, Virginia

Mr. Debs, your post screams for a cogent reply, but I haven't mulled your position over very far. However, I will state my first order reactions: 1) Majority rule comes to mind as a fundamental necessity for people our form of democracy to act as oppose to thinking and orating; 2) Thinkers that form a majority, because they have reached common decisions with each other in the past, seek to continue their majority thinking over time, and to develop a philosophy of their thoughts so they can comfortably approach new issues and old ones as they arise with a fair certainty of holding the line and that their compatriots will lean in the same direction when voting time comes.; 3) it is most natural for these like thinkers to give themselves a label, since it identifies them and their thinking to others who may be persuaded to join their group (hence Republicans, Democrats, Liberals and Conservatives, etc.); 4) Those without a label tend to be a smaller number than the well-established labelers, hence they have a far less chance to affect the debates and decisions of the majority. Being unlabeled, then, is to be an outsider, and largely ineffectual in our system. Most people of strong beliefs tend to reject the outsider position simply because they want to get things done. Should the number of outsiders become much larger, though, relative to the insiders, then we will have kind of pendulum effect on the philosophies being used to direct voting, thus creating a horse with three heads. I don't believe that would be a good thing for the nation.

Manning345 Loc: Richmond, Virginia

Correction; ...fundamental necessity for people in our form of democracy to act as oppose to thinking and orating;

Eugene Debs

You thoroughly misunderstand what I said. Form of philosophy is not to be followed but simply to inform; there is far, far more to any question than the dictates of our ideas or beliefs. That can be a good starting point or a roadblock. Yet to take that as where we should automatically start and finish is foolish. With any mature person, philosophy is always evolving as we confront more issues in life, are faced with new challenges and ideas, know other forms of pain, folly, and success, and simply grow older. Never said or suggested to have "no philosophical foundation." But foundation is what one builds on, if it is firm. There will be nuances and appendages. However, as a foundation it needs always to be questioned.

TexaCan Loc: Homeward Bound!

Now I understand Rumitoid!!! You are evolving so quickly with more issues in life and more challenges and ideas than one person could possibly handle so you must constantly create more identities in order to make sure all of your ideas are shared with everyone!!!!

archie bunker Loc: Texas

Why question a solid foundation? You build on it, not question it.