Politics

The specific reason TAE stays out of politics as often as possible is because people are unreasonable. Why debate politics with people when their minds are set? Why ask their opinion when it stands a fair chance of being the opposite of my own, and I am forced to get a lecture? Why argue with people who say "wikipedia is filled with left-wing lies" or suggest that I am a Democrat simply because I defend the ARRA stimulus? Why should I let people assume I am a Republican because I support gun rights? Why does my vehement denial of party membership make people label me a libertarian? Why does my insistence that our species needs to supercede nationalistic goals and unify for a common interest make me either a socialist wacko or un-American?

The problem with discussing politics with people is the same problem with discussing religion with people: everyone has an opinion, and no two people agree.

I mean, on the one hand I'm pro-gay rights, pro-abortion rights, anti-defense spending, anti-death penalty, anti-Patriot Act, pro-Church/state separation, pro-universal health care, and anti-Iraq War. That makes me a flaming liberal, and most people would therefore call me a Democrat.
But on the other hand I'm pro-free market, generally anti-bailout, anti-carbon tax, pro gun rights, believe tightening our borders forces mechanization and creates a more efficient economy, feel the United Nations should be abolished, and am against deficit spending of any kind. This makes me a conservative? A Republican?

The point here is that every issue is its own free-standing concept and it makes it hard for me to talk to people who just choose a straight ticket. How can you be pro-life and pro-death penalty? If all life is precious and abortion is murder...how is the death penalty not the same? How can you be for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan but also for tax cuts or against deficit spending? Clearly the single most expensive military effort in human history has to be paid for somehow...

That is why TAE stays out of politics, especially on this blog. It's just too messy for an engineer.


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