Political Socialization

[TW501]

How did you come by your political beliefs? Factors such as family, media, geography, friends, teachers, race, ethnicity, religion, and gender play a role, as well as other factors, shape a person's unique beliefs. The main focus is usually on youth and adolescents, but political socialization never really ends. Share how you came upon your current belief system.

Personally, I gained my beliefs partially from my parents and partially from my own experiences and feelings. My parents are democrats, but generally didn't talk much about their political views. They were also methodists, but were pretty moderate and didn't directly impose their beliefs on me. Though they didn't directly give me their beliefs (I am currently an atheist and my political convictions are stronger and somewhat different than theirs) they set the groundwork for my personal values, such as how I should treat others, fairness, respect, etc., which probably influences my current views. Of particular note, my father was very interested in the environment and wildlife, which I picked up from him.

Also, I was rather introverted as a child, and didn't have a ton of friends. I was a thinker rather than a socializer. I liked reading books (both fiction and non-fiction) and believed strongly in academics. All of my beliefs came together and formed into what they are now when I was in fifth grade, during the 2000 election. It was during that time period that I really developed my current political beliefs. Overall, I'd say that a combination of family, personal experience, and academics are what shaped me into my current self.

Share your personal story on how you came upon your political beliefs.

[Fatstogey]

I guess id have to say a republican. However im very conservative as far as spending and socialist ways go.

However im very liberal with drugs and social views.

But at the end of the day i think everyone, including the republicans, have forgotten what a republican is supposed to be. GW was no republican.

I havent got my views from anyone. Just from myself. My parents are also republicans but we view some things differently.

[NAM1011]

Democrats today are actually the Republicans of yesterday.

I am a liberal democrat. I do not really believe in any political system though. We as a people hardly ever get what we truly want from the government. They withhold too much information from us, and only give us what they want us to know. How can we as a people make truly informed decisions that way? Idk, I have trust issues so you can possibly say this is where my political views come from. I have always been a person who tries to rationalize things, think logically, and try to think of things from both sides of the equation.

[Exrage]

I'm a republican. Folks were republicans too, but I think the deciding factor for all of us is the fact we're all prior military. Republicans tend to support big businesses and the military in terms of spending... so it was really the only logical choice even as dad retired from the Air Force and got into his own business as a Realtor. That and I don't agree with a lot of the veiws that people define as "liberal," which sucked as my last few years in highschool were in Washington State, which is VERY liberal (at least in Spokane X_x).

Coming from the military, I understand that yes the government withholds information because, frankly, we don't really need to know at the time. Doesn't mean we shouldn't have access to it later once the danger's past, but various reasons from national security to needlessly spreading panic are pretty good reasons NOT to tell someone something. I'm not an idiot though, I know every systems has it's flaws and cubby holes that those who abuse the system exploit for their own gains... but out of all the available options thus far I'm pretty confident that our way of running things is the best for such a vast multitude of cultures and backgrounds that we both represent and support. Enough so to fight and defend my country, my family, and my friends from all enemies foreign and domestic.

[Marrow Rivengristel]

I'm a political non-participant w/ a hodgepodge collection of views not representative of any political party or ideology. I came to be this way of my own accord.

[pumpkin13]

I have very radical and self defeating views on politics. I believe we should all just fuck democracy and go back to a Fuedal* structure. Personally I think Sparta had the best political set up. It had it's Two kings, and it's council, then it had a counterweight balance unit who were a bunch of elite old men who basically if the Council got too strong they would side with the kings and if the Kings got to strong they would side with the council and thus maintain balance.

But I just get pissed with how our Royal Family just seems to do nothing except meed foreign emisarries, and wave their wrists around in a frail fashion. I say make William King, screw parliament and let him do it all. We'd make major headway rather than just sitting around on our asses alking about shit all the time.

*Self defeatest because in such a scenario I wouldn't even have a vote.

[Belial]

I just look at shit and form conclusions I think are logical

Sometimes I'm right and sometimes I'm wrong

Nothing special

[Cursed]

I became a conservative after I found what a gay was, how disgusting those people were, and how the liberals support them.

[novae]

^Sounds like you haven't met one. They are perhaps one of the better people in the world I have ever met. And one happens to be a friend of my dad's and she is one of the coolest people I know.

Mostly I am an independent. Most of the online tests I had to take in government class said I was liberal in thinking, but I like being independent. Most of my values are based on my family, my friends, and my reading. I tend to be more open to other opinions and cultures unless someone is trying to force me to believe in a certain opinion (like some very strick religious peoples, the kind that will give said religion a bad name and reputation, and very very narrow minded people). I like to view things from many angles and I try to make some logical sense out of it. Part of the reason I want to go into Anthropology, I guess.

[porfavor]

What an interesting thread.

I think I'm a moderate Democrat. I'm definitely against arbitrary drilling, the war, gitmo (thank god its closed down), and other conservative Republican ideals. I'm an Obama fangirl and I think he really has the power and the right attitude to change our country.

I live in a very liberal town, so I guess I was influenced by that. But mostly I realized that after all the retarded things Bush did, after watching Republican national conventions and following major Republican/Democrat players, that I was completely in accordance with many Democrat ideals.

I am a Christian. I am pro-life. But I'm having serious doubts about Christianity bc of its stance on Gay rights. To say that homosexuals are not people, that they shouldn't have equal rights bc they're "unnatural" is extremely backwards and ignorant.

[lonelyfighterx]

I'm a person who have no interest in both sides... I guess I'm a neutral type.

As for my vote, it is based on which sides have previous good record in country development. No contribution, no vote. Contribute only during when the general election is around the corner, no vote. Talking but never do what they promises, no vote.

I think that's it.

[metalsoup111]

I'm a Libertarian. Fiscally conservative, but socially liberal.

I've lived my entire life in Arkansas, right in the middle of the "Bible Belt". My parents raised my brother and I to be diehard Southern Baptist Conversative Republicans, to which they would, eventually, fail miserably at with both of us. They are the types who've listened to Rush Limbaugh everyday for the past 15 years and demanded regular church attendance. My entire family is devoutly and hopelessly religious (Grandfather is a pastor, grandmother is a sunday school teacher and church secretary, mother is a sunday school teacher, dad runs the sound system) and that's all I had ever known.

Until I was about 13 or 14, I was exactly what they had molded me to be. It was around this time that I started to question the world around me and all the static viewpoints I'd been subjected to throughout my life, finding that there were so many differing views on what I'd been taught as absolutes. In my adolesence, I began to think for myself or, as some might put it, rebel against it all. By 16 I decided that Christianity and dogmatic republicanism were both ridiculous and by 17 I was an atheist and a libertarian. My brother is also an atheist and he, too, considers himself a libertarian as well, although, he's a little more conservative.

[Xel_MK]

Indeed, quite an interesting thread.

In my case it's pretty complicated since I basically have 2 conflicting worldviews- on one hand I'm a strong supporter of law and order at the same time being a conformist, on the other hand I am unable to simply accept the world as it is now and want to change it. Over the years of observing politics both here and in around the world I came to one conclusion, that I have yet to revoke - Democracy fails.
I know there'll never be a perfect system, I know that nobody has come up with anything better BUT whomever thought that giving the decisive power to everyone in a given country is the best choice to enforce around the world made a huge mistake. All I can see is one big mess- chaos veiled behind an illusion of law, order and peace (and frequently, most infuriatingly so- justice).
I am a strong supporter of an organized, structured and strict political system. Where the power would be concentrated in a small group of people, chosen based on their ability, knowledge and experience- NOT given out like free-cookies to any whelp who happens to be 18. The law would be strict and the continued enforcement of order and peace would be the priority. However, this doesn't mean the populace would be slaves. At the same time I believe that the free market and most liberties should be kept- just as freedom of speech, belief and such. The difference is that there would be no tolerance for any opposition that would put the system at risk (any form of communism, socialism, anarchy etc. would be unacceptable. Yes, this concept has been around before in the form of various authocratic states- yes, many have failed. Yes, this has many flaws and loopholes- but with time even those can be minimalized or circumvented.

So I find pumpkin13's views to be somewhat akin to mine. Good to know there's more of us out there. I only know 3-4 people who agree with me =P

However, seeing how neither me nor any of my friends (who share my views) can change the status quo we have no choice but to conform to ever have a chance of doing something. Hence we must agree to participate in the farce that is democracy. A farce, especially in states with a multi-party parlimentary system (Poland). Those of you who're from the US, trust me- to a citizen of poland the differences and conflicts between Republicans and Democrats in the US are trivial compared to the often vast contrasts between various political factions in poland.

As such my views can be summarized as Liberal Conservatist. In the economical sense I strictly believe in the free market and it being as independent from state-tampering and protectionism as possible. In terms of state- my ideal is a strong, state with strict laws. In ideological terms I'm quite extreme- I'm a known homophobe, of which I am proud, in addition I don't like many other liberal ideology of total freedom floating about. However, I'm definitely NOT a racist, nor am I religiously-biased (being catholic myself btw) + I don't fully agree with the Church in all matters either.

In short, compared to most in society- I'm at the very least a unique individuality at most a batshit crazy, fucked up (oxy)moron. =P