Before you take the word of people here at the DU that you are AUTHORITARIAN

[renie408]

Take this test.

Does anybody remember The Political Compass?

I have been told several times lately that I am an authoritarian because I disagreed with Andrew Meyer's behavior and I felt that, while it was an overreaction by authorities, the incident at the airport with the MIT student was somewhat understandable. The fact that I think people should be civil about their disobedience and take some responsibility for their choices has gotten me singled out as an authoritarian. I have heard a lot of nasty little 'good German' comments aimed at many people here.

But before you believe the insult du jour here on the DU and start to think you are Authoritarian, take the test.

BTW...I fell -6.75 left/right and -7.08 libertarian/authoritarian.



ooops...forgot the link!

http://www.politicalcompass.org/index

[0rganism]

1. and read Altemeyer's online book, too

http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~altemey/

This is an excellent free guide to authoritarian characteristics, from the guy who literally "wrote the book" on authoritarian psychology.

[renie408]

4. Thanks.

What I have noticed is that the people pointing fingers and yelling 'AUTHORITARIAN' the loudest have a VERY black and white view of things. You either believe with them that any and all behavior should be allowable. If you think that people should work within a civil framework, you are not a Democrat.

[question everything]

31. Yes, here on DU

we are getting to be like the freepers.

We've always pointed to their seeing the world in black and white, lacking the ability to see the shades of gray, of nuances. And we've often thought of ourselves, still do, as being open minded and able to judge every issue on its own merit.

Sadly, many on DU (and on many Internet boards) hide behind their anonymity and hurl insults at others often before they even read the whole post. And a "suggestion" to un-recommend a DU thread is now being proposed and supported.

Not everyone who supports Bush on any issue is a bad guy; not everyone who hates Bush is a good one; not everyone who supported the war is evil and not everyone who wants our troops out, immediately, now, is a good one - see the adoration of Libertarian Ron Paul on DU.

And not everyone who challenges authority while inflicting harm on others is a good person. I wonder how many DUers would have supported the 60s group the Weathermen who planted bombs and injured and killed people for the sake of... was never clear to me.

So go ahead and stick to your opinion and I admire your courage for posting them here.

One suggestion, though, from my own experience. Say what you have to say, stick around to reply to some genuine comments (ignore the insults) and, once you've stated them, move on. Don't bother to keep repeating the same comments. Many here do not care to learn of different points of view and they just have to have the last world.

[renie408]

37. About that last part....

I have to confess that I never quite know when to walk away.

I will also say that it is honestly something I am trying to work on. But its hard sometimes.

[TwilightZone]

2. It's a cover, often thrown out by people who don't have a better argument.

It's easier to call someone a name than to produce a reasoned defense for one's position.

[nini]

9. That's exactly the intent of the use of that word here

EXACTLY

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

51. Maybe, I am wrong. The point wasn't BEING authoritarian but rather serving,...

,...authoritarianism,...even unconsciously, for survival sake.

On the other hand, I may have missed the accusation. I often dismiss and ignore silly RW assertions.

:shrug:

[LWolf]

3. I've taken the test several times.

My scores shift a little, based on some questions that don't offer me the "right" answer, I think. Still, I'm always a left-libertarian, slightly to the left and south of Gandhi.

More enlightening, to me, is the position of the current crop of candidates:



Whether you agree with the placement or not, and the site does point out, repeatedly, that the positions are based on global, not local, definitions, I still fall very far from the majority of the candidates. Must be why I'm not happy with them as possible nominees for POTUS.

[renie408]

10. It makes sense to me that someone running for political office

might fall where the majority of Dems are. A political leader here in America would tend to believe in government/order and would also tend to be more pro free market. The thing I find interesting is that Edwards falls the furthest left/libertarian.

[LWolf]

44. Are the majority of Democrats on the authoritarian right?

If so, it seems that the party has been mislabeled, or misrepresented.

Gravel is the furthest left/libertarian, followed by DK. Edwards is the least right/authoritarian of the rest, it's true. That's probably why his message resonates with those left/libertarian-leaning people who won't support someone who actually matches their positions on issues.

If I were going to choose from the "top 3," Edwards would be the obvious choice. He has some better plans than the rest. In the general, he could get my vote if he would:

endorse HR 676, H Res 333, and HR 808, plus take on the high stakes testing piece of NCLB, and refuse to sign any ed-related legislation until it is gone.

[renie408]

45. Most fall on the shallow end of the authoritarian/right quadrant.

With the GOP candidates WAYYY up there.

Only Kucinich and Gravel fall left/libertarian, but not THAT far left/libertarian.

[LWolf]

48. Ironically,

Gravel and DK are closest to the "center!"

[treestar]

53. Darth Cheney probably goes in the upper right hand corner

[bear425]

70. How do they know how the candidates would answer?

Just curious about that.

Oh, and I fall below and left of DK.

Economic Left/Right: -6.88
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -6.87

[LWolf]

78. You fall about where I do.

That's a FAQ on the site:

15. How can you determine where politicians are honestly at without asking them?

How can you tell where they're honestly at by asking them? Especially around election time. We've relied on reports, parliamentary records, ... and actions that spoke louder than words.

http://www.politicalcompass.org/faq#faq15

[proud2BlibKansan]

73. Here's me

http://www.politicalcompass.org/facebook/pcgraphpng.php?ec=-6.50&soc=-6.21

No wonder I feel disconnected.

[LWolf]

79. No Wonder is right.

I fall in that same general area; it shifts a bit depending on how I answer a few questions that don't have my clear position as a possible answer, but it's always in that strongly left-libertarian range.

On the opposite end of the grid from the "leaders."

[midlife_mo_Jo]

5. I've already taken that test

and I'm practically on the same spot as Ghandi. It's too long to take again to get the numbers.

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[renie408]

12. Look Mommy, some idget on the DU who is incapable of coherent conversation says I am authoritarian

I think I will take the test's word for it. Thanks anyway.

[Exultant Democracy]

14. LOL, good thing you passed the test, if it says so online it must be true.

Trust the test it is after all an authority on the issues.

Edit: DON'T QUESTION THE TEST!

[BlooInBloo]

17. It's the first rule of ONLINE TEST.

[TwilightZone]

18. Instead, you should just accept the position of some anonymous internet poster with an agenda.

Geez.

[Exultant Democracy]

21. Too bad authoritarians are immune to irony.

[spoony]

26. Like the one who posted #6

[renie408]

24. You're right. I should just consult my crystal ball. Or maybe you?

I guess I should just take the word of anonymous people here on the DU than a test developed to evaluate your responses without bias.

[Exultant Democracy]

35. I just took the test. I'm in Gryffindor!

http://www.thealmightyguru.com/reviews/harrypotter/docs/quiz-house.html

Crap, seems like none of my magic powers are working.

[renie408]

36. I am ashamed to say that just went 'whoosh'...

right over my head.

I feel so inadequate.

[TwilightZone]

62. They're mocking you.

The references are to Harry Potter. Apparently, it's supposed to be funny.

[renie408]

76. I got that part.

I didn't get why it was supposed to be funny. So I guess if you didn't think it was funny, either, maybe I am not as dense as I thought I was.

[sufrommich]

38. LOL! It's Hufflepuff for me.

[Exultant Democracy]

43. Then it is safe to say that you are not an authoritarian. Gandhi was in Hufflepuff.

edit: Just to add one more time, DON'T QUESTION THE TEST!

[Warpy]

7. That's one thing I've never been accused of

There's cranky, opinionated, wacky, wrong, bizarre, too far left----and I wear them all proudly.

Authoritarian? Never.

[Gregorian]

60. DENIAL!

:)

Yep. I think that's why I used to be a stoner kid. Oops, I've said too much.

[kdmorris]

8. I've been accused of being authoritarian a couple of times

Turns out I'm almost completely the other way:

Your political compass
Economic Left/Right: -8.25
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -8.41

Who would have thought someone could be further left than Ghandi?

[renie408]

13. Nooo...I would have to say that you are NOT authoritarian!! n/t

[nini]

11. I'm a good little Nazi!!! NOT

Your political compass
Economic Left/Right: -6.12
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -5.03

[question everything]

39. LOL, mine are reversed

Economic -5.25
Social -6.05

I hesitated a bit about inflation vs. employment (chose employment) since high inflation, as was in Nazi Germany, could be used as an excuse for a "strong man" to take charge.

[Totally Committed]

15. Pretty far Left Libertarian...

Economic Left/Right: -9.12
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -6.36

http://www.politicalcompass.org/printablegraph?ec=-9.12&soc=-6.36



TC

[saltpoint]

16. Kinda fun. Thank you for posting this.

I gave it a whirl and came up with -6.82 on the Left green quadrant.

[JDPriestly]

19. Disagreeing with Meyers' behavior is understandable.

Condoning the way police silenced him is not. Normally, the crowd boos a person like Meyers into respecting everyone else and shutting up. I saw that happen recently in a town hall meeting with my congressional representative. One guy was butting in, speaking out of turn, yelling, the crowd took care of him without any physical contact. Various people simply told him to be quiet and wait his turn. He was very obnoxious, but he soon got the message. As Bill Maher pointed out in one of his shows, the shocking thing that was not touched on was the that the U. of Florida audience was so passive. They were just letting this guy ruin everything. That is more shocking to me than Meyers' behavior. Meyers had the right to speak. So did the crowd. I have a feeling that had you been there you would have said something to the kid and encouraged others around you to do so.

[renie408]

30. My specific problem

was that I didn't think that ALL of Meyer's behavior was covered under his right to free speech. No one interfered with his right to say what he wanted to say. When I said that his right to free speech shouldn't be allowed to interfere with the rights of everyone else at the speech, I was called Authoritarian. I also said that the right to free speech does not give you the right to resist arrest. Again, "You are just a good little German".

I have a confession to make...I don't get in the express lane when I have more than twelve items. I stop at stop signs. I believe that society needs some rules to function smoothly. In fact, I will go so far as to say that as a species, human beings WANT to know where the lines are drawn. Mindlessly following rules that impinge on your civil rights...THAT I don't agree with. I disagree with Bill Maher when he says that wiretapping is OK.

Anyway, the whole thing just pisses me off. It feels to me like the people shouting "AUTHORITARIAN" the loudest are the ones trying to bully others into falling into line.

[question everything]

40. It was Steven Colbert, with Solitarity

and I agree with you. Yes, he was obnoxious and should have been removed, but with four or five burly men, taser was too much.

But then, on DU, one post compared him to Jesus Christ!

And my comment was similar to Colbert, about the younger generation just being passive, clicking on nodding.

[blondeatlast]

20. I think baiting authority is inane and counterproductive. Therefore I'm considered

by some on DU to be "authoritarian." What. The. Fuck. Ever.

If it makes some DU "victim" feel better to call me that, fine and dandy.

BTW, I've taken that test many, many times and always come out pretty left and VERY libertarian.

Who knows if the DU victim brigade or the internet is correct? I personally couldn't care less either way.

[Guaranteed]

46. "Baiting authority." Good term.

That's often what it is.

At least, it's what DU gets worked up about.

[LanternWaste]

22. The few times

The few times I've been accused of it, I considered the source, read some of his other posts and realized it was just some kid who thinks prety much everyone not an anarchist is an authoritarian.

Give all due consideration to the accuser-- even if it illustrates him as nothing more than a youth. I began perceiving it as I would if some kid were in the car next to me, telling me I must be a part of the System because I stop at red lights and don't speed through school zones.

I just can't get too worked up about them. After a while, they become a bug on the windshield-- annoying, but innefectual.

[Raejeanowl]

23. Oh, This Is Hilarious

Renie, I've been accused of the same recently, and my results are right between Gandhi and Nelson Mandela.

Ah yes, the insult du jour. That's got me scratching my head, how liberal, "free thinkers" can be such absolute ideologists/moralists. And ironically, those likeliest to accuse you of being a lemming, sheep, or a good little German are the first to scorn the fact you are thinking independently of THEM.

Guess I'm only entitled to their opinion. Go figure. THANKS FOR THE TEST.

[renie408]

25. DING DING DING...if you think other than me, you are a good little German

You should all think the way WE do. WE are the only TRULY Democratic people here.

Gee, sounds like the GOP, just change the words a little.

[Odin2005]

27. I thought Meyer was an asshole and I'm -5.5 on the Libertarian-Authoritarian axis.

I'm -8.25 on the economic axis.

I get the feeling that some posters think that unless you are an outright anarcho-socialist you are a authoritarian "good German" :eyes:

[Rosemary2205]

28. I just LOL and consider the source.

[JustAnotherGen]

29. This is funny

Thanks for the link!

Between Ghandi and Mandela . . . but ended up a bit more towards the bottom left hand corner than those two.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

32. Depends On My Mood

Economic Left/Right: -3.50
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -6.26

[DeepModem Mom]

33. Thanks for speaking out for some who just don't want to get involved...

in this divisiveness and name-calling.

[melody]

34. There's a big difference between expecting civility and authoritarianism

If not, then I guess we should consider holding a protest sign to be the same thing
as blowing up a building (oh, wait, right-wing fundies do that).

[DaveJ]

41. I don't feel like taking the test but...

When people support Meyer but not the MIT student there's something wrong with that. Personally I think the MIT student was within her rights but not Meyer. I can only humor the accusations that I am authoritarian from people who support both Meyer AND the MIT girl's actions.

Even then, I guarantee there will be moments these anti-authoritarian types will (or have) taken advantage of authority, or exerted it themselves.

[in_cog_ni_to]

42. Almost off the chart....economic Left/Libertarian -8.88 Social Left Libertarian -8.6

Your political compass
Economic Left: -8.88
Social Libertarian: -8.6

http://www.politicalcompass.org/facebook/pcgraphpng.php?ec=-8.88&soc=-8.622

The questions seem different to me from the last time I took this quiz.. They must change them periodically.

I was almost off the chart I'm so far Left.:7.....HOWEVER, I'm nowhere NEAR an Authoritarian....I'm as far away as one can get! FAR BOTTOM FAR LEFT on the chart.

[nadinbrzezinski]

47. Here is where I fall

Economic Left/Right: -7.25
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -8.00

And I have found I have become radilcalized over the years

[Snarkturian Clone]

49. ya got me!

Economic Left/Right: -2.75
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: 1.38

[Guaranteed]

50. People are outraged about showing a receipt when something like THIS is

going on:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1883772

Where is the outrage there??

Fucking UNBELIEVABLE, what is going on on this board.

[Greyhound]

55. It's all symptomatic of the same thing. Obviously the outrages committed

in Louisiana are far worse, but it come down to the same mindset that pervades our nation.

As the noose tightens, the flock will begin to panic and they will go off in all sorts of ways, many that are self-destructive.

[treestar]

52. The issue is the reaction

Every one of these stories gets this flood of DUers contratulating themselves that they would never suffer these consequences because they would never behave in any fashion that the authorities deem threatening.

But it could happen to anybody. You never knew when you're going to be deemed "obnoxious." It's a variation on the Nothing to Hide argument.

[Hissyspit]

59. Now Stop Making Sense. n/t

[Vektor]

54. I'm with Nelson Mandela.

Your political compass
Economic Left/Right: -7.50
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -5.38


I had no problem with the tasering that took place, yet I'm not terribly authoritarian. In fact, according to the test, I'm very much the opposite.

[mogster]

56. I was a centrist in 2003

But have drifted left to about exactly in the middle of the left-lib square. We can do with a little _real_ governnment right now, though, and I'll support anybody wanting to reverse the proto-fascist global surveillance society we're sailing into at the moment.

Look at this:

http://www.politicalcompass.org/usprimaries2007

[Guaranteed]

57. Look at our candidates. My God. nt

[FloridaJudy]

58. Woo Hoo!

I'm hanging out with Ghandi, Nelson Mandela and the Dalai Lama.


Great neighborhood.

[ClayZ]

61. Whoo Hooo, me too!

"I'm hanging out with Ghandi, Nelson Mandela and the Dalai Lama."

[libodem]

63. same here

economic/left-7.25, libertarian -7.44

[goodgd_yall]

65. You're further left and more libertarian than Gandhi

Gandhi is not quite as libertarian as all that.

[goodgd_yall]

64. That was fun

-6.5 Left/Right
-5.59 Libertarian/Authoritarian

Less libertarian than you are, yet I disagreed with your stand on the Andrew Meyer incident.

[goodgd_yall]

66. Further left than the Dalai Lama and more libertarian than Nelson Mandela n/t

[Katherine Brengle]

67. Economic Left/Right: -9.50; Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -6.92

But I've definitely been accused of authoritarianism. Go figure.

I fall somewhere to the left of Gandhi on both...

[Skidmore]

68. I'm a Leftist LIbertarian--a couple of notches off from Gandhi in the lower left quadrant.

Economic Left/Right: -8.00
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -5.23

Right there with the Dalai Lama and Nelson Mandela.


I love being a contrarian and I love questioning conventional wisdom.

[PATRICK]

69. When this happens

and it always will, one help is consider that the original argument basis is flawed. I offer the salient fact that the problem is the taser. If you have kickbutt tactical SWAT forces you will be using them or you would never have them in the first place. No you have the wee problem of control, restraints and the inevitable overkill fiasco.

Taser have been SOLD to the pols(who went so far as to be shocked and force themselves to react with manly smile "he-ey-ey the water's not cold!"). The benefit? Gone the billy clubs and guns and triplicate reports, mandatory suspensions. Now victims of even brutal treatment will bear no outward trauma. And you can go on and on about the benefits, relative of course, of using tasers. So useful that they become routine. So routine that incidents like the recent one become inevitable and noticed by the accidents of celebrity or quirky interest.

Everyone talks about the tasering without talking about the taser. Everyone talks about the tasering and puts the constraints of the police a distant second in the information department. The interesting result is that BOTH the taser and in depth look at the police actions get short shrift. When done by Rove with evil, conscious manipulation we recognize the simplicity of the error. When people of good will play THEMSELVES, even Palast, we even dismiss the actual intent of the people pointing fingers and discussing. All this energetic ignorance is the murk which Rove clarifies, the ethnic strife of the political mind ready in its critical vulnerabilities to con men. That too is NOT what this particular issue is about, but is only an explanation why we are grinding gears, dividing and mounting slippery high horses.

People have tried to get to the issue but the problem is not from people coolly getting at the truth and implications of the actual incident but the ideologues, good-willed all, missing the physical point and letting the bad stuff play off against all our flaws.

It must always happen too, but among DU members as opposed to Rove, openness and awareness, not secrecy and sham, is all.

[cui bono]

71. Wow. So now an internet test trumps actual words someone posts.

Sheesh.

Talk about lack of nuance.

[smalll]

72. I dont' know about you in particular renie, but I wonder about some people here at DU -

If you think people should have to carry ID on them at all times...
If you think people SHOULD be "forced to go to the doctor"...
If you think it's appropriate for citizen-customers to have to submit to corporate searches without any probable cause except for being a customer of that corporation...
If you think people should be tased for
- carrying your own baby daughter out of the hospital
- going bonkers - IN A WHEELCHAIR
- just being really really annoying

You Just Might Be -
An Authoritarian!

[renie408]

77. No, no, no, define corporate searches, no, no no...so maybe not. n/t

[Evergreen Emerald]

74. I am with Nelson Mandella

good company!

[cgrindley]

75. Quite left wing, ever so slightly libertarian

Economic Left/Right: -7.25
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -2.36

Pretty much a garden variety socialist judging from the site.