I feel like the Nexus is generally full of mature enough folks that we can collect some demographic data without it turning into a flame war. I'm expecting a rough split between Libertarians on one side and Leftists on the other.

I would say that, if you're having trouble deciding between something like Libertarianism and anarchism, for the purposes of this discusssion, the central question is one of private property (Libertarians believe in it, anarchists don't. AnCaps are their own thing, and I grouped them with libertarians).

For full transparency I'm an anarchist

Blessings
~ND

Mutable Libertarian, with collectivist tendencies.

I voted Republican, because my policy is discordianism.

I think it goes without saying how I feel LOL

Who gives a crap about politics? ... Live your life...Not theirs!

I'm 26.. And politics are not a serious matter to me. I don't watch tv, and because of that what meandering routes,of,interest in the outside world I make have next to nothing in common with what is considered news.. By Hollywood.

As far as private property.. Well, I've read Erich fromms translation of Marx. Took a peak at Marxs capital, and decided, after also reading his biography, that it wasn't worth my time finishing capital. I'd already acquainted myself with his core views. Which I liked. I like the things Marx said, a lot of it anyhow. But I don't think that necessarily makes me a Marxist, or a communist or libertarian or anything at all. What might work for some people will certainly not for everybody. So yes there is 'politics' but I have yet to see my truest views expressed in any public medium whatsoever, much less on American tellivision.

I think private property is valid. And private land also, but under conditions stipulated by the state as we effectively have right now. Could those laws be tinkered with, improved upon? I think yes.

Politics and politicians set their own agendas. Not yours. Your agenda is much greater.

Hail Eris!

If you can read this, then you are a Pope!

This kind of mentality bugs me. It's great if your life is stable and well-put together enough that the various shifts in political climate don't really effect you, but if you're part of a more vulnerable class, these questions can be very impactful.

If you're a white guy, it may not matter much to you if we elect a tough-on-crime politician, because you're unlikely to get profiled and killed by the police. If you're a black, trans, woman, which political views are in power can actually have a big impact on your safety (although both established parties are pretty bad on that front). A conservative, tough-on-crime, traditionalist mentality means that your odds of being the victim of police brutality go up exponentially.

I'd love to be able to live my life, and I want everyone to be able to do so, but as long as we live under the power of a coercive state, that state can impact many lives, and, imho, you have a moral responsibility to be engaged on the issues, especially if you have enough privilege that you otherwise wouldn't need to.

Blessings
~ND

I dont know a whole lot about politics but i would say that i am a socialist. There is no point in argueing over these things (although i do enjoy a good argument). it wont solve anything. We all dance to our own tunes.

No options for Reptillian or Insectoidist

I put socialist... I vote democrat to keep republicans out even though where I live there is no real point, we always go democrat.

Anarchy has always appealed to me, but on a large scale/in a modern world I'm not sure how it would work. Maybe one of our anarchists could share their vision?

I share the same mentality as cyb. But I see your point. In our current world, politics is a huge driving factor in the function of a society. This is really unfortunate, not because of politics, but because of politicians. The whole idea of a political system makes sense, as long as there are accurate representatives from each facet of society. Normally, these representatives are based on state or locality (a geographical quality). And these representatives are elected by the populace. If memory serves me correct, one does not need an overwhelming majority of votes to be elected, only passing the 50% mark. So what about the other portion of people? Are they not equally represented? Of course, one may say that a politician will make a decision for the good of all the people. Looking at the state of affairs in plenty of countries, this doesn't seem to be the case.


I'm apathetic about politics. I don't vote (in Australia, it's compulsory to vote). I don't follow the news, or anything in the media. If everyone shared my views, it would be pretty dangerous to society, since it would just collapse. As attractive as that may seem to me, it would be catastrophic.

I also have really conflicting views about societies in general. Part of me wants to live in the wild, totally independent, where other people live in small tribal villages (no electricity or anything modern). The other part of me wants a fully functioning, totally peaceful super-country. In the former, wisdom reigns supreme. The latter, knowledge.

"but as long as we live under the power of a coercive state, that state can impact many lives, and, imho, you have a moral responsibility to be engaged on the issues, especially if you have enough privilege that you otherwise wouldn't need to. "

I fully understand this, but I think the current political system is really flawed. When it gets better, I'll take an active interest. Otherwise, I'll focus on other aspects of life like love, compassion, empathy and altruism (which, incidentally, is what I think will heal politics).

EDIT: I'm also not a white guy. I'm a brown guy, with long hair and a beard that makes me look like a sadhu. I've never felt uncomfortable around the police, even though I have been profiled (but that's cause they suspect I have ganja. An astute observation on their part). Australia yo. No guns, no hostility, no worries.

This is how I think of politics in a nutshell.


I'm also extremely apathetic about politics. I see it as a total farce, the so-called democratic system. The current political systems will always be inherently flawed because they're run by humans Power corrupts, time and time again. Greed, bribery, the shirking of moral decency for personal gain. I have never, and probably will never, trust any politician.

Living in Canada, we are having our Federal elections right now. The adversarial system expresses itself the greatest around these times. Blue vs. Red. It's no better than an organized sporting event. "We won!" when your favorite team wins the championship. You had no real part in the success of your "team" other than some illusory imagining of casting your vote which is essentially meaningless. What bothers me is people think they have an obligation to participate in the system, no matter how corrupt and disgusting it has become.

I choose not to participate and as you said Bodhisativa, if too many of us refused then the system could possibly collapse. But would society as a whole crumble? It's my opinion that it would not. And I think it's necessary for us to practice non-participation. The systems we uphold are absolutely corrupt. I feel they are past the point of no return. We have to tear them down completely, and then be very aware of what we replace them with. It has to be something which is not based on another mode of government, a completely new concept. I don't have those answers, but I think we as a species could find much better ways of governing.



I also go back and forth between wanting small, self-governing villages to dreaming about a super-society where there is no poverty, no violence, no greed, etc. Can we somehow integrate the two seemingly opposite modalities? That's what I ask of myself, and humanity as a whole, to dream big and never give up hope in achieving an idyllic society.

And when people spout off the old "if you don't vote you have no reason to complain" I either quote some George Carlin at them (which almost always pisses people off) or I might say something like this:

"No man has any natural authority over any other man. Legitimate authority can only be derived by express consent. A majority decision does not nullify the choice of the individual not to consent."

By participating in the system and voting for a leader, you are giving your consent to be ruled over. You enter into a master/servant relationship. Now you may say that this is unavoidable, but I disagree. You have the ability to break the chains and live your own life, as you want to live it. They may come for you and lock you up, ruin your life. But you still have the choice to act as you will, despite all their efforts to have you cowed into submission.

The system needs to change and we're the only ones who can change it. The best method to achieve that, at least as I see it, is to refuse to participate as much as possible.

what are my politics?

There is a whole world of cultural garbage to be dissected in the phrasing of that question.

I am not, and never will be just one of 2, or 3 or 4 things.

Politics, are stupid.

Where do they fit in in our world? Perhaps somewhere alongside monkeys throwing feces at each other. Both exist to meet a certain end, but nowhere is it written that the workings of the current cultural models are not based on stupid and idiotic principles perpetuated by those at the mercy of self delusion. It is what it is I guess, and for those who need it, it is needed.

Yup, people die for the right to vote. So what? No one ever really gets beyond that. People die for all kinds of things, but what can be said about the quintessence of the thing itself? What can be said of a man or woman on the other side of the world giving up life for the ideal of a democratic system that actually reflects upon the reality of the political system in say, Canada or America? People enjoy things simple, and to evoke emotion is an extremely old evolutionary tactic...but what does any of this have to do with ME?

Remember, monkeys, throwing shit.

I sympathize, Nat, I really do...
But, as a grown, human, mammal you have the right, and the means, to pick yourself up, get on a plane (or whatever) and locate yourself anywhere on this planet. Preferably a place that doesn't do all those things that you disagree with.
Parts of the U.S (no, I don't live there) appear (to me) to be severely messed up and if I felt as much danger/fear/worry ... I would wander off and plonk myself down in a nicer environment.
It's a great, big, beautiful world out there dude.

(Poll Choices: None of the Above...or...All of Them...makes no difference!)


Perhaps you should re-title the thread 'What are your politics? (If you live in (x) state in the U.S.)

I'm also indifferent towards politics. Attaching your ego to a belief system can be a huge waste of personal power and energy (depending on your level of attachment). I try to only invest myself into the only reality that I know, which is my perception, in whatever reality I find my Self in.



No offense intended, but this seems like borderline victim-mentality.

I live under no one's power. I may not have control over what life throws at me, but I can control my responses to it and am fully responsible for those actions.

Besides, politics seems so petty after my experiences with total ego-loss and non-duality, lucid dreaming, entheogens, psychic/psi phenomenon, synchronicity, and other unbelievable, awesome, and terrifying things.

Metanoia, as much as i love George Carlin, i disagree with him on that quote that you posted. If you vote for someone and they go back on promises that have been made in order to procure your vote, you have every right to complain. I think that by not participating you are just letting things carry on as they are.



Those words appear to me to be written by a reactionary that has had the luxury to grow up in a comparatively privelidged society.

I understand that people cannot be bothered to vote. But all i can see is that if the people that are disollusioned with their political systems dont vote they are just helping to maintain the status quo.

I also get the argument that democracy is an illusion but take the current situation in the UK. Jeremy Corbyn decided to run in the Labour leadership elections. Due to his "radical" ideas on policy his own party were against him, the press were against him, even those that were for him thought "no way he wont get in". The Labour party had a massive influx of new members and he was voted in. This result renewed my faith in democracy. Democracy can help to illustrate how the masses feel. whether he will ever become prime minister is another hurdle i guess and even if he does get in it will be an even bigger hurdle. No one can pull a rabbit out of their arse in their first 4 years of tenure.



We are all involved in politics in one way or another, whether we like it or not, and i dont really have a problem with being a monkey and having shit thrown at me.

All Hail Discordia!




Funny anarchist picture I found on Wikipedia (I had to look up Anarchism, because of the arbitrary use of the term):



Why call it tourist season, if we can't shoot them?

Im a human being, and I believe we need to invent new ways to organize ourselves using the help of decentralized technologies and education. Screw "isms" and outdated models.

I don't believe in voting the way it is established because:

1- I have no choice of representing myself or choosing other people that are not part of the political parties, I can only choose a selected few that for some arbitrary reason or other are chosen as 'official candidates' (this made sense when people political representatives went on horses to meet each other far away but not now when internet is here)

2- No control over promisses that werent fulfilled. What sense is it that we vote on politicians based on their promisses and yet there is no control afterwards? I may sign online petitions and protest and post on social media but that hasnt gotten my demands anywhere near being even considered by those.

3- No direct participation on decisions, no online polls that are officially listened to to check whether we are still agreeing with decisions, etc

4- The law isnt equal for all, politicians have all sorts of legal protections (and monetary incentives) which I dont believe in, and therefore voting on them is chosing that person to have those protections and incentives.

etc..

I think a lot of people are mistaken when they think people who don't vote aren't 'engaged'. There are millions of ways of engaging socially/politcally and IMO voting is one of the least significant ones.