I Feel Like I'm Cherry-Picking

I would call you sane and rational rather than "cherry picking".

I actually feel the same way. However I've learned that I hate to identify with ideologies. I don't feel it leads to anything but more polarization. I'd rather just be the best version of myself that I can be. I try to always see things from different perspectives and have understanding and respect for others regardless of race/sexuality/etc.

The way that fundamentalists think "I hate you, because someone of your gender/race/sexuality/whatever hates me" is not only ignorant and bigoted but also the opposite of what they want to be generalized. And it isn't ever gonna lead to more understanding, respect or equality for anyone in society.

 

That isn't cherry picking at all.

You're learning different things about varying world-views and bringing them all together to form your own way of looking at the world around you.

There's nothing wrong with that. I wish more people would take the time to do so.

I'm an atheist myself and think sometimes they take it way too far. I don't really care for religion, but a few things that Jesus fellow said were pretty okay.

I'm fairly opposed to feminism, but there are certain aspects and thoughts that come from the movement and that surface level bit where they say "Genders being equal is awesome" I'm down for that. Can't say I agree once you really start exploring too much deeper because it becomes a weird mess of 30 different off branches 4 different waves and several subcategories and none of them agree on anything so yeah...=/

I don't really care much for conservatives myself, but I hold a less extreme and crazy version of their view on guns. I don't think that going British and ditching them all is a viable option in this country plus a lot of people do legitimately use them for hunting. I tend to be of the mind though that a "Saftey and handling" course should be required to get a license to carry as well as a psyche eval though.

I also agree with a lot of liberal ideas, but sometimes I think they take things too far. I'm really not a fan of the current Politically correct thing going on, for instance, as well as I don't really like the way that Obama is handled in either side of the aisle. On one side Obama is basically satan coming to ruin the world and on the other he's basically an infallible god incapable of doing wrong....meanwhile in reality he's another human being who's done some good things, some bad things, some amazing things, and some seriously f**k'd up stuff, ya know?

Anyways...

The point is that you're an individual not a label. Find the pieces that make up your whole and stick with those. Let the rest of the world worry about the rest.

 

If you really do want equality for everyone, why not become an egalitarian? Why just feminism? Feminism is really flawed in its ideologies and it's not really much of a movement anymore than it is an idea nowadays.

Okay, now that I got that off my chest, don't feel bad or anything for it. You agree with one aspect of it and not the other, that's fine. If you don't agree with one part of it, then don't follow it, it makes your life a bit easier. Just because you don't agree with it, it doesn't make you less loyal to a group, you just have your own viewpoint and opinions.

 

I don't know which pro-socialist black party your talking about, but in general I'd say your on the right road. Intersectional feminism is awesome, that's what I am. Anyone that says they aren't a feminist basically are saying they don't believe in equality. People are unwilling to believe that justice requires affirmative action and giving some more of a lending hand than others, because it is an unequal society treating people equally can lead to colourblindness, which is basically pretending that unequalness doesn't exist.

If anyone gets too extreme, like saying white people are all racist, don't listen to that, it doesn't mean the whole idea of systemic racism and racist and sexist microaggressions do not exist. I assume that is what they focus on.

 

Tbh I think it should be what everyone does, too many people blindly follow ideological principles. Critical thinking, and the ability to break things apart and find what resonates with you and what doesn't is surprisingly severely lacking. Blindly following ideological principles just sews divide within society, and has really stifled debate on most things. Since when you have reasoned out your own beliefs, you are able to back them up with reasoning and if new information comes in your able to reevaluate them. Which is completely different than someone who doesn't. When someone doesn't have their own reasoning and when their ideological belief is threatened it threatens their identity(worldview), and they respond emotionally trying to essentially protect themselves however that may manifest itself.

 

I'm all over the map. I'm a centrist libertarian:

Liberal views:

Anti-big business. Tired of bailouts, tax breaks and loopholes

Pro marriage equality and pro-expansion of Elliot Larsen

Anti-war/non-interventionist. Keep some military bases around the world, but I would close 20-30%. Do not authorize war unless directly attacked. Congress must declare an act of war.

Protectionist(although this one divides Dems): I don't support the TPP fast-track.

Civil rights: Tired of police shoots and abuse of minorities from authorities. Advocate for body cameras.

Support medical marijuana.

Disband gerrymandered districts.

Banks: End monopolies and prosecute bank executives. Reduce the interest rate for student loans.

Oil: Stop subsidizing big oil.

Demand labeling for all GMO's. Investigate Monsanto.

Keep Food stamp levels at what they are for the state federal level but ask that disability be shown or job efforts be made.

Never renew Patriot Act. Ban the NSA. Spying: get court orders to respond to possible terrorists with a waiting period.

Allow students to include financial aid debt as part of bankruptcy.

Conservative Views:

Fully audit the Fed.

Pro-life with the exception of rape or incest. Leave the issue to the states.

Encourage gun ownership but strictly enforce background checks for assault rifles.

End common core and limit the weight of standardized testing. Encourage vocational training.

Disband social security and privatize it to be a CD system or like a savings account.

Prosecute companies who hire undocumented aliens.

I support reforming Obamacare to a degree.

Disband the EPA and oppose carbon taxes.

Do not subsidize any green initiatives(see Solyndra).

Give tax breaks to the middle class and small business owners.

Stop running up the national debt and no free college.

 

I wouldn't call that cherry-picking. Everyone forms there own beliefs and opinions about things, and I doubt there are a whole lot of people who actually follow completely the "textbook" rules of their ideology.
For example, I'm a semi-religious-sometimes atheist Christian. I've heard a lot of different people talk about what they think about the religion.
Some people think you'll go to hell if you don't believe in God. Others find this absurd.
Some think of God as a person. Others think of God as an energy.
Some think being gay is a sin and others think it's not.

All those people are part of the same religion, but have different takes on it because their own experiences/upbringing have led them to lean in slightly different directions.

Also, if you think about it, behind most ideologies was a group of people or sometimes even one person who thought differently than everyone else and based on their beliefs and leadership, it became what it was.

 

I'm a cherry-picker, too. Nobody will quite claim me as part of their group/organization/circle, though they don't mind utilizing my services, because I tend to be too radical for the Left and too prioritized for the Right.

One of the reasons for that is, I don't totally subscribe to an absolute idea just because. The being a tad unpredictable and untamed annoys folks, but it is what it is. I've got no shame about that, and I shouldn't, so long as my goal isn't to destroy or hurt.

 

I understand completely what you're saying. Now I am a white, middle class female so it is impossible for me to comment on the experience of a black, low class male. However, the world out there is not as cut and dry as extremists on both ends would like everyone to think.

Using your example of the pro-black activists. It is utterly extreme and ridiculous to say that every white person is racist because of the society they were born into. Yes, as a white, middle class person I enjoy certain privileges based on that. However, being born into privilege is different from actively trying to harm someone else based on his/her/their race.

I think that holding different (but not contradictory) from the group you identify with actually makes you a more well rounded, logical person. Like I consider myself liberal, but I lean more onto the conservative side with guns. I don't believe in very strict gun laws. I do believe in thorough background checks for them. However, I feel as if illegal gun sales are more of an issue than fallacies in the legal gun trade. Next, I feel that guns are great for self defense. Do I believe that you can shoot someone as soon as they set foot on your property? No. Property is never more important than a human life. Ever. I think that gun safety training should be offered for free to A) remove the stigma surrounding guns and B) allow people to know what to do if they come across a weapon.

Finally, I'm a bit of prison reformist (I think that's the right term?). Anyways, I believe that our prisons are overcrowded because non-violent offenders are being locked up for stupid reasons. There's no reason why a little bit of pot should land someone in jail for years. No reason. However, if someone's a heroin dealer and they get busted with 2 kilos of the shit they should be in prison because they're heavily involved in the drug trade which usually means there is violence attached to what they do. Next, I would like (I don't know if it's possible) for prisons to offer job training. If we put people in prison but give them no way to adjust to life afterwards all they are going to do is re-offend. Job training combined with job search training will make a difference in many lives.

---------- Post added 23rd Jul 2015 at 11:46 PM ----------

Sorry for the double post, but I'm curious as to why you don't support free college? I've not really looked into it and as a student I would love free college, but I know that there are other views on it. I'm just curious, do you think it's a budget issue or like a personal responsibility issue?

 

Egalitarianism is the ideology that all are equal. Feminism is the ideology that women should have equality with men. It's basically impossible to be egalitarian without being some form of feminist.

---------- Post added 24th Jul 2015 at 01:32 AM ----------

I have to ask - why don't you support the EPA?

 

Feminism is the thought that women and men should be equal. I have yet to meet the elusive man-hating "feminist" — all of the feminists I've met, many of whom weren't even women, have been deeply concerned for men's issues as well. Again, fundamentalists often don't represent what a movement is about. Some feminists are also more conservative than others. (TERF)

I'm liberal, environmental and in support of animal rights, but I honestly don't know a lot about politics. I'm 100% for green energy, but I think nuclear is better than coal, despite disasters like Fukushima.

 

I am a "cherry-picker" too.

For example in politics, I lean far-left. That doesn't mean I have to call myself anything in particular. "Ecosocialist" would be the closest label to describe my beliefs in a socio-cultural context, but even so, it's not quite correct, so I usually call myself an independent with left leanings/sympathies.

With religion I'm an omnist and thus acknowledge the validity of all religious-philosophical thought, but I don't say that every Christian/Buddhist/Muslim/whatever thought that was ever hatched is objectively true - I take inspiration as I see fit from different religions, and more from some religions than others; Taoism is the one I take most inspiration from.

Same with other things in life

It is okay to "cherry-pick". That word has a negative charge though, somehow, although I find it cute ^_^

 

Hi, I'm that person who tends to go with the egalitarian label, but also doesn't subscribe to any form of feminism.

I certainly believe that men and women should be on equal playing grounds, but I take issue with certain things about feminism and as a result I tend to avoid that particular brand altogether =3

 

I do not support free college because it is a personal responsibility issue. I worked my way through college. As I said, I am not anti-affordability when it comes to college. I want low interest rates for students, Pell Grants to continue, and also student debt forgiven in bankruptcy.

Making sure there is clean water and not overly polluted environmental factors can be left to the states. The EPA picks winners and losers when it comes to energy sources(see Solyndra). I believe that the best way is through private companies succeeding or failing on their own. You want solar panels to work? Make them affordable and easy to function.

 

Completely unrelated: What the fudge is ''cherry-picking''?

 

It's when you pick and choose which parts of a certain belief, document, ideal you want to follow and which you don't.

This is seen pretty frequently in Christianity.

There is a section in the bible devoted to the logistics of the slave trade and modern Christians choose to ignore that entire section which would be an example of cherry-picking.