As a present-day Urban Libertarian, who grew up as a Rural Conversative (in name) with some Liberal tendencies (eg, I was a Libertarian all along, but didn't know it, because I didn't know the term), this seems fairly reasonable to me. More urban areas tend to attract people from lots of different places, and you get a blending of worldviews and ideas, which - from what I've seen - has a generally "liberalizing" effect (using "liberal" here in the "classical liberal" sense, not necessarily anything to do with modern day Democrats). So I find that urban areas tend to have more "modern liberal" / "democrat" types, AND more Libertarians, than more traditionally conservative / rural areas. I think you also see a lot of "small l" libertarians in more rural areas, who are very libertarian but maybe don't describe themselves that way for one reason or another.
If You Live Near Other People, You're Probably a Democrat.
31–40 of 84 posts
Re: If You Live Near Other People, You're Probably a Democrat.
#32Earlier quoted context omitted.
I think you are flipping conservatives and liberals. Liberals tend to rely on authority and hierarchies (the state, and similar authority figures), whereas conservatives tend to rely on communities and relationships (church, family, secular community orgs). Or am I misinterpreting something here?
Subject to debate, and everyone's gonna want to think that their "side" is the most enlightened... (end disclaimer) I think a lot of liberals see conservatives as authoritarian in that they support the police/military parts of government. Even your tea party libertarians tend to see the police/military as 'our people', culturally speaking and as a necessary part of the state philosophically speaking. Liberals tend to…
As a conservative I find it ridiculous when liberals talk of fascist police while pushing to limit civilian gun rights. We can make straw men all day.
Regardless of arguing against caricatures of the 'other' side. I think a majority of Americans could agree on a majority of issues. The problem is the gamesmanship of politics.
Re: If You Live Near Other People, You're Probably a Democrat.
#33I've recently become fascinated by the concept that one's political affiliation tends to sync up with one's dominant survival strategy. If you rely most on communities and relationships, you tend to be liberal; if you rely most on authority and hierarchies, you tend to be conservative; if you rely most on your own skills, you tend to be libertarian. http://www.meltingasphalt.com/the-ecology-of-personal-politi...
You tend to be libertarian if you think you rely on your own skills and you think what you do as an individual has no effect on the individuals around you.
There is the joke "A conservative is a liberal who has been mugged"
One could add: "A liberal is a conservative who just lost their health insurance"
or "A liberal is a libertarian whose neighbor just blocked their waterfront view"
Re: If You Live Near Other People, You're Probably a Democrat.
#34This is just a re-telling of a well known fact. Rural areas tend to be red and urban areas tend to be blue. Only this is retold with the connotation that republicans are somehow antisocial. I'd just like to point out that proximity is not equivalent to interaction. In my experience social interaction was higher in rural settings. In a small town you will know all your neighbors, and probably half the people at your l…
It may be that coming in contact with many people you don't know builds a different outlook than dealing mainly with people you do.
Re: If You Live Near Other People, You're Probably a Democrat.
#35I've recently become fascinated by the concept that one's political affiliation tends to sync up with one's dominant survival strategy. If you rely most on communities and relationships, you tend to be liberal; if you rely most on authority and hierarchies, you tend to be conservative; if you rely most on your own skills, you tend to be libertarian. http://www.meltingasphalt.com/the-ecology-of-personal-politi...
Consider applying the r/K Selection Theory to politics. Makes a disturbing amount of sense: http://www.anonymousconservative.com/blog/the-theory/rk-sele...
It lines up in some ways, not in others.
Liberals are known for their high fertility rate as well as their opposition to abortion to ensure the highest number of offspring.
Likewise the conservative obsession with childhood nutrition, education and welfare lines up well with their high-investment child-rearing instinct.
Sarcasm aside the infinite/scarce resource division seems like an interesting one to observe. See also the forager/farmer distinction[0].
[0] http://www.overcomingbias.com/2010/10/two-types-of-people.ht...
Re: If You Live Near Other People, You're Probably a Democrat.
#36Why don't we have laws that are based on population density? Why don't we have mathematical formulas written in to the law itself?
Re: If You Live Near Other People, You're Probably a Democrat.
#37I've never understood the staunch support of a political party to the extent that you label yourself one or the other. Is it really like that - people go out of their way to identify as a party member?
Is it not a hindrance in finding common ground and working together?
On this side of the pond, I find that people "support" a party, rather than consider themselves a member of one (even if they are).
Re: If You Live Near Other People, You're Probably a Democrat.
#38I've recently become fascinated by the concept that one's political affiliation tends to sync up with one's dominant survival strategy. If you rely most on communities and relationships, you tend to be liberal; if you rely most on authority and hierarchies, you tend to be conservative; if you rely most on your own skills, you tend to be libertarian. http://www.meltingasphalt.com/the-ecology-of-personal-politi...
I think you are flipping conservatives and liberals. Liberals tend to rely on authority and hierarchies (the state, and similar authority figures), whereas conservatives tend to rely on communities and relationships (church, family, secular community orgs). Or am I misinterpreting something here?
Conservative churches (let's be honest most churches tend to be conservative) and the traditional family tend to be hierarchical, which lends itself to an authoritarian mindset.
It's funny you describe liberals as relying on authority and hierarchies - I'm reminded of a quote from Will Rogers "I am not a member of any organized political party. I am a Democrat." Ask liberals about this, and you'll get a bunch of laughs and nods… they even pride themselves on not exactly have the same point of view as each other, much less "leadership".
Re: If You Live Near Other People, You're Probably a Democrat.
#39"If you live close to a large number of strangers, you're probably a Democrat."
"If you know many members of local government personally, you're probably a Republican."
Re: If You Live Near Other People, You're Probably a Democrat.
#40I've recently become fascinated by the concept that one's political affiliation tends to sync up with one's dominant survival strategy. If you rely most on communities and relationships, you tend to be liberal; if you rely most on authority and hierarchies, you tend to be conservative; if you rely most on your own skills, you tend to be libertarian. http://www.meltingasphalt.com/the-ecology-of-personal-politi...
I think you are flipping conservatives and liberals. Liberals tend to rely on authority and hierarchies (the state, and similar authority figures), whereas conservatives tend to rely on communities and relationships (church, family, secular community orgs). Or am I misinterpreting something here?
Conservatives tend to claim their ideology comes from an invisible, all-powerful deity. They claim that they are the true representatives of THE authority.
So, no.