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How Different Are You Here Than In Real Life On The Political Spectrum (1 Viewer)

How Different Are You Here Than In Real Life On The Political Spectrum

  • A Ton More LIberal Here

    Votes: 2 2.5%

  • A Lot More Liberal Here

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Somewhat More Liberal Here

    Votes: 5 6.2%

  • Same Here As In Real Life

    Votes: 66 81.5%

  • Somewhat More Conservative Here

    Votes: 6 7.4%

  • A Lot More Conservative Here

    Votes: 2 2.5%

  • A Ton More Conservative Here

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    81
Joe Bryant

Joe Bryant

Guide
Staff member
The Anonymous nature of the board is a fascinating thing to me.

It clearly has downsides with the itoughguy stuff.

But there are some positives as it allows people to be honest and share opinions that might not be popular in their real life.

Be it work, social, family or other situations, sometimes it's tough to be completely honest.

I wondered today how much that was a factor and in which way. So thought I'd ask. 

 
I voted the same.   I consider myself middle of the road politically and am willing to get behind a good idea, regardless of the source, and call something out for being absurd--regardless of the source.  And I don't consider myself different on a message board.

 
Joe Bryant said:
The Anonymous nature of the board is a fascinating thing to me.

It clearly has downsides with the itoughguy stuff.

But there are some positives as it allows people to be honest and share opinions that might not be popular in their real life.

Be it work, social, family or other situations, sometimes it's tough to be completely honest.

I wondered today how much that was a factor and in which way. So thought I'd ask. 
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I deal with many diverse people through work, then I have a circle of friends where we live, younger friends of my daughters. I never hear anyone talk about the stuff that is talked about in here in the PSF.   I can`t even remember the last time sometime even mentioned Trumps name at a function, or talked about immigration policy.  I honestly think here some guys think about that when they get up to pee at night.

I truly believe that many people here would never talk the same way they do here at social events...in fact a few of the regular posters have said they don`t.

 
I'm the same here as IRL and my friends tend to be blue state liberals who opposed Bush and Trump -- vehemently. I can only think of a few friends from my twenties that don't fit this paradigm.  

I have no idea what's wrong with me. Perhaps it's temperament or taste, but along the lines of the blue state/red state "Where would you live if the world was really divided" question, I'd probably wind up in a blue state much to everyone's surprise but my own and my family.  I will say, that along the lines of Da Guru, I try to specifically avoid any sort of voluntary political discussion with IRL friends. I've -- believe it or not, not through temperament of my own -- lost so many potential friends, mates, lovers, what have you that politics becomes not worth it in the end. I find that the more distance I spend from politics, the more fun and easier my daily life is. 

But no, when pressed, same here as IRL.  

 
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I’m in an area with a disproportionate amount of hardcore conservatives and I work in a professional capacity where it’s unwise to affirmatively assert my political views. So, I generally remain neutral in political discussions in real life more so than I do on here and, since Trump’s election has caused me to lean more liberal to the huge shift to the right of the party I used to more identify with, I answered moderately more liberal on here. 

 
Has nothing to do with anonymity for me.   I think the echo is loud enough in here that I can't help myself but to but try and balance it out.   I must be somewhat more conservative since I often get accused of it.

 
I’m actually less conservative than many of my posts.  Once the Trump mob inevitably comes down you end up on the defensive very quickly though. There isn’t much room for a pragmatist.

You don’t have a bunch of idiots bombing real life conversations so they generally end up being a lot more rewarding.  I have an older friend who is a socialist.  We can talk for days.  We both value what we take from each other though so it educates both of us.  The conversations are great.

 
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Da Guru said:
I deal with many diverse people through work, then I have a circle of friends where we live, younger friends of my daughters. I never hear anyone talk about the stuff that is talked about in here in the PSF.   I can`t even remember the last time sometime even mentioned Trumps name at a function, or talked about immigration policy.  I honestly think here some guys think about that when they get up to pee at night.

I truly believe that many people here would never talk the same way they do here at social events...in fact a few of the regular posters have said they don`t.
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If some people spoke like they do here at social events they would get their teeth knocked out.

 
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In real life...I don't talk all that much politically.

Part of that is the nature of this administration...though, we didn't all that much about politics in the past.  Odd too since I think the current climate has probably brought us more into agreement than before.

Example...have a friend that was probably always the more liberal friend.  Though, you wouldn't necessarily know it by his locale, guns, and so on.  But socially pretty liberal.  He and I used to discuss things more...but as things have changed (as Ive made known I think the GOP has abandoned much that was appealing to me in the past), I probably agree with him more than I used to.  This in the last 10 years or so.

I stay mostly out of politics except a few things I won't hold my tongue about with friends on social media.  Have a few that are like some here "Trump is the best or one of the best ever" and any fact brought up gets a "what about Hillary" or you are just a socialist liberal and so on.  Definitely talk more about politics here than anywhere.  Wife and I will talk some, but she really does not like politics at all.  She follows it very little unless I bring up topics.  Election time we do discuss things and I lead her to information on stuff if she wants or asks but we don't try and convince each other of anything.  She (from the way she had been raised) was mostly a republican voter.  Though she does get away from that from time to time depending on the people up for election.  I can probably count on one hand (maybe 2 hands now) how many democrats she has voted for.  And she held her nose and voted for Hillary because she could not support Trump.

With family...politics isn't discussed much.  My mother and father in law are very right win republicans.  While they support Trump much of it was just being always Republican and their distaste of Hillary.  But they have held on, though not quite as strong as some.  But they are straight ticket voters almost no matter what.  One sister in law is like that as well.  The other sister and her husband mostly were like that.  Definitely conservative...but have sort of moved back a bit with that with where the GOP has moved and definitely were not Trump supporters.  They were Rubio supporters...and Im pretty sure both voted for Evan McMullen.  Even with the conservative side to them.  Thats the Tennessee family.

My mom and step dad were mostly conservative though did lean some at times (in Wisconsin).  Dad (still talking step dad here) isn't a huge fan of Trump, but would likely still vote that way unless the economy completely tanks.He mostly just isn't a fan of any of them talking the way they do...or throwing politics where he doesn't want to see it (defnitely not a fan of any of the NFL kneeling).  But he also supports some more liberal social causes.

Dad and Step Mom...both more liberal.  While dad had a conservative side, he was also an artist and a strong supporter of public education and the arts.  Step Mom is a retired school teacher and quite liberal and a bit more vocal about political issues.  But still not a lot of conversations about things.  She has talked about being pretty mixed in her voting for some republicans but mostly votes democrat.

 
In real life, I am far more conservative than some people may have assumed.

Part of it is due to the fact that I spend all day working with and talking to a bunch of extreme right-wingers, and this board serves as a good outlet for whatever moderate opinions I may feel like discussing.

Part of it is due to the fact that when I want to make a post that aligns with one of my conservative viewpoints, it usually turns out that the same point has already been more eloquently stated by one of the more respected conservative posters on this board.

Part of it is due to the fact that so many conservatives on this board are aligned with the "own the libs" school of political thought, which just makes me embarrassed to be on the same side as them.

But, really, most of it is due to Trump and the fact that he is such an anathema to everything that I hold dear when it comes to conservatism and civility.

 
probably slightly more liberal here, only because I live in Texas and like having friends.

 
Ill actually do my first substantive post in over a half year for this:

Pretty much the exact same. 

Exccept in real life, most assume I am a Republican / lean or am conservative. Hell, most of my business associates actually are. On this board I’m lumped into the “lefty liberals” and “anti-Trump”  echo chamber.

In real life, though, I can honestly challenge, in a legitimate and meaningful manner, those who just espouse lies and/or push policies and support for people that I tell them reflect negatively on who and what they are as people. I can tell them, to their face, in an earnest discussion, that their words and deeds and support undercut their stated positions of caring about people, standing for what’s right and being a moral upstanding supporter of freedom and democracy. I can even tell them that while they may not be racist, they are sure as hell ok supporting one, and if they tell me the line about how it’s helping their 401k, I’ll bluntly retort how that reflects upon their (lack of) character. Sometimes we get into it. Often they are forced to honestly reflect. 

I am unable to conduct myself in that honest and transparent manner here, creating an environment where racism, hate and vitriol are unable to be called out as such. Where instead of providing an opportunity to have someone reflect and look into the mirror to recognize that perhaps they have strayed from a moral and decent approach,  I’m relegated to a former voice of that gosh darn echo chamber. 

 
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Koya said:
Ill actually do my first substantive post in over a half year for this:

Pretty much the exact same. 

Exccept in real life, most assume I am a Republican / lean or am conservative. Hell, most of my business associates actually are. On this board I’m lumped into the “lefty liberals” and “anti-Trump”  echo chamber.

In real life, though, I can honestly challenge, in a legitimate and meaningful manner, those who just espouse lies and/or push policies and support for people that I tell them reflect negatively on who and what they are as people. I can tell them, to their face, in an earnest discussion, that their words and deeds and support undercut their stated positions of caring about people, standing for what’s right and being a moral upstanding supporter of freedom and democracy. I can even tell them that while they may not be racist, they are sure as hell ok supporting one, and if they tell me the line about how it’s helping their 401k, I’ll bluntly retort how that reflects upon their (lack of) character. Sometimes we get into it. Often they are forced to honestly reflect. 

I am unable to conduct myself in that honest and transparent manner here, creating an environment where racism, hate and vitriol are unable to be called out as such. Where instead of providing an opportunity to have someone reflect and look into the mirror to recognize that perhaps they have strayed from a moral and decent approach,  I’m relegated to a former voice of that gosh darn echo chamber. 
Click to expand...
:goodposting:   You aren't alone brother....this is pretty much me.

 
My opinions are the same, I just voice them more here - as joffer said, some of us live in more conservative areas or have conservative relatives and you have to pick and choose discussions.  And as guru said, most of these topics don’t come up IRL - most people I know avoid political discussions.

 
Same - though I pick my battles as you can't call your neighbors <insert acceptable term for low intelligence, lack of critical thinking, and ignorance that won't get me banned> if you really want to remain good neighbors.

 
I'm pretty sure everyone in my social circle is sick of me bringing up the election of 1800 and how John Adams is our true American legend.

 
BassNBrew said:
So do you also go around in real life without an original thought of your own and just quote twitter?
Click to expand...
That was uncalled for. I post original thoughts all the time in this forum and the Shark Pool, but people tend to overlook that.

 
I’m the same IRL as here, with the caveat that I don’t initiate political discussion in social situations and avoid political discussion as much as possible.

About 2 years ago I was getting estimates for siding for house. One of the companies we sought an estimate from had put siding on our previous home and we were pretty happy with them. The owner/salesman turned out to be a Trumpy. He initiated a political conversation, assuming I’m sure that I was sympathetic with his views because of where I live. I was initially politely neutral/non committal but the garbage he was spewing was pissing me off so much that I began arguing with him. As it turned out, he was not only a Trumpy but a typical Trumpy. The guy was about 75 I’m guessing and he kind of lost it a bit, got all red in the face.  We decided to go with someone else.

I still can’t figure out how a businessman would think it a good idea to talk politics with a potential customer, at the very least before ascertaining whether you will have a sympathetic ear. I guess he gambled and lost on that one.

 
I probably come across on this board as a flaming lib, but I'm much closer to center left and grimace when I see or hear actual flaming libs in real life.   

 
Da Guru said:
I deal with many diverse people through work, then I have a circle of friends where we live, younger friends of my daughters. I never hear anyone talk about the stuff that is talked about in here in the PSF.   I can`t even remember the last time sometime even mentioned Trumps name at a function, or talked about immigration policy.  I honestly think here some guys think about that when they get up to pee at night.

I truly believe that many people here would never talk the same way they do here at social events...in fact a few of the regular posters have said they don`t.
Click to expand...
Agreed :lol:

jonessed said:
If some people spoke like they do here at social events they would get their teeth knocked out.
Click to expand...
:goodposting:

 
Ranethe said:
I’m the same IRL as here, with the caveat that I don’t initiate political discussion in social situations and avoid political discussion as much as possible.

About 2 years ago I was getting estimates for siding for house. One of the companies we sought an estimate from had put siding on our previous home and we were pretty happy with them. The owner/salesman turned out to be a Trumpy. He initiated a political conversation, assuming I’m sure that I was sympathetic with his views because of where I live. I was initially politely neutral/non committal but the garbage he was spewing was pissing me off so much that I began arguing with him. As it turned out, he was not only a Trumpy but a typical Trumpy. The guy was about 75 I’m guessing and he kind of lost it a bit, got all red in the face.  We decided to go with someone else.

I still can’t figure out how a businessman would think it a good idea to talk politics with a potential customer, at the very least before ascertaining whether you will have a sympathetic ear. I guess he gambled and lost on that one.
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Argh. #### like that drives me nuts. I grew up in the Northeast listening to punk and hip hop (which entailed a whole bunch of going to shows, hobnobbing, the whole social scene, etc.) and being immersed in New England culture. The stuff I heard and the political assumptions made about me -- by both sides -- would just make my jaw drop. People just assume. A lot. 

 
Joe Bryant said:
The Anonymous nature of the board is a fascinating thing to me.

It clearly has downsides with the itoughguy stuff.

But there are some positives as it allows people to be honest and share opinions that might not be popular in their real life.

Be it work, social, family or other situations, sometimes it's tough to be completely honest.

I wondered today how much that was a factor and in which way. So thought I'd ask. 
Click to expand...
Have you stopped to consider that people posting here are more likely to be under the influence than in their public life?  People don't feel empowered because they are anonymous, it's because they are buzzed.

True story

 
I’m no different in my beliefs at all but I am in my engagement with the Trump supporters in my life.  I basically avoid any Trump talk at all costs, it never ends well.  Here is pretty much the only place I engage in politics at all honestly.  

 
This is a great question Joe.......unfortunately looking at the results I think the answers are far from honest. No way the extreme left comments in here are said in real life. 

 
jonessed said:
I’m actually less conservative than many of my posts.  Once the Trump mob inevitably comes down you end up on the defensive very quickly though. There isn’t much room for a pragmatist.

You don’t have a bunch of idiots bombing real life conversations so they generally end up being a lot more rewarding.  I have an older friend who is a socialist.  We can talk for days.  We both value what we take from each other though so it educates both of us.  The conversations are great.
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:goodposting:

 
GoBirds said:
This is a great question Joe.......unfortunately looking at the results I think the answers are far from honest. No way the extreme left comments in here are said in real life. 
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What would be an example of an extreme left comment that is said in here but couldn't be said IRL?

 
Slightly more conservative here, mostly because any pragmatic, somewhat conservative statement here is jumped on by 14 rabid liberal posters circling for fresh meat.  I'm fairly moderate on most things.

 
On a serious note: 

putting aside the issue of liberal vs conservative, I think there is a greater amount of anti-establishment feeling here, from both sides, than you get in real life. I also believe that people here tend to argue less pragmatism and more idealism; in real life they would be more willing to compromise than they are here, and this is true on both sides as well. That is my impression. 

 
Political leanings: exactly the same IRL.

Political discussions: Never. I don't talk politics or religion, etc. for the most part IRL. 

I suspect that's what many are saying here.

 
Ramblin Wreck said:
There are several liberal posters here who have stated they won't say things to people in their life.  
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I’m probably one of them. It’s not that I express different views in real life, it’s that I don’t choose to discuss certain topics. 

Abortion for example. I have very strong feelings about a woman’s right to choose which I have expressed here without reservation. But in real life, some of my closest friends and family members are quite religious and believe abortion to be akin to murder of an unborn baby. I’m not going to change their minds on this subject. All I would do if I discussed it is create bad feeling. So why would I want to do that? I don’t. 

 
timschochet said:
I’m probably one of them. It’s not that I express different views in real life, it’s that I don’t choose to discuss certain topics. 

Abortion for example. I have very strong feelings about a woman’s right to choose which I have expressed here without reservation. But in real life, some of my closest friends and family members are quite religious and believe abortion to be akin to murder of an unborn baby. I’m not going to change their minds on this subject. All I would do if I discussed it is create bad feeling. So why would I want to do that? I don’t. 
Click to expand...
Well said Tim's Chochet. 

 
timschochet said:
I’m probably one of them. It’s not that I express different views in real life, it’s that I don’t choose to discuss certain topics. 

Abortion for example. I have very strong feelings about a woman’s right to choose which I have expressed here without reservation. But in real life, some of my closest friends and family members are quite religious and believe abortion to be akin to murder of an unborn baby. I’m not going to change their minds on this subject. All I would do if I discussed it is create bad feeling. So why would I want to do that? I don’t. 
Click to expand...
There are people here that feel the same way as your friends and family.  Why do you discuss it here then?

 
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