Forum poll: which do you tend to lean toward?

[Quid est Veritas?]

I have always considered myself to be on the Right of the spectrum. Not hard right, but moderately so. For instance, in the previous US election, my preferred candidates were Jeb Bush and Lindsey Graham on the Republican side. I would have been okay with O'malley on the Democrats side too. Not being American, that was of course merely an intellectual exercise.
I saw this Political Compass site and thought I'd see how far Right I am according to it.

To my shocked amazement, I came out slightly Left! Not just left, but slightly leaning Libertarian! I don't know if I just lack self-knowledge or if the test is a little too flawed.
I espouse banning voluntary Abortion, inappropriate contentography, and Marijuana in entirety; and support free markets; to give you an idea, so I was sure I would fall moderately Right and slightly authoritarian.

Perhaps it is time to dust off that old-label of neutrality, the Centrist.

 

[Paidiske]

I'm always reminded of that quote from Treebeard, that "I am not altogether on anyone's side, because nobody is altogether on my side."

That said, I'd tend to say left, because as I understand it, left-wing politics is in favour of trying to change the status quo for the better, where right-wing politics is in favour of maintaining the status quo. I think we can and should strive for positive change.

All of that said, the political compass put me here:

 

[AllButNone]

Accurate, but not accurate. I'd say I'm highly sympathetic to this point of view (freedom and equality), but practical considerations make this point of view unworkable in practice.

 

[AirPo]

Left moderate.

Moderate because I see most things as a spectrum, not black and white. So I tend to fall in the middle. Left, just because that's just who I am, it's where I belong, it's where I fit.

 

[Uncle Siggy]

not necessarily Party affiliation, but political bend

And maybe why.

You left out the most important choice "What's right for the country" cause neither party is currently for that...

 

[whatbogsends]

You left out the most important choice "What's right for the country" cause neither party is currently for that...

What's right for this country is abolishing the 2-party system and rooting out the rampant corruption on both sides of the establishment.

And no, our current president is not really anti-establishment nor rooting out corruption, despite the claims of he and his supporters.

 

[hislegacy]

You left out the most important choice "What's right for the country" cause neither party is currently for that...

Yup and on purpose too! That is why I said not party affiliation.

It is a very generic poll.

 

[Original Happy Camper]

And maybe why.

Right

Because Jesus (Right) threw the money changers (Lefties IMHO) out of the temple

 

[ViaCrucis]

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Belk]

 

[Belk]

You left out the most important choice "What's right for the country" cause neither party is currently for that...

A healthy balance with both sides working towards the common good.

 

[NightHawkeye]

not necessarily Party affiliation, but political bend

And maybe why.

I R contrarian.

I kinda like freedom, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

 

[cow451]

Right

Because Jesus (Right) threw the money changers (Lefties IMHO) out of the temple

The money changers were simply capitalists.

 

[NightHawkeye]

The money changers were simply capitalists.

Not exactly. The money changers were bankers.

 

[cow451]

Not exactly. The money changers were bankers.

We can debate whether bankers or capitalists, I see that point. But they weren’t liberals for sure.

 

[NightHawkeye]

We can debate whether bankers or capitalists, I see that point. But they weren’t liberals for sure.

Noting that many (most?) of the richest men in America are liberals.

 

[Uncle Siggy]

A healthy balance with both sides working towards the common good.

That's funny considering neither want that...

 

[Tigger45]

I was more associated right and authoritarian on the graph as an Evangelical from the U.S. than I am now since becoming a traditional Christian.

 

[cow451]

Noting that many (most?) of the richest men in America are liberals.

They ain’t bankers.

 

[Belk]

That's funny considering neither want that...

The parties? Maybe not. Certainly not the radical fringes. I still see that as the best for the country. You?