"Political Thinkers", on Tuesday

I'm not sure how many people read our group (lol) but I should like to leave this idea around, to ask for input...

Well, I'm often embarassed in-world about the "fame" that Thinkers' have (and it's true, as an utter newbie, I already heard wonders about the group even before going to the first session - I think it was one about 'mediums', if I remember correctly...). Seems that lots of people value our opinion so much, I wonder why - since they don't attend the meetings Some are even 'afraid' to come since they think they're not clever enough for the group! Wow. I certainly try to give them the opposite view, we're not a group of PhD's discussing metaphysics... well... ok, sometimes we do that as well but anyway *coughs* meetings are much more fun than anything else.

So, since we have a tendency to always fall back to religion - I have absolutely no problem with that, as you probably know, I'm currently also organizing regular 'church meetings' Fridays and Saturdays (don't worry, I make sure they don't overlap the Thinkers' sessions, since I definitely want to attend those! ) - I started this week to do "politically-minded" meetings instead.

There is a good reason for that, and a completely egocentrical one as well. I currently promote the Neualtenburg project (as well as some others of our regular Thinkers as well ) and one way to do that is trying to explain why certain assumptions that we have are not entirely correct, or, in case of doubt, what the issues really are about. I hope to pick a few very polemic topics for Tuesdays, to have our fellow Thinkers give their opinions about it - unlike many other groups, I feel that most people at Thinkers have such a variety of opinion and an open-mindedness about expressing those opinions (and, most importantly, listening to others' opinion) that the discussions are so much interesting.

So, ideas for topics are welcome. Please note that under "political" ideas I don't mean discussing if right-wing politics are better or worse than left-wing politics! Not at all, I mean to discuss the bases about political systems, like what kind of rights to we need to abdicate to work as a society, for instance. Or why we need to pay taxes. Or why a government should be elected by its citizens (or not). If I'm really bold, I even will run ideas on why a constitutional monarchy is better than a presidential republic (or why not!). Topics will be mostly vague and generic, and not tied to a particular country or system, to give ample opportunity for people to bring in their own views and exchange wild ideas.

Huh. This almost sounds too serious Ok, to make sure it isn't so serious, the next topic for Thinkers' on Tuesday will be: "What happened if our governments were ruled by computers?" Lots of science-fiction writers proposed things like cyberocracies, assuming basically that we humans are too silly to know what is good for us and are always lobbying and struggling for power. So would we be better off being run by computers? And who would program them? Have fun thinking about it and see you next Tuesday (I hope!)

Gwyn, you've probably noticed I don't find politics an enthralling subject -- more like a duty to study and be informed. I'd like a topic that focusses on [avoiding] packages of ideas.

For example, some people give the impression that their political ideas have been obtained elsewhere, and imported as a complete package, which they reiterate during discussions. Other people eschew packages such as 'left-wing' or 'right-wing', and give the impression that they are considering each issue on its own merits.

Presumably opponents of my outlook on politics would argue that issues are not separate, and must be considered in context; a so-called 'package' is just such a context.

A topic like you propose is highly interesting, Traxx - ie. something like "why do people love to repeat 'packaged' ideologies as their own?" This does not apply only to politics, of course, but it seems to be "more true" when discussing politics...

I would think that this happens because we're used to political parties/candidates repeating a set of ideas, over and over again, and people tend to repeat them as well, if they happen to like these ideas. Much like religion, actually. No wonder, then, that the "good rules of conversation" always say that we should avoid religion and politics if you want to keep your friends

On the other hand, someone once wrote (can't remember who) that, when two people get together and start discussing what to do about a third person, we have "politics". So, this idea apparently reduces the concept of politics to compromising about the way things should be organized. The concept of "packaged ideas" is not necessarily part of it.

Well, if nobody wants to take that subject, I'll use it for next Tuesday (I mean the one after next week)! Excellent suggestion, Traxx, thanks