No wonder you guys (Americans) are at each other's throats

[wclem]

You know I just realized something. To everyone from any other country around the world. DO NOT and I repeat DO NOT let our media influence your view of this country. We live in much the same way and are the same as most everyone around the world. We have rich and poor, smart and not so smart, laborers and managers. We are all the same everywhere.

[Jmustang1968]

Also depends on what they study. It seems the more liberal leaning move on to being professors and these academia type roles. Many of those who enter the workforce, and especially the engineering and tech fields, tend to lean more conservative. I know we have discussed this before.

Could that be because, in studying tech and engineering, there is less time spent studying the human condition, politics, philosophy, history, economics, etc.? I agree that you can track education -> careers and political leanings, but I still think it boils down to if you spend any time studying and seriously thinking about the kinds of things politics concerns itself with that you are going to end up developing a more liberal/progressive world view...and that has less to do with "who's teaching?" than it does with what a good education about these things (e.g. learning methods, theories, etc.)will itself instill upon a student as a matter of process.

This statement is a bit pretentious.

I see the liberal leaning to base itself more in ideals instead of realities. Yeah, it would be great for us all to live in some utopia everyone is happy etc... without really taking in the human element and effect.

I think the tech and engineering fields have people who have a view or way of thinking that is different.

And then, there is the religion aspect that throws a further kink in things.

[pepharytheworm]

I see the liberal leaning to base itself more in ideals instead of realities.

Isn't that the same stance conservatives take?

[ZeroAX]

And now this thread is about holding doors open.

Good job, ZeroAX. Or should I say...jvalentine98?!?!?!

. I wish I was jvalentine98. That would mean I'd have instant access to a plethora of recreational drugs.

And now this thread is about holding doors open.

It actually annoys me that many women don't hold the heavy and wind-pushed doors of the subway for the person that goes right behind. And even if you hold it, it's likely they decide to pass through it directly instead of holding it as they pass which is very rude and inevitable causes the next person in line to do a double take as the door flies back in their direction.

There, I said it.

I've been to your city Spanish man and you deserve this pain for having the most stupid metro entrance gates in all of Europe.

You know I just realized something. To everyone from any other country around the world. DO NOT and I repeat DO NOT let our media influence your view of this country. We live in much the same way and are the same as most everyone around the world. We have rich and poor, smart and not so smart, laborers and managers. We are all the same everywhere.

Don't worry, we stopped taking you guys seriously when you voted for George W Bush Jr.......Twice. (jk)

[Forlorn Drifter]

I had a professor in high school who would say "I used to be a Republican, then I went to college and got an education."

I've met a couple of professors that say something similar, but I've also met professors who say "If you aren't liberal by 21, you have no heart. If you aren't conservative by 45, you have no brain."

Just a quick question- on things that say "some college" as education level, is undergraduate considered "some college"? I'm curious on that, I haven't really gotten a good fix on that, as I always thought "some college" meant that they attended but did not get any degree. Might've helped on some forms if it is the other way around.

I think JMustang has a point with the view that liberalism tends more towards ideas, and would like to add that I see conservatism as more towards using what is already known. Examples would be liberal leaning fields having to do with the possibilities of science, what can be learned from literature of various cultures, what psychology can teach us about ourselves and the way we interact. Conservative leaning fields lean towards applying ideas we already know in construction, mechanics, agriculture, and the like to increase efficiency or flat out make it work.

I think something my Dad once said would apply here. "A scientist(chemist, in this case) will tell you how to make the gas in an engine efficient, well burning, and cleanly running in the engine. An oilman will tell you how to get oil out of the ground, and how to process it into gas. Everyone that ain't an oilman or scientist will wonder what the plan is, because cars haven't been invented yet." Essentially, liberal leaning fields will tell you the potential, conservative fields tell you what you have and what you can currently do with it, and society tells you what is needed.

I'm not trying to say it always works this way, of course, but I'm just saying that's how I see it. I think it applies, in some aspects, to political theory. Liberalism tends to move towards what is ideal and perfect, with everyone sharing and doing their part. Conservatism is looking at how people act and are taught now, and decide that the Liberal ideas can't be applied because we aren't currently there, and in conservative view, might not be able to reach it with what we currently have.

(I don't really know where I stand politically overall, but I think its safe to say I lean more towards conservative, just an FYI if this seems biased in any way.)

[Ack]

I see the liberal leaning to base itself more in ideals instead of realities.

Isn't that the same stance conservatives take?

I would say it's the same stance both take on the other.

[MrPopo]

I see the liberal leaning to base itself more in ideals instead of realities.

Isn't that the same stance conservatives take?

I would say it's the same stance both take on the other.

You need to stop attempting to be a reasonable person, pick a side, and shout down the other side. Otherwise you're an insult to everything American politics is about.

[pepharytheworm]

I see the liberal leaning to base itself more in ideals instead of realities.

Isn't that the same stance conservatives take?

I would say it's the same stance both take on the other.

That was my point.

[dsheinem]

Also depends on what they study. It seems the more liberal leaning move on to being professors and these academia type roles. Many of those who enter the workforce, and especially the engineering and tech fields, tend to lean more conservative. I know we have discussed this before.

Could that be because, in studying tech and engineering, there is less time spent studying the human condition, politics, philosophy, history, economics, etc.? I agree that you can track education -> careers and political leanings, but I still think it boils down to if you spend any time studying and seriously thinking about the kinds of things politics concerns itself with that you are going to end up developing a more liberal/progressive world view...and that has less to do with "who's teaching?" than it does with what a good education about these things (e.g. learning methods, theories, etc.)will itself instill upon a student as a matter of process.

This statement is a bit pretentious.

I see the liberal leaning to base itself more in ideals instead of realities. Yeah, it would be great for us all to live in some utopia everyone is happy etc... without really taking in the human element and effect.

I think the tech and engineering fields have people who have a view or way of thinking that is different.

And then, there is the religion aspect that throws a further kink in things.

I don't see how your criticism proves my statement is "pretentious". My point is that, compared to those who are in the humanities, for example, people who study STEM fields generally aren't as academically invested in the study of those things that politics are concerned with. I think that, the more you study politics and the history, philosophy, etc. of human affairs the more likely you will break away from a "conservative" or "traditional" mindset, in large part because you learn a lot about how contextual and malleable various values, ideals, laws, etc. actually are.

[Jmustang1968]

Could that be because, in studying tech and engineering, there is less time spent studying the human condition, politics, philosophy, history, economics, etc.? I agree that you can track education -> careers and political leanings, but I still think it boils down to if you spend any time studying and seriously thinking about the kinds of things politics concerns itself with that you are going to end up developing a more liberal/progressive world view...and that has less to do with "who's teaching?" than it does with what a good education about these things (e.g. learning methods, theories, etc.)will itself instill upon a student as a matter of process.

This statement is a bit pretentious.

I see the liberal leaning to base itself more in ideals instead of realities. Yeah, it would be great for us all to live in some utopia everyone is happy etc... without really taking in the human element and effect.

I think the tech and engineering fields have people who have a view or way of thinking that is different.

And then, there is the religion aspect that throws a further kink in things.

I don't see how your criticism proves my statement is "pretentious". My point is that, compared to those who are in the humanities, for example, people who study STEM fields generally aren't as academically invested in the study of those things that politics are concerned with. I think that, the more you study politics and the history, philosophy, etc. of human affairs the more likely you will break away from a "conservative" or "traditional" mindset, in large part because you learn a lot about how contextual and malleable various values, ideals, laws, etc. actually are.

My statement and criticisms were mutually exclusive.

Or you could make the argument that those with a more liberal mindset are drawn to studying humanities and careers in academia.