| SitePoint Sponsor |
False. (What?)
Next person is always losing their keys.
Off Topic:
I disagree, one man can make all the difference. Of course I'm not saying that's me, but you have to start somewhere. Being cynical and spiteful of politics helps no-one, even though it's very attractive to take that stance. And if you decide not to go into politics because it's corrupt, it's never going to change. That's why anyone going into politics should do so: because they genuinely want to help.
False -- I am highly organized.
Next person would love to smell fresh mountain air right now
Off Topic:
I just gave you my reasoning why I think this one person in this position of politics is not going to be able to change anything. As a single person you can have a great affect on a large population, but just not in this tainted political quagmire. Change only happens from the bottom up, not from the top down. That is a fact.
True.
Next person has never seen a glacier.
Off Topic:
That was a reply to php_daemon's post. I can't say I agree with change happening from the bottom up only. If being at the top of the food chain is useless, what's the point in having a hierarchy?
False -- I climbed the Rhine Glacier in Switzerland.
Next person just likes poking around in people's heads.
Off Topic:
Change does not happen in politics from the top down. Politics by its very definition means to compromise. To compromise a principle means betraying it. You just can not win any issue that way. And as I said above: one person can and does make a difference, but not in politics. Ideas are only developed by an individual, never by a collective, but great thinkers have influenced many people. When they do, a groundswell can happen and that is what I mean by change happens from the bottom up, not from the top down. Remember, we were talking about politics, not philosophy. But philosophy is what causes the groundswell to get the politicians into office that the ideas behind the groundswell demand.
False, don't know how
The next person is a community leader
Off Topic:
Raffles, you appeal to the "destroy me, others will come" standpoint. You will sacrifice yourself hoping someone will follow your way, and someone else will follow your followers. Making a cannon fodder of yourself and going straight to the top is not an option. If you have a power to influence people, stay close to them, don't lose contact with them. There is a lot of sense in what Datura is saying. Only growing up the new society from the very roots can make a difference. You gotta hit the reason, not the outcome in first place.
Saul
False. I used to be, I've become lazy. Mostly because I no longer enjoy what I'm doing.
Next person knows a millionaire.
Off Topic:
It seems to me like you've misunderstood what I meant when I said I'd sometimes "toyed with the idea of going into politics". I didn't mean I wanted to become the president of Peru within a fortnight. That would be naive and impossible. Of course in politics you have to start at the bottom and move up, particularly if you want to be as honest as possible. If I seriously wanted to get into politics I'd probably have to start somewhere in my local district council's government.
I certainly don't believe in martyrdom of the "destroy me, others will follow" brand. I think I also misunderstood what you mean: when you say "change does not happen in politics from the top down", what do you mean? Change in what? It seems quite clear to me that if you are a bigwig in government, you have more power to change things than someone at the bottom of the political hierarchy. Sure, a great thinker can influence many people, but these ideas aren't going to build the roads, stop the illegal logging or attract the foreign investors. The politicians will. And ideally, the masses have voted in the politicians with the ideas that are best for the country and who aren't arrogant enough to ignore the input from below.
True -- they are everywhere around here!
Next person feels left out
Off Topic:
Raffles, all politics is from the top down. If you start in a little community of 50 people, it is from top down. When you go into politics you go there in order to change things, that in your view need changing. You get yourself a constituency that agrees with you by finding out what these people think is important to them on the local level. Ok, you find a small majority of 27 out of the 50. Now you are going to push for this change, and might succeed, but you are forcing the other 23 people to accept this new ruling, even though they do not agree.
Now, since you are the guy holding the power over them, you make all 50 of them pay for this "improvement". You will tax them and burden all, even the opponents, with this cost. The opposing people are really miffed now. But you are a "good" politician, so you find what this smaller group of people would like to have changed. To appease them, you influence (lobby) higher ups on the ladder of political power in your district to give those people what they would like, thereby cementing yourself as the guy who gets things done, even though the last change you initiated was totally against your own convictions, you just wanted to make sure that all of them "like" you, so that you can go on to get more change started, which in your opinion needs to be done. You have compromised your principles in order to have a chance to achieve you objective. But maybe you are a guy with rubber band principles, then you are happy that you can please so many. And you think that will help a country?
To your next issue, what the government is there for: In my view … let's just say I disagree on what your view is about what a government should do.
False
Next person loves oranges.
False, I don't like the smell of most fruits.
Next person has been to the Middle East.
Off Topic:
Well, that's how democracy works. It appears to be the best compromise (at least in terms of popularity) our species seems to have come up with. It's human nature to disagree, but we all have to compromise, otherwise we don't get anywhere.
Personally, if I were to get into politics I would have concrete ideas and stick to them. If I think other peoples' ideas are good, I'll implement them, if not, I won't. Doesn't matter who has the idea.
I know this isn't ideal, but I don't see what is better. Anarchy? Clearly you believe in not much governmental control. This would be fine if you could rely on people not to be selfish and mess things up for others. But that's a bit utopic and won't work, which is why I do believe governments need to impose limitations. Simply because people are stupid and selfish. Obviously whether these limitations are beneficial is another story.
False
Next person is picky
Off Topic:
Raffles, I do not share your assessment of people at large. I do not advocate Anarchy either. I am what you hate: A laissez-faire capitalist. Let us just agree to disagree here, this could turn into a rather political discussion that is against the rules here on this forum, as tempting as that might be to me, I will close here.
True.
Next person can play the guitar.
Off Topic:
I don't think it's very reasonable to tell me what I hate. I also don't think you or anyone can possibly make a conclusive judgment on where I stand politically from a few rhetorical and somewhat philosophical posts on an internet forum. Even I don't know for certain. Still, I also agree we should stop now.
False. I can't really play any instruments, though I played the trumpet and baritone in school, and fooled around on a harmonica for awhile.
The next person has had an off-topic sub-conversation in this very thread.
True.
Next person doesn't get enough sleep.
(yawn) True:
The next person rarely eats breakfast
There are three kinds of men:
The ones that learn by reading.
The few who learn by observation.
The rest of us have to pee on the electric fence.
True.
Next person likes cats and dogs.
False, just dogs. Though I do love roflcat.
Next person uses "shower gel" instead of a bar of soap.
OMG, funny!Originally Posted by Raffles
Thanks for sharing! Hehehe! And, since I am already here... is it cool if I continue the thread???
False. (OMG, shower gel?)
Next person likes the color pink.
False, generally.
Next person has been ice fishing.
Off Topic:
Shower gel is very popular in the UK - most people don't use soap. I don't see the point.
False.Sounds fun though!
Next person has brown hair.
Off Topic:
Lol, I was just kidding about the shower gel.
I use soap bars, but would gladly switch if I knew of a good shower gel -- pretty much anything that smells good is good with me.
True. Was almost white when I was a wee child.
Next person doesn't do their own housework.
False--
I'm out of college and STILL doing homework on SDLC *grr*
Next person has gotten a speeding ticket.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
, you understand
Bookmarks