DarthMikey Posted October 12, 2015 Share Posted October 12, 2015 (edited) How about a quiz? Quizzes are always fun, right?! ...No? Wait, don't close the topic yet! The Political Compass is a pretty well-known test that basically examines your opinions on a variety of topics and then places you somewhere on a two-axis graph based on your positions. The two axes are left-to-right (assessing your economic opinions) and libertarian-to-authoritarian (assessing your social positions). Of course, it's not a perfect test, as political opinions are often complicated and involve a lot more than just these two factors, but it's better than the typical left-to-right labels that just throw everything into one big one-dimensional pot. Similar tests include the World's Smallest Political Quiz and the Nolan Chart, but I think this one is best since it's the most comprehensive that I've seen. The test is here (and also linked above :I) if you want to try it out and post your results, though it is a little lengthy. Here are my results. I'm suppose I'm just interested to see the variety of views that exist here on the forum. Edited October 12, 2015 by TheCosmicDude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soapbar Posted October 12, 2015 Share Posted October 12, 2015 I had planned to make this thread once upon a time but then I searched and realized it had been made like, 5 times before and failed every time But what the fuck, here's mine https://www.politicalcompass.org/yourpoliticalcompass?ec=0.88&soc=-1.08 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Topazd Posted October 12, 2015 Share Posted October 12, 2015 I'm not terribly fond of this test since it isn't exactly subtle wrt its bias and what position its designer is coming from. This test was floating around HHH a while back and I'd say its the better indicator of the two. I guess I'll post the results from both, it does show a thing or two of the former's nature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonretic Posted October 12, 2015 Share Posted October 12, 2015 Though politics is my least favorite thing in this world, I gave this test a chance. I don't find all the questions to be very helpful in deciding my results, here is mine. Although in a given circumstance, depending on the facts, my answer may always differ from how these "tests" indicate how I will behave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarthMikey Posted October 12, 2015 Author Share Posted October 12, 2015 (edited) I think the test itself is not that bad although there is an obvious bias towards the left from the creators (see their page on the 2012 U.S. election). I'll check out the one you posted. EDIT: Here are my results on the GoToQuiz link. It seems reliable although I also don't find it significantly different from the PC. I can add it to the OP if you'd like. Edited October 12, 2015 by TheCosmicDude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Topazd Posted October 12, 2015 Share Posted October 12, 2015 Ah, I see. I guess the test has moreso a tendency to distort the positions of people who identify as slightly to the right. Do as you'd like with the OP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carmine Sword Posted October 12, 2015 Share Posted October 12, 2015 (edited) It seems like this topic shows up every year. https://www.politicalcompass.org/yourpoliticalcompass?ec=-6.25&soc=-6.36 I'm even further left on both axes than I was last year. I have a pretty good idea of why that is. Edited October 12, 2015 by Carmine Sword Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blah the Prussian Posted October 12, 2015 Share Posted October 12, 2015 The political compass is, quite simply, a bad way of measuring ideology. What is left and what is right? The problem with it is that it puts individual ideas on the left or right, implying that different ideas go hand in hand. For example, I am a monarchist, which is typically on the right. However, I also support gay rights, gun control, and abortion rights, all of which are on the left. This sort of makes the political test explode. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClevelandSteve Posted October 12, 2015 Share Posted October 12, 2015 Yeah, just gotta say that the Political Compass isn't very good. It's pretty much impossible to really have an online test that takes someone's views and is nuanced enough to place them somewhere on a spectrum because of them. Also, the results are skewed HEAVILY to the left in the Political Compass, which, even as a left-wing person myself, indicates that it can't be a reliable judge of someone's views. Regardless, I took the test anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Topazd Posted October 12, 2015 Share Posted October 12, 2015 The political compass is, quite simply, a bad way of measuring ideology. What is left and what is right? The problem with it is that it puts individual ideas on the left or right, implying that different ideas go hand in hand. For example, I am a monarchist, which is typically on the right. However, I also support gay rights, gun control, and abortion rights, all of which are on the left. This sort of makes the political test explode. While certainly not comprehensive or great by other measures either, this test does at least intend to give one's left-right alignment based on economic stances alone. Though the issues you brought up could very well still be a thing with the libertarian-authoritarian axis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarthMikey Posted October 12, 2015 Author Share Posted October 12, 2015 Yes, gay rights, abortion rights, and gun control would all be considered social issues under the quiz's system and so are not really left or right so to speak. Though now that I think about it, I'm not sure where gun control stacks up in there... (The former two would definitely be social-libertarian domain, but I suppose gun control could be considered social-authoritarian.) I will definitely concede that the quiz is flawed, but I think it's at the very least a decent approximation of one's positions. I doubt there's any simple test out there that can fully approximate all the different nuances of people's political thinking, but you can get a fuzzy picture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Garon Posted October 13, 2015 Share Posted October 13, 2015 https://www.politicalcompass.org/analysis2?ec=-3.75&soc=-0.51 I'm a left libertarian. I wouldn't put much weight in these quizzes, though. I didn't vote for Obama, and I don't think I'll vote for Hillary Clinton. I'm actually a member of the Green Party. I don't think complex political opinions can be shown on a graph with only two axes. [spoiler=Want a Joke?]Donald Trump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapier Posted October 13, 2015 Share Posted October 13, 2015 (edited) The political compass is, quite simply, a bad way of measuring ideology. What is left and what is right? The problem with it is that it puts individual ideas on the left or right, implying that different ideas go hand in hand. For example, I am a monarchist, which is typically on the right. However, I also support gay rights, gun control, and abortion rights, all of which are on the left. This sort of makes the political test explode. To add more fuel to the fire, there are right-wing liberals who support gay rights, gun control and abortion rights (although the latter ones are mixed, because some of them value life above all else, followed by freedom and responsibility). So it is really hard to separate what is left-wing and what is right-wing. The topic I made about it was a failed attempt to see if others had the answer, but it seems all answers are flawed generalizations (which is common when you try to simplify the political spectrum down to what was going on during the French Revolution). I'm a political wreck because I'm too lazy to read and get into the real politiks like so called pros of Facebook and tumblr, but here goes nothing. This is mostly what I came to agree with by using (questionable) logic, and I'm willing to see how well they apply by mental sparring, which is the best part of all. https://www.politicalcompass.org/chart?ec=-1.0&soc=-4.05 Left-wing liberal, huh? Guess I am changing. For the best or for the worst. Edited October 13, 2015 by Rapier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NobodiePichu Posted October 13, 2015 Share Posted October 13, 2015 (edited) https://www.politicalcompass.org/yourpoliticalcompass?ec=-8.0&soc=-5.79 well. . .guess im a economic communist (im sorry libertarian) comrades! this test is way to easy to manipulate, im pretty sure i could get a perfect communist score if i tried. Edited October 13, 2015 by Aquamarinechu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blah the Prussian Posted October 13, 2015 Share Posted October 13, 2015 https://www.politicalcompass.org/yourpoliticalcompass?ec=-8.0&soc=-5.79 well. . .guess im a economic communist (im sorry libertarian) comrades! this test is way to easy to manipulate, im pretty sure i could get a perfect communist score if i tried. Actually, that ideology is Anarcho-Syndicalism, which basically has society being broken down into small collective communities. It was popular amongst left wing circles before WWI, but then it was beaten out by Bolshevism. Glorious comrade Aquamarinechu, lead your Anarcho-Syndicalist comrades to victory! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radiant head Posted October 13, 2015 Share Posted October 13, 2015 this test is so dumb. believing in civil rights doesn't mean i care about gun ownership or private property. i'm not a libertarian, but that doesn't mean I'm an "authoritarian," wtf. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blah the Prussian Posted October 13, 2015 Share Posted October 13, 2015 this test is so dumb. believing in civil rights doesn't mean i care about gun ownership or private property. i'm not a libertarian, but that doesn't mean I'm an "authoritarian," wtf. Authoritarianism does not equal dictatorship, to be fair. It means that the government should have more control. That doesn't mean you support dictatorship. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eclipse Posted October 13, 2015 Share Posted October 13, 2015 this test is so dumb. believing in civil rights doesn't mean i care about gun ownership or private property. i'm not a libertarian, but that doesn't mean I'm an "authoritarian," wtf. Dude, you can at least link your results, so we can facepalm alongside you. ;/ The political compass is, quite simply, a bad way of measuring ideology. What is left and what is right? The problem with it is that it puts individual ideas on the left or right, implying that different ideas go hand in hand. For example, I am a monarchist, which is typically on the right. However, I also support gay rights, gun control, and abortion rights, all of which are on the left. This sort of makes the political test explode. I made the test explode too. . .but the one Topazd linked (since there are several issues that I genuinely don't have a strong opinion on), because I really don't like OP's one. When in doubt, be confused. . .or maybe that's because I really, really want good universal healthcare. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junk Posted October 13, 2015 Share Posted October 13, 2015 well i took the test that topazd linked and didn't do a screenshot but got moderate left libeterian. can't remember exactly where the x was but it was slightly below eclipse's? i think. thought i'd be a bit farther to the left although admittedly there were one or two questions where i wasn't entirely sure they were asking about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blah the Prussian Posted October 13, 2015 Share Posted October 13, 2015 While certainly not comprehensive or great by other measures either, this test does at least intend to give one's left-right alignment based on economic stances alone. Though the issues you brought up could very well still be a thing with the libertarian-authoritarian axis. Sorry I didn't see this sooner. Why does the test ask you social questions if it intends to measure it by economic issues alone? Dude, you can at least link your results, so we can facepalm alongside you. ;/ I made the test explode too. . .but the one Topazd linked (since there are several issues that I genuinely don't have a strong opinion on), because I really don't like OP's one. When in doubt, be confused. . .or maybe that's because I really, really want good universal healthcare. If thats the case, then thew test is even worse, because it focuses on American issues alone. Wanting free healthcare would be moderate in Canada. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ansem Posted October 13, 2015 Share Posted October 13, 2015 https://www.politicalcompass.org/analysis2?ec=-3.75&soc=-0.51 I'm a left libertarian. I wouldn't put much weight in these quizzes, though. I didn't vote for Obama, and I don't think I'll vote for Hillary Clinton. I'm actually a member of the Green Party. I don't think complex political opinions can be shown on a graph with only two axes. [spoiler=Want a Joke?]Donald Trump yeah i got this too. i normally regard liberterian's as idiots so i was surprised to get this. i guess my answers on how the government should not restrict expression coupled with how i care more about fiscal policy more than i care about social issues got me this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Topazd Posted October 13, 2015 Share Posted October 13, 2015 Sorry I didn't see this sooner. Why does the test ask you social questions if it intends to measure it by economic issues alone? The test (allegedly, at least) has social issues count only towards the libertarian-authoritarian axis. It's very true that some of the questions are highly situational and dependent on where you live ('should military spending be decreased?' was one of them, iirc). But I think the worst problem arises when the other test pulls matters pertaining to secularism into the mix; I don't think it's an issue that'd fit well onto a chart of this kind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I.M. Gei Posted October 15, 2015 Share Posted October 15, 2015 (edited) yeah i got this too. i normally regard liberterian's as idiots so i was surprised to get this. i guess my answers on how the government should not restrict expression coupled with how i care more about fiscal policy more than i care about social issues got me this. yeah i guess this quiz defines libertarianism differently from movement libertarianism, which has its fair share of prominent figures who hate the civil rights act and wax nostalgic for jim crow and apartheid, praise david duke and advocate for the police to beat up homeless people, or hate lawrence v texas for infringing upon ~*states' rights*~ to throw gays in jail for bumming each other Edited October 15, 2015 by I.M. Gei Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Topazd Posted October 15, 2015 Share Posted October 15, 2015 Yeah, libertarian-authoritarian should ideally measure your viewpoint on what role a government should have in society. 'Libertarian' has seemingly come to possess some questionable connotations in the US, haha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I.M. Gei Posted October 15, 2015 Share Posted October 15, 2015 (edited) yeah over here, quite a few libertarians want ~the State~ (really, the federal government) out of the way so that state governments or private companies or local strongmen can treat minorities in an ass-backward manner with impunity. they know very well that government power can be used to intervene and protect and enforce a group's rights, and this is exactly what they object to. that lost causer from the confederate flag thread, who all but said he views the civil rights act not as a great achievement in our country's history in which the federal government secured and pledged to protect the rights of people like me from the abuses of segregationist good ol' boys, but instead as "big brother" bossing him around, is a good illustration of this Yeah, I would say Koch-funded Libertarians are pretty Authoritarian. oh they loom large in the kind of libertarian i'm talking about, but it's simplistic to reduce it all to their funding Edited October 16, 2015 by I.M. Gei Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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