"True or False?" Topic

Yeah, it's a bitch how those Nazi scumbags nicked our fashions and our identity. When it started being a skinhead was about the clothes, the attitude, and ironically Reggae music. Admittedly, there was violence, but it was the 'outside the pub' teenage sort, not hate-crimes. I haven't been in a fight for about six years and I'm not planning to fall off the wagon any time soon. I still wear the clothes, though, and I'm not gonna change who I am for a bunch of Nazi morons.

Back to the poll, Bill what are you thinking? What the hell is the difference between 'liberal' and 'centrist?' Ah well, different countries, different customs...

But I resent being lumped in with the apolitcals just because I'm a left-winger!

MartyD, If you're British that's what I'd expect & it's nothing to do with your politics. For most of the British public the International Brigades ARE the Spanish Civil War. It's the major British involvement in that conflict so that's what gets covered in Britain. B*gger all to do with politics.

If you're not British then my apologies maybe there's a similar explanation for whatever your nationality is :o).

Yeah Frontovik, what I was trying to imply is that the IT are surrounded by a romanticism in left wing 'circles', and those of us who lean that way are more likely to gravitate towards them as our force of choice. Besides, i'm only just dipping my toes into the period, and i'm sure i'll get to the facts after being drawn towards the romantic ideal.

Oh, and i'm originally from Belfast, but I would call myself British.

Mexican Jack, you think the Dalai Lama is left-wing?

An hereditary (in a reincarnation sense) theocratic monarch?

Left-wing?

MartyD, you could always ask these guys for some history
www.lacolumna.org.uk

We were camped next to them at a multi-period event and they're a good bunch of people & seem very knowledgeable about the subject.

Cheers for the link, Frontovik. My extent of knowledge of the SCW comes from reading Orwell in sixth form...

Screw the politics.

What would really be fun is to determine if there was a link between player choice of favorite rules, army, and playing style and the player psychology.

whats wrong with trotskyiskm?

being an everything (fun gamer mind you, never try to hard to win) player i consider myself quite on the left.

Felix

Hey Polynikes, I do believe Mexican Jack is referring to this little gem of a poll.

politicalcompass.org

Maybe we should run through this before answering that wacky TPM four part poll.

Some of these posts in this thread sound like a good, trashy tabloid header;

'WHAT YOUR FAVOURITE ARMY SAYS ABOUT YOU!'

Hmmm. Think I'll get writing…

'WHAT YOUR FAVOURITE ARMY SAYS ABOUT YOU!'

Hmmm... Dwarfs....

1.) Short. (Well 5'6", so leaning that way).

2.) Stubborn. (Hoo boy, does that apply).

3.) Bearded. (Nope, clean shaven.)

4.) Likes ale. (Teetotaler.)

5.) Prefer axes, hammers, crossbows, handguns. (Longbows and swords.)

6.) Likes loud artillery. (I'm all for that!)

7.) Treats most non-engineering problems as a nail. (Hmm... well, I tend to be a little subtler... but I do tend to "hammer" my points... so, half a point.)

8.) Good engineers. (Writer. But somewhat technically savvy. Half a point.)

9. Traditional, but likes fancy (and unreliable) new tech. (Yep, that's me.)

10. Individualist. (Yes again.)

Total: 6 out of 10 (or 5 plus 2 half points.) Scary...

I had a discussion once where folks talked about RPGs as therapy -- what kind of character you played had something to say about what you wanted to be, or rather, what you needed to act out.

I think your choice of army in a fantasy sense might say the same sorts of things -- I know people who play Dwarves because of their utter stubborness.

The same sorts of thing can carry over to historicals, but it's less likely. I tend to play every side, and collect what army needs to be collected.

Hullo
As a full time professional political scientist for a living I would argue that the world is a lot more complicated than the "poll" attempted to assess. How big is the difference between the Republican and Democratic parties in the USA? or between Labour and the Conservatives in the UK? or between the Social Democrats and the Christian Democrats in Germany? or between the Socialists and Chirac (Republican?) in France? :)
All the political parties subscribe to the rules of the game: for example "free and fair" elections, regular alternation in power, political systems with checks and balances, an independent judiciary, an apolitical military.
The list is very long! In the Third World things are somewhat different. Dictators lose elections and use force to stay in power: For example Zimbabwe. It was very interesting to see Zimbabweans protesting in South Africa (where I live) carrying posters to the US Embassy saying:
"Bush Give Mugabe 24 hours" :)
Kind Regards
Derek

"How big is the difference between..."

Within the society, the difference can be profound.

Outside of the society, the difference could be seen as minimal.

For example, to a Westerner, what is the difference between a Sunni extremist and a Shiite extremist? But to the followers of these sects, the difference is very real. Similarly, these sects see little difference between Western religious sects or cultures. It is indeed a matter of perspective.

Societies *are* conservative, in the dictionary definition of the word: very few in *any* society want to see radical change on a fundamental level. In the rhetoric, both sides may accuse the other of desiring gross change, the reality is these accusations are most often hyperbole. Within the society, the changes may be significant, but overall the society's structure tends to maintain itself-- though gross unintended collapse is indeed a danger (example: The Roman Empire).

[the politically uninformed tend to lean left as this is what mainstream media feeds them.]

The media is politically left? You must be joking. The uninformed are left? Again, joking, I'm sure.

Nobody could possibly write the above with a straight face -- unless they're uninformed or extreme or both.