Education & Politics

btownmeggy · Post by **btownmeggy** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 11:27 pm

In this thread, I'm interested in connections between political persuasions and post-secondary education.

How would you describe your political beliefs (in one or two words, i.e. Democrat, Labor, Conservative, Republican, left-wing, right-wing, whatevs!)?

Do you have a college/university degree? If you're comfortable saying, from what school? What was your major/course of study/specialization?

If you're not of that age, what college/university would you LIKE to go to, if any? What might you like to major/specialize in?

muy_thaiguy · Post by **muy_thaiguy** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 11:36 pm

Conservative Republican. Mainly, I want to get into Military History, or at least Ancient History. Right now though, just general history (mainly US and Wyoming history this year). So I'd say I'm pretty right-wing. Have not graduated yet, though I do plan on getting a Masters in either of the afore mentioned subjects.

Surprisingly though, my mother is a liberal Democrat and my grandmother (raised by both) is more of a moderate. So my views ARE entirely my own, though I did once consider myself a liberal, in Junior High that is.

Anyways, I tend to admire those like Teddy Roosevelt, Alexander the Great, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and others throughout history. Also, a few not as historic, but definitly admire, like Chris LeDoux.

bellaraphon · Post by **bellaraphon** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 11:53 pm

university should be free

Skittles! · Post by **Skittles!** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 11:53 pm

bellaraphon wrote:university should be free

It once was in Australia.. Oh the times of Gough Whitlam.

greenoaks · Post by **greenoaks** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 12:30 am

university should not be free. it should be user pays with scholarships and govt subsidies on certain subjects to increase their take up.

tenio · Post by **tenio** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 12:42 am

if college was free it would take away all the benefits of going to college ... that is one of the reasons why it is usually not possible to get a high paying job with only going to high school because everyone is required to go

btownmeggy · Post by **btownmeggy** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 12:48 am

Focus!

bellaraphon · Post by **bellaraphon** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 12:56 am

don't you think that if university was free, society would be much more educated and adabtable.

sorry btownmeggy

dinobot · Post by **dinobot** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 12:57 am

I'm more right leaning, because I hate fucking ultra communist liberals and their retarded ideals. Aside from hating hippies, I'm right leaning just because it seems to make more sense. The left is to idealistic and tends to overlook things in order to fulfill their retarded agendas (communism for example), if anything I would say that I am conservative only because I'm a realist.

I'm in high school right now, so my opinion isn't really worth anything.

Neutrino · Post by **Neutrino** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 1:01 am

A bit of everything, leaning left. The people who can describe their political allegience in a single word irritate me. Make up your own mind rather than accepting whatever the party decrees to you.

Planning to go to Australian National University, to study either astronomy or astrophysics, since that seems to be the only university in the entire country with a worthwhile observatory.

InkL0sed · Post by **InkL0sed** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 1:04 am

dinobot wrote:I'm more right leaning, because I hate fucking ultra communist liberals and their retarded ideals. Aside from hating hippies, I'm right leaning just because it seems to make more sense. The left is to idealistic and tends to overlook things in order to fulfill their retarded agendas (communism for example), if anything I would say that I am conservative only because I'm a realist.

I'm in high school right now, so my opinion isn't really worth anything.

What communists?

To answer the question, I am a "leftist," when you get down to it. I go to a certain well-known, specialized high school in my city. Some accuse it of being elitist, liberal (you know, the Starbucks coffee liberal stereotype). That's only a little unfair.

But my views come more from my parents than from school.

muy_thaiguy · Post by **muy_thaiguy** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 1:13 am

The people who can describe their political allegience in a single word irritate me. Make up your own mind rather than accepting whatever the party decrees to you.

Okay, ever think that people go with the party that most suits their ideals?

Neutrino · Post by **Neutrino** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 1:25 am

muy_thaiguy wrote:Okay, ever think that people go with the party that most suits their ideals?

I was actually speaking of the people who vote for the party's chosen candidate just "Because I'm X".

Anyway, yes, you do have a point. There are people whos beliefs match the party's perfectly. However, I would believe that these people form a small minority. There will always be differences between your personal view and that of the party.

btownmeggy · Post by **btownmeggy** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 1:47 am

Neutrino wrote: The people who can describe their political allegience in a single word irritate me. Make up your own mind rather than accepting whatever the party decrees to you.

You manage to do it ok, within 2 words at least... "leaning left".

It just requires some thought, honesty, and propensity towards conciseness.

InkL0sed · Post by **InkL0sed** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 1:51 am

btownmeggy wrote:
Neutrino wrote: The people who can describe their political allegience in a single word irritate me. Make up your own mind rather than accepting whatever the party decrees to you.
You manage to do it ok, within 2 words at least... "leaning left".

It just requires some thought, honesty, and propensity towards conciseness.

Of course, as the Political Compass site likes to point out (along with Wikipedia), political views are really multi-dimensional. The one dimensional spectrum most people refer to (ie. left vs right) is pretty simplistic.

btownmeggy · Post by **btownmeggy** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 1:56 am

InkL0sed wrote:
btownmeggy wrote:
Neutrino wrote: The people who can describe their political allegience in a single word irritate me. Make up your own mind rather than accepting whatever the party decrees to you.
You manage to do it ok, within 2 words at least... "leaning left".

It just requires some thought, honesty, and propensity towards conciseness.
Of course, as the Political Compass site likes to point out (along with Wikipedia), political views are really multi-dimensional. The one dimensional spectrum most people refer to (ie. left vs right) is pretty simplistic.

This doesn't negate my stipulation:

btownmeggy wrote:It just requires some thought, honesty, and propensity towards conciseness.

Refer to yourself as right-authoritarian or left-libertarian. That's still two words (or one hyphenated!).

InkL0sed · Post by **InkL0sed** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 2:30 am

btownmeggy wrote:
InkL0sed wrote:
btownmeggy wrote:
Neutrino wrote: The people who can describe their political allegience in a single word irritate me. Make up your own mind rather than accepting whatever the party decrees to you.
You manage to do it ok, within 2 words at least... "leaning left".

It just requires some thought, honesty, and propensity towards conciseness.
Of course, as the Political Compass site likes to point out (along with Wikipedia), political views are really multi-dimensional. The one dimensional spectrum most people refer to (ie. left vs right) is pretty simplistic.
This doesn't negate my stipulation:
btownmeggy wrote:It just requires some thought, honesty, and propensity towards conciseness.
Refer to yourself as right-authoritarian or left-libertarian. That's still two words (or one hyphenated!).

It's still many more syllables! Plus, then you have to choose the right combination of words to precisely describe the degree to which you are right-authoritarian/left-libertarian/etc

MR. Nate · Post by **MR. Nate** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 2:33 am

I have my masters in Christian Education from Michigan Theological Seminary.

I tend to be conservative, but I have an inherent mistrust for government. I'm not sure how well those work together.

InkL0sed · Post by **InkL0sed** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 2:34 am

MR. Nate wrote:I have my masters in Christian Education from Michigan Theological Seminary.

I tend to be conservative, but I have an inherent mistrust for government. I'm not sure how well those work together.

Bill Maher would tell you that the two are completely in bed together.

muy_thaiguy · Post by **muy_thaiguy** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 2:54 am

MR. Nate wrote:I have my masters in Christian Education from Michigan Theological Seminary.

I tend to be conservative, but I have an inherent mistrust for government. I'm not sure how well those work together.

Libertarian style of gov? or Anarchist?

got tonkaed · Post by **got tonkaed** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 4:10 am

ill have my bachelors in a few months from grand valley state in sociology. From there i have plans to get a few more advanced degrees, likely in the same discipline.

I think i tend to lean farther left than right, but i certainly have my moments dabbling back and forth.

Snorri1234 · Post by **Snorri1234** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 8:41 am

Graduated last year from grammar school. Currently in med school.

Also, I'm a little bit leftish.

Dekloren · Post by **Dekloren** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 9:16 am

America needs a Guy Fawkes.

ignotus · Post by **ignotus** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 11:45 am

Well my middle school was catholic and by that conservative.
My college was a bit lefty, but my next job will probably be on a different college that is a little bit leaning to the right.
I would describe myself as a liberal.

Neoteny · Post by **Neoteny** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 2:27 pm

I'm fairly close to the left line, but I know others who are closer. Finishing up a B.S. in biology at Columbus State with more stuff tacked on later, hopefully. My parents are both very conservative and very religious, so I used find it difficult to dissuade myself that I'm just being reactionary. I'm pretty sure I'm not now that I've thought through most of my opinions.