Centrism - Weak?

[Tancrisism]

I have heard quite a few people call centrists (or moderates) weak because they refuse to chose a side, or that they just try to create compromise despite no good compromises existing.

I think this is a grave misunderstanding of what it is to be "center". Merely, it means that you do not choose to follow one side or the other completely ideologically; instead, you decide what is right based on the issue and then choose which side is more balanced towards your view in that topic.

As centrists and moderates are rising in number, it's important that people understand what it actually is.

Thoughts?

[VigilanteNighthawk]

I think the real problem is people placing too much stock in idealogical labels in general, not just the mischaracterization of centrists. Too many people use these label as a crutch to be intellectually lazy, basing positions solely on whatever their particular label agrees with or using it to make sweeping and inaccurate generalizations about the "opposition." I think if we'd drop the left/right nonsense and examine the issues in depth, we'd be in much better shape.

[aninjaman]

The people that view centrists as weak are also the same decisive politicians that refuse to compromise and get things done.

[hippolordhom]

i have no opinion on this matter.

[GrammerNaziElite]

All I know is that my gut says maybe.

[blackattackbitch]

Lol at the previous two posters.

Centrism is weak when one tries to find middle ground even though their own personal logic says that one side has more validity than the other.

I consider myself a moderate because even though most litmus tests suggest I'm a rightwinger, I don't want to make decisions based on what my fellow rightwingers are saying.

Besides, classifying yourself as a member of the right or the left leads to a person engaging in "group think" at least in my opinion. For example, how many self-proclaimed liberals visit liberal sites? Tons. And that's why some of the liberal positions that I personally can tear apart logically are still very popular amongst them.

That includes this rampant belief that Separation of Church and State is somehow mentioned in the Constitution and applies to all of government, as opposed to just congressional establishment of religion and/or prohibition of certain religions.

[Tancrisism]

At 2/10/09 07:42 PM, aninjaman wrote: The people that view centrists as weak are also the same decisive politicians that refuse to compromise and get things done.

For instance, George W. Bush. ?

[public-enemy1]

At 2/10/09 07:43 PM, hippolordhom wrote: i have no opinion on this matter.

hilarious

[MortifiedPenguins]

At 2/10/09 09:37 PM, Tancrisism wrote:

At 2/10/09 07:42 PM, aninjaman wrote: The people that view centrists as weak are also the same decisive politicians that refuse to compromise and get things done.

For instance, George W. Bush. ?

Or Congress as a whole, or Obama, or any State Legislature or Govenor in the country.

I would say the vast majority of politicians are like that.

[BrianEtrius]

Actually, centrism is probably one of the best ways to go as a younger voter.

Why? Because it allows you to play both sides. As a young voter, you may not have a definite opinion oh a subject, and thus playing middle you can jump to the side you are must comfortable in and not get eaten alive by your own party. As you mature then your views will most likely solidify, which leads to leaning a certain way.

[public-enemy1]

At 2/10/09 10:46 PM, BrianEtrius wrote: Actually, centrism is probably one of the best ways to go as a younger voter.

Why? Because it allows you to play both sides. As a young voter, you may not have a definite opinion oh a subject, and thus playing middle you can jump to the side you are must comfortable in and not get eaten alive by your own party. As you mature then your views will most likely solidify, which leads to leaning a certain way.

Excellent point, but it seems that as most kids grow up, they adopt their parents political and social views. It happened to me.

[BrianEtrius]

At 2/10/09 10:56 PM, public-enemy1 wrote: Excellent point, but it seems that as most kids grow up, they adopt their parents political and social views. It happened to me.

That's assuming a lot.

Such as,

a) the voter's parents votes
b) the voter is aware of their parent's views
c) the voter grows up in an environment where the previous two things happen

etc.

[Psil0]

At 2/10/09 07:36 PM, VigilanteNighthawk wrote: I think the real problem is people placing too much stock in idealogical labels in general, not just the mischaracterization of centrists. Too many people use these label as a crutch to be intellectually lazy, basing positions solely on whatever their particular label agrees with or using it to make sweeping and inaccurate generalizations about the "opposition." I think if we'd drop the left/right nonsense and examine the issues in depth, we'd be in much better shape.

I agree with this, if we could just drop the labels rid ourselves of party idealization and allow ourselves the wisdom to start doing whats best rather than what is best for reelection we could start to come to conclusions and solutions that would actually fix problems not seperate us further.

[Imperator]

At 2/10/09 10:56 PM, public-enemy1 wrote:
Excellent point, but it seems that as most kids grow up, they adopt their parents political and social views. It happened to me.

My Dad's conservative, my mom's liberal.

I should be centrist under this theory.

As it stands, I'm Imperialist.

[public-enemy1]

At 2/11/09 07:06 AM, Imperator wrote: My Dad's conservative, my mom's liberal.

I should be centrist under this theory.

As it stands, I'm Imperialist.

I would have said that you were more likely to become either a liberal or a conservative, not a mix of the two. It was my thought that as a child, the views of your parents are likely to influence you in the future. Maybe it's just me, but I adopted my parents liberal views where as most of my friends have seemed to have adopted the conservative views of their parents.

[JustsTrollingAlong]

Moderates; lol wtf?
Watch the video... think about it, stop being a pussy.