tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30598467.post7821304430517543401..comments2023-08-16T12:07:22.995+00:00Comments on The Daily (Maybe): How left wing are we?Jim Jeppshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17410387006098326671noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30598467.post-49664780344550233622011-02-02T22:40:00.050+00:002011-02-02T22:40:00.050+00:00As well as the many that say they don't know I...As well as the many that say they don't know I think there are also many who - if they interrogated their own views would be surprised what they find.<br /><br />Growing up in the Socialist republic of South Yorkshire I still find it amazing how many staunch Labourites have rabidly right wing views when discussing most topics.Scottiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05412537303966514195noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30598467.post-60260077091605507812011-02-02T17:12:51.126+00:002011-02-02T17:12:51.126+00:00Definately Mike. Just because less people see it a...Definately Mike. Just because less people see it as relevant does not necessarily mean the terms are meaningless - as long people don't think this means politics is just a question of where you are on a linear scale I think the terms have a lot of uses.Jim Jeppshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17410387006098326671noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30598467.post-50438070572537139562011-02-02T00:20:31.433+00:002011-02-02T00:20:31.433+00:00Yes, there are a lot of grey areas, but the left/r...Yes, there are a lot of grey areas, but the left/right thing is, I think, useful in getting a feel for someone. Issues change of course all the time, but some things like equality, are a constant to anyone who is on the left (I know this is a generalism, but all the same). <br /><br />If people really don't know whether they lean left or right, then our politics is getting pretty meaningless.Mike Shaughnessyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16796480031110991460noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30598467.post-67797941374748821092011-02-01T23:21:56.007+00:002011-02-01T23:21:56.007+00:00I'm not massively keen on making the axis over...I'm not massively keen on making the axis overly complicated because it starts to get into the territory where it looks like you actually can describe someone's politics meaningfully using a couple of numbers.<br /><br />For me the left/right axis still holds true, but it was never the end of the story. As you say people have all kinds of specific opinions on specific issues.<br /><br />If someone describes themseves as a socialist, or a feminist or whatever it's always a starting point - but until you talk to them in more depth you still don't really know where they are coming from politically.Jim Jeppshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17410387006098326671noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30598467.post-23181404964254279562011-02-01T21:51:31.909+00:002011-02-01T21:51:31.909+00:00I agree the don't knows are the most interesti...I agree the don't knows are the most interesting statistic.<br />Have you see this website which suggests that there should also be an authoritarian/libertarian spectrum as well as the left/right one?<br />http://www.politicalcompass.org/<br /><br />I'd also suggest there are a lot of people who focus on a particular issue (education, say) or on their local area, to the extent that they lose track of left & right.The Snarkeryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05473622708461318032noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30598467.post-2855995199855970332011-02-01T21:22:29.778+00:002011-02-01T21:22:29.778+00:00RedGreenInBlue: I admire your spirit!
Mike: I thi...RedGreenInBlue: I admire your spirit!<br /><br />Mike: I think that 30% is the most interesting stat here. You know that if a question is getting more than 5-10% don't knows people are having real problems with the question.Jim Jeppshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17410387006098326671noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30598467.post-40114445642003504122011-02-01T19:10:00.424+00:002011-02-01T19:10:00.424+00:00And 30% said 'don't know'. Sheeshh!
M...And 30% said 'don't know'. Sheeshh!<br /><br />MikeMike Shaughnessyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16796480031110991460noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30598467.post-24963779919164890942011-02-01T14:50:48.356+00:002011-02-01T14:50:48.356+00:00There's no shame in having our political posit...There's no shame in having our political position identified with negative numbers. Firstly, they are a little more tricky to handle in arithmetic: ask someone to calculate 5-3 or 5×3, then ask them to calculate (-3)-(-5) or (-3)×(-5), and see how long each calculation takes. Secondly, in the history of mathematics, they are a more modern concept than the positive numbers. <br /><br />In other words, YouGov is complimenting our progressiveness and intelligence! Possibly :-DAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com