What Extremist Views Do You Admit To Having?

[TragicMonkey]

Dissolution of political parties. Each individual politician should stand on their own views, and not band together and spend all their time fighting the other parties. When was the last time anything before Congress was decided on its own merit, rather than some sort of battle to gain or maintain party control of the system? The whole thing's gone adversarial, which is not to the benefit of the people.

 

[duggie]

Congratulations Luke. What a brilliant way get people to state their provocative opinions without having to fear being flamed. Congratulations participants for not yieding to that temptation.

My own eccentric belief (I live in Canada) is a strong support for the monarchy, which my friends consider an expensive anachronistic irrelevancy. I see it as a safeguard against tyranny, since in theory a dictator can not take over without the Queen's consent. (OK forget Fiji, look at Spain).

 

[Seismosaurus]

I think war is fun.

Intellectually I accept that it's a horrific thing, but on a purely emotional level I love a good war. I love the weapons, the footage of things getting blown up. And emotionally, I don't really care all that much about the people on either end of the explosives.

 

[Jas]

I guess some of my views might be seen as extreme by some, or at least contradictory:

1. Pro-death penalty, pro-choice, pro-euthanasia
2. Very "Albertan" - Anti Kyoto, Gun Control, and Wheat Board
3. Anti-"organic" foods
4. Very fiscally conservative
5. Pro-hunting

I'm also very capitalist, which a lot of people find odd when they meet me (purple hair & piercings apparently denote a tendency towards communism).

 

[toddjh]

Dissolution of political parties. Each individual politician should stand on their own views, and not band together and spend all their time fighting the other parties. When was the last time anything before Congress was decided on its own merit, rather than some sort of battle to gain or maintain party control of the system? The whole thing's gone adversarial, which is not to the benefit of the people.

I agree with you in spirit, but how would you propose to abolish political parties without severely curtailing freedom of association? Even if the candidates themselves declare no party, that doesn't mean voters can't.

My solution: more parties. I'd go with five: one for each corner of the social/fiscal liberal/conservative square, and one centrist. Each would be given equal time and an advertising budget. Campaign contributions of any kind would be absolutely forbidden. Yes, it's a restriction of freedom of speech, but only for a very few people who are, after all, volunteers.

Jeremy

 

[Freakshow]

I guess some of my views might be seen as extreme by some, or at least contradictory:

1. Pro-death penalty, pro-choice, pro-euthanasia
2. Very "Albertan" - Anti Kyoto, Gun Control, and Wheat Board
3. Anti-"organic" foods
4. Very fiscally conservative
5. Pro-hunting

I'm also very capitalist, which a lot of people find odd when they meet me (purple hair & piercings apparently denote a tendency towards communism).

You have all those views...PLUS you have purple hair and piercings? Ummm...what are you doing Saturday night?

 

[Fengirl]

I guess my biggest extreme position is that parents should receive no special treatment of any kind from the government. No tax breaks, no censorship of "adult" material, no nanny state. If you decide to have kids, it's entirely your responsibility and no one else's. Can't afford it? Don't do it. Ignore that warning, and it's your own damn fault.

Yeah...that's one of mine too. And every time I observe an example of woefully-inadequate parenting, I start wondering whether we couldn't devise some kind of "test" that people should be required to pass before being allowed to breed!!

I don't often say that out loud, though.

 

[toddjh]

I think war is fun.

That's a pretty brave thing to admit. I'm ashamed of it, but I have to agree. And not just war--any catastrophic event.

During 9/11, I felt damned excited. Of course I knew it was a tragedy, and I would've helped if there was something I could do, but at the same time I remember watching and thinking, somewhat oddly, "Finally, something is happening!" It was exhilarating.

I was also...well, inappropriately aroused for the rest of that day (and I've heard from several other people who report the same). It was extremely disappointing to me to discover that I had the machinery of a rape-and-pillage savage under my intellectual shell.

Jeremy

 

[toddjh]

Yeah...that's one of mine too. And every time I observe an example of woefully-inadequate parenting, I start wondering whether we couldn't devise some kind of "test" that people should be required to pass before being allowed to breed!!

I don't often say that out loud, though.

My big idea is this: some kind of permanent but easily reversible birth control procedure performed at birth or early childhood. I'm thinking some kind of magical, easily reversible vasectomy or tubal ligation. When the person turns 18, he or she can get the procedure reversed at any time, with no restrictions.

The technology for that doesn't exist, of course, but it would effectively eliminate unplanned pregnancies (and, thus, abortions, too). Of course there are people who did choose to have children and are still horrible parents, but I think my idea would solve a lot of the problems.

Jeremy

 

[Freakshow]

Yeah...that's one of mine too. And every time I observe an example of woefully-inadequate parenting, I start wondering whether we couldn't devise some kind of "test" that people should be required to pass before being allowed to breed!!

I don't often say that out loud, though.

I have to agree with that one. I wish there was some practical and humane way to require some display of responsibility from people before they can have kids.

 

[Darat]

Kids aren't the property of their parents, society has more rights over what happens to a kid then its parents. Which is slightly contradicted by the fact that most of the time I think if you want kids you pay for them.

And I’m willing to ask for a bit of abuse.

Can anyone think of views I’ve espoused here that they consider extreme (apart from the ones I’ve mentioned)?

 

[Cleon]

1. Anti-gun control.
2. Pro-choice, pro-assisted suicide
3. Anti-death penalty.
4. I think the State of Israel, as we know it, should disappear and be replaced with a democratic, secular state for all residents, with no special benefit or penalty based on religion or ethnicity.
5. Anti-war on drugs. This went from a poorly conceived idea to a poorly-executed, poorly-planned, and poorly-thought-through idea, to a giant money-sucking cluster$%^&. I like what Freakshow said about it.
6. Anti-speed-limit legislation. The problem is not how fast people drive, it's whether they're capable of safely controlling their vehicles at that speed.
7. I think that the animal-rights crowd are complete wack jobs. I love my rabbits dearly, but they should not get voting rights.
8. I support universal health care, and free public education through university.
9. I think any attempt by Washington or state governments to tax or regulate Internet sales or content is a bad idea.
10. What part of "shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion" is difficult to understand? Keep religion out of government.
11. Full rights for GLBTQ people. Including marriage.
12. Remove the embargo and travel ban to Cuba. What a stupid $%^&ing idea.
13. Bring the troops home. Now.
14. I support full amnesty for "illegal" immigrants.

And on a less-than-serious note:

15. MTV should be outlawed. It kills brain cells.
16. Ditto for "reality television." It's not reality if it's not a documentary, and sometimes not even then.
17. I think any producer of a musical "artist" or group that has been described as a "teen pop sensation" or "boy band" should be put up against the wall and shot without trial. (Some people may see this as a contradiction with #3. I see it more being in line with my support for public education.

 

[Darat]

On the kid's front (and it has nothing to do with the fact I've had my nephew and niece stay for a weekend - honest!), kids aren’t a right and no-one has the right to bring a child into the world knowingly they are going to suffer (e.g. disabled, abject poverty and so on) anyone doing so should be prosecuted for cruelty.

 

[toddjh]

3. Anti-death penalty.

Theoretically, or practically?

4. I think the State of Israel, as we know it, should disappear and be replaced with a democratic, secular state for all residents, with no special benefit or penalty based on religion or ethnicity.

I think a democratic, secular state in that region is not possible. If it's democratic, it won't stay secular for long, regardless of what any constitution might say.

10. What part of "shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion" is difficult to understand? Keep religion out of government.

No argument with the sentiment, but if you insist on a strict reading of the amendment, it says "Congress shall make no law repsecting the establishment of religion." If you want to be a literalist, it says nothing about the president, other executive departments, or state governments.

Clearly a strict reading alone is not sufficient to understand the intent of the words.

Jeremy

 

[Luke T.]

I think a democratic, secular state in that region is not possible. If it's democratic, it won't stay secular for long, regardless of what any constitution might say.

Let's not start toward the "you're a moron for believing that" road that I warned about at the beginning of this topic, okay? Please?

 

[Mycroft]

When not upset or condemning Bush for Iraq and how it has been mishandled and the wrong war in the wrong place...I secretly think, at times, that it might not be so bad an idea to invade and blow North Korea off the face of the earth, or possibly invade Zimbabwe in order to save it from itself.

Oooh, good one. I'd invade Sudan, that place makes me sick.

Oh yeah, I'm for socialized health care. The health care system we have now is nuts and free market rules don't apply. Between VA, medicaid, welfare, and medicare the bulk of it is already subsidised on the public dime anyway, we may as well go the rest of the way and get the working poor access to preventative medicine.

 

[toddjh]

Let's not start toward the "you're a moron for believing that" road that I warned about at the beginning of this topic, okay? Please?

Sorry, sorry.

In my defense, I was also commenting because I wanted to see if there's something I've missed. If there's a good idea I haven't thought of, I'd like to hear about it.

Jeremy

 

[Batman Jr.]

I believe that hedonism, is self-destuctive and self-defeating, and I find sad that it's becoming more and more common.

But isn't the avoidance of detriment to oneself in refraining from what you call "hedonism" in effect pursuing happiness and pleasure and thus hedonistic in and of itself? That's what I never got about attacks on hedonism. When someone says hedonism is destructive, they are trying to escape pain and be hedonistic.

I am an "ethical socialist" in the vein of George Bernard Shaw, H.G. Wells, Bertrand Russell and Albert Einstein. I hold the ideological belief that the market, by the primary rule which defines it, is immoral: It only recognizes a person's entitlement to the resources society as a whole has at its disposal so long as they are able to successfully sell their labor to others or get others to do their labor for them. This premise from which the market stems I construe as a manner of prejudice just as contemptible as one which manifests itself out of a person's skin color or nationality. It judges that the suffering—and, consequently, personhood—of an individual is mitigated and belittled, at best, by that individual's stagnancy, and, at worst, by others' simple unwillingness to find utility in the work of the individual. Even in the former case, stagnancy is something determined by the mental states governed by the immutable laws of physics and, as such, using it as a justification for mistreatment is comparable to neglecting those with more salient, pathological mental dysfunctions such as retardation.

In keeping with my principle that a person's actions should not diminish that person's right to the respect of others, I do not believe in purely punitive punishments for criminals. Criminals must be dealt with so as to lessen the chances of others from falling prey to their crimes, but a punishment should not go beyond what is required simply to maintain the safety of others.

I guess these are my main "strange" beliefs.

 

[Jas]

You have all those views...PLUS you have purple hair and piercings? Ummm...what are you doing Saturday night?

And don't forget, apparently I give it out to everyone. You can't lose!

(although, I will admit, that the haircolour changes a fair amount)

 

[Jas]

My big idea is this: some kind of permanent but easily reversible birth control procedure performed at birth or early childhood. I'm thinking some kind of magical, easily reversible vasectomy or tubal ligation. When the person turns 18, he or she can get the procedure reversed at any time, with no restrictions.

I've often thought this (shoudl have put it in my original post).

I think birth control should be mandatory for everyone under 25. There are several methods - the most effective and easily enforceable would probably be the Depo-Provera shot every three months. I would say Norplant, but apparently there have been some issues with them being removed.

Not that people under 25 make bad parents, but if you absolutely cannot wait until 25 - well, I can't vouch for your mental or emotional stability.

I also think that teen mothers should get free/subsidized childcare to help them finish school, if they decide to keep the kid, in the event that state-sponsored birth control should fail. If they drop out of school (beyond what would be considered 'mat leave'), then the kid goes to social services. If you can't be bothered to put in the effort to get an education, what's that teaching your child?