(no subject)
You are a
Social Liberal
(78% permissive)
and an...
Economic Liberal
(15% permissive)
You are best described as a:
Socialist
Link: The Politics Test on Ok Cupid
Well, I'm not very surprised. The label doesn't fit, but I guess that being an American who believes that pure capitalism is just as doomed as the communism of the former Soviet Union,*MUST* make me a socialist. I suppose I could console myself with the fact that it didn't say I would best be described as a pinko-commie-traitor.
I really don't see why believing in partially socialized medicine, concern for the environment, aid for the less fortunate, maintaining our infrastructure without three gazillion toll roads, partial funding for the arts and public funding for education would necessitate that I be a socialist. I believe that all of these things are possible WITHOUT eliminating the free market. I believe very strongly in small businesses; in innovation in business, the sciences, the arts and government;I even believe big business is necessary in many cases. Big business can act as a supplement, providing what smaller businesses can not. For instance, airlines are, by necessity, large organizations that require a certain amount of funding for research, development and maintainance. However, if I were truly in favor of socialism (or even that government regulations are the answer to all of our problems), I would not believe in repealing the Wright Amendment to allow Southwest to fly beyond the Texas border without stopping in an adjacent state. It's more likely that I would believe that there should be one government-run airline. But instead, I am for fair competition. The fact that Southwest came up with a business model that allows them to treat their employees fairly, offer customers reasonable airfare and make money doing it (all while being severely restricted by government regulation) is a testament to the kind of innovation I am talking about. In many cases, competition can take care of the problem. Diversity in the business world is vital to a successful economy.
Enterprise is not the enemy, necessarily. Greed, corruption and short-sightedness (whether that means lacking the ability to come up with long term strategies or whether that means being unable to see that there is more to life than your wallet, your family, your friends and yourself) are the enemy. And that enemy might lurk in local or national government, as well as in businesses and other organizations, large or small. McWorld is as much a product of government policy as it is business practices.
But maybe that's the problem. I expect the government to spend efficiently, to prioritize and to use innovation and imagination in their problem solving. I expect the government to be interested in the long term, far reaching consequences of their policies. I believe in possibilities. I believe that we can balance the interests of enterprise, government and people of all classes, races, religions, etc. What's more, I believe it's the government's job to balance these interests, to put their little brains to work instead of wasting time pandering to people who have invested more time into following reality TV and regurgitating propaganda (from political parties, from religious fascists, whatever) than cultivating their own limited intelligence. I'm hardly espousing Marxism or advocating the formation of The People's (Insert Whatever) Company. Will it ever be perfect? Hardly, but I guess I'm just idealistic enough to think that working towards that goal is something worth investing serious time, energy and thought in.
Now that I'm done mangling the English language (with no remorse, for once...I guess it's the time of day--Currently, I think that anyone who really wants to scrutinize grammar on a personal blog that is clearly devoted to stream of consciousness mind-spewage is in dire need of a good fuck), I'm gonna eat some food.