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I’m posting here rather than the Dungeon because this is, in my mind, related to audio. BTW, anybody else notice the foul odor over in the Dungeon forum lately? Anyway, my conclusion, right or wrong, is that most ART participants are comfortably middle class and predominantly American citizens. As such I assume that they are reasonably well educated and have enough leisure time to read a newspaper or watch a news program, however irregularly. I assume, then, that ART posters are generally politcally aware. If the forgoing is true, I wonder why no one here has broached the subject of electoral politics? – not very much else has been off limits. The reason for my curiosity is that the US electorate is supposed to be so politically divided, so passionately opinionated this year concerning the presidential elections. Does the fact that ART participants don’t mention politics put the lie to the popular myth? Are people really not that interested? Do people interested in audio shun other things? Lack an interest in current events & politics? Is everybody looking for a place to get away from politics, and consequently avoid the subject on ART? I am politically passionate, and I’m very curious what others think about this
Hell ya, were to busy doing audio rather than listen to politicians bitch about what each others doing wrong. I already know who I'm voteing for in Nov.
Good point W. My opinion. The extreme divisiveness fostered by the disengenousness of the leaders in power has made political discussion nasty, lacking in substance and basically irrelevant since so many minds are already made up and have been made up from day one. Sad, I cannot even express any reasonable approach to understanding the political climate to my kids due to attrocious levels of spin and fakery. Our political climate is degenerating into that of a banana republic. And the media owned by friends of those in power refuse to even attempt to due their job as the fourth estate. We'll see in Nov. Maybe the electorate will come to their senses.
Lots of broad generalizations here. Don't assume everybody is middle class, in the professions, in the business (of audio building for profit,) married, white etc. etc. or anything else maybe especially male. It's bad for the group and exclusionary. I got politically motivated because of Abu Ghraib and have been since. While I always vote, I felt shamed by what I saw. So I take double offense when I see remarks on here about what we should do to those so and so's blah blah and blah. Recent books on my reading table: What's The matter With Kansas? by Thomas Frank Moral Politics George Lakoff Banana Republicans Rampton and Stauber Audioroundtable is on my Bookmarks toolbar next to Democracy Now! streaming weblink from Pacifica radio.
I find it's no good talking politics, religion or other belief systems unless I can break bread with the person I'm talking with. I have to be face to face, and we have to be friends to get anywhere. In that spirit, we're either like minded and agreeing with each other, or if we differ, there's respect and a chance to learn from one another. So I think you and I could probably get along just fine on that basis. In fact, I know we could. We've known each other for years and had many similar talks. I think that's true of many of the regulars here. But the anonymous public that's reading this thread probably isn't going to get along and respect one another. That said, see my comments in the paragraph just below the photo of the Glass Mountains here.
I would like to be political,but i cant decide between the parties..its all such games and power- so i ignore it and only discuss it with people face to face.I dont see clearcut goodness or truth,i just see a big muddle with no clear conclusion. Cheers!
So Wun; you asked for opinions; now lets hear what you think.
I think, as Wayne said, it's probably non-productive to debate politics in one or two sentences on a user's board. ART participants probably recognize the wisdom of leaving politics to another sphere outside of ART.
It's all about relevancy of the board's primary interest.