Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
No need to get upset. We're just discussing, right?
Seriously, though. I live in Canada. Here the views you attribute to American loony left college students are the societal mainstream and shared by basically everyone from the centre of the spectrum all the way to the left.
Hey, I happen to think that progressives in western democracies have been the greatest drivers for positive change in the world over the past 40-50 years.
I just find it's sad to start to squander all that progress simply because we've become so cocky and sanctimonious that no one's allowed to even dare question anything we put forward anymore.
Since you're British, I assume you've read Animal Farm by George Orwell? When I look at progressives in the west these days I'm reminded of the pigs who start walking on two legs instead of four.
I just find it irritating, that's all. I consider myself centre-left and resent being lumped with the more lunatic fringes of left-wing politics.
I'm not really familiar with Canadian politics - multiculturalism actually seems to work in Canada, compared to Europe where it poses many difficulties, and Canada seems to be one of the few Western countries where right-wing populism isn't taking hold at all. I think we should be emulating what you guys are doing.
I agree with you that it would be a shame to squander those achievements, but maybe that's a period we need to go through. Maybe people need to see what it's like to have populists in power for a while before they grow tired of them.
I just find it irritating, that's all. I consider myself centre-left and resent being lumped with the more lunatic fringes of left-wing politics.
I'm not really familiar with Canadian politics - multiculturalism actually seems to work in Canada, compared to Europe where it poses many difficulties, and Canada seems to be one of the few Western countries where right-wing populism isn't taking hold at all. I think we should be emulating what you guys are doing.
I agree with you that it would be a shame to squander those achievements, but maybe that's a period we need to go through. Maybe people need to see what it's like to have populists in power for a while before they grow tired of them.
That's what I've been thinking. Part of me hates that it's come to this, and part of me just doesn't care anymore.
I'm not really familiar with Canadian politics - multiculturalism actually seems to work in Canada, compared to Europe where it poses many difficulties, and Canada seems to be one of the few Western countries where right-wing populism isn't taking hold at all. I think we should be emulating what you guys are doing.
In spite of what I said I happen to think Canada does things pretty well in this respect.
Although keep in mind Canada is always a "lagging indicator" in terms of western political trends. We just elected our "Obama" (Trudeau) in late 2015, for example.
In spite of what I said I happen to think Canada does things pretty well in this respect.
Although keep in mind Canada is always a "lagging indicator" in terms of western political trends. We just elected our "Obama" (Trudeau) in late 2015, for example.
No need to get upset. We're just discussing, right?
Seriously, though. I live in Canada. Here the views you attribute to American loony left college students are the societal mainstream and shared by basically everyone from the centre of the spectrum all the way to the left.
Hey, I happen to think that progressives in western democracies have been the greatest drivers for positive change in the world over the past 40-50 years.
I just find it's sad to start to squander all that progress simply because we've become so cocky and sanctimonious that no one's allowed to even dare question anything we put forward anymore.
Since you're British, I assume you've read Animal Farm by George Orwell? When I look at progressives in the west these days I'm reminded of the pigs who start walking on two legs instead of four.
Speaking of what you said, this British guy pretty much says how I exactly feel:
I think that guy is just shouty but he isn't saying anything that people haven't said before. In reality, blaming Trump's victory on a small number of left-wingers who go around calling everyone racist, when in reality your average Trump voter will have no contact at all with these people on a daily basis, is rather fanciful. I know people who would have voted Trump if they lived in the US and they definitely do not beat around the bush when it comes to their disliking of certain groups. They couldn't care less what people think of them, not least a bunch of privileged students on liberal college campuses.
Pretty much everyone lives in an echo chamber. It's human nature to seek out things that align with what you think, how you feel and how you live. Everyone is guilty of this - some are just more willing to admit it than others.
And as Acajack rightfully points out, it's progressives who achieved positive social change in the 1960s onward. These people are the ones who fought tirelessly for equal rights for women, gay people, ethnic minorities and many more. These are the people who put an end to racial segregation and the like. These are the people who made sure it was no longer a crime to be gay. If people really want to throw all of that away, then that's their choice - but don't sit there and tell me that the reason people want to throw it all away is because 'liberulz hurt mah feels'.
All people who voted Trump will be in for a very rude awakening, much like those who voted Brexit - but as I said, I suppose that's something that we need to go through. Political and economic stability have fallen out of favour. One reason I heard someone voted to leave the EU was that she thought it was 'all very exciting' but she didn't really know what it meant.
Last edited by dunno what to put here; 01-03-2017 at 03:07 AM..
I would have voted Trump if the alternative was Hillary.
I would have voted for Bernie if he was an option.
I am a centrist but I have some very left and very right wing views in certain areas. One thing I do not understand is why people follow a political party like a sports team, and praise absolutely everything they do, rather than take the best ideas from all the parties and combine them.
If push came to shove I just wouldn't have voted for anyone. Given voter turnout in the US last year fell to nearly 50%, I guess many others felt the same. America's turnout figures are truly horrible, even by our standards. What we have now is a president who lost the popular vote on very low turnout. Not exactly a ringing endorsement of Trump himself.
Simply put, he isn't very popular right now - and it's normal for presidents to become less popular as their term progresses. I think he'll be very unpopular by 2020. But I guess we will see.
Lol, this pretty much describes everything that's been happening over the past year:
Last edited by dunno what to put here; 01-03-2017 at 03:42 AM..
Wow, I think Alex is right - there is wayyyy to much politics on this thread.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
