Topic: Politics
Why I'd Leave the Nolan Chart Quiz Just the Way It Is Because I view the function of classification, categorization and labeling as beneficial to the enemies of liberty.by Jahfre Fire Eater
(libertarian)
Monday, February 23, 2009
I wouldn't change the Nolan Chart quiz, as I stated in my comment posted to Michael McDonnough's recent article:
I think I blurred a distinction that I didn't intend to. I assumed the Nolan Chart quiz is the same as what is commonly known as "The world's smallest political quiz." When I commented about the quiz being biased towards libertarian answers I was referring to the world's smallest, not the Nolan Chart quiz.
From the gist of Walt's comment I gather that is not true that these quizzes are the same. My mistake.
The reason I wouldn't change either quiz is because how I "score" on any particular quiz doesn't affect my principles and it doesn't necessarily reflect them either...depending on the phrasing of the questions and the limits on the score-able answers. I assume the same is true for others and that some place WAY more emphasis on their quiz results than I do.
I prefer to let a person self-label according to the nature of their own columns rather than having some set of questions be responsible for labeling the person.
It is my opinion that all such quizzes follow naturally from the favorite pastime of libertarians -- arguing over who is a "real" libertarian and who is "more" libertarian. Yet, in practice, I see authors here who have the "libertarian" label applied to them by the quiz, offering just as many cattle calls and group-think as any liberal or statist.
The label is irrelevant.
One can carry an LP sign, put an LP bumper sticker on their car, attend every public event in their community to promote the LP platform, be labeled "libertarian" by the Nolan Chart quiz and none of that changes their tendency to start a debate with "If everyone would just...." or some other herd mentality pattern that instantly negates any categorization implied by their irrelevant labeling.
I eschew such classification and categorization as a tool of the enemies of liberty. No matter who wields these tools and no matter how good their intentions for doing so, the enemies of liberty receive the most benefit. The primary purpose of such social engineering tools is to fragment and marginalize seemingly like-minded individuals. The purpose for such tools and tactics is to prevent concerted efforts based on principled agreements regarding the scope and role of government. The goal of these fragmentation tactics is to keep the debate confined to the realm of the personal, emotional and futile for as long as possible...without the "victims" even noticing that they are enabling their own futility by employing the tactics of their enemies.
As for my opinion about David Nolan's original quiz, I think it is a tool used to rationalize the formation of a new party. It's served to validate the LP movement by offering "documented evidence" that most people are more libertarian than they thought. That original quiz was the beginning of the process of rationalizing the self-marginalizing behavior represented by the LP membership. It started decades ago and it continues today unchanged and uninformed by decades of futility.
I don't expect that to change; the LP membership process sustains itself through an ego-stoking, comparison-centric evangelical paradigm that ensures perpetual stagnation. How effectively one preaches to the choir is valued higher than how effective the group is at getting elected officials who will promote the principles of liberty. Since the LP cannot consistently elect representatives, it wouldn't be fair to measure success on this criteria...so it is avoided in LP circles. Instead, they focus on labels, quizzes, and other safe activities that all choir members are comfortable with. Sadly, that comfort comes from the progressive indoctrination that permeates our culture. That pervasive damage leads people to place value in the tools aimed at ensuring their own futility.
Nope, I'd leave all the quizzes just as they are and get on with the activity that will promote my principles in my community.
-Jahfre Fire Eater
Did you like this article? If you did, Thumb It! 7 thumbs so far
The views expressed in this
article are those of Jahfre Fire Eater only and do not represent
the views of Nolan Chart, LLC or its affiliates. Jahfre Fire Eater is
solely responsible for the contents of this article and is not an
employee or otherwise affiliated with Nolan Chart, LLC in his/her role as a columnist.
Well reasoned and stated, thumbs up! My comment goes only to point out that it is not only the LP that may be mired in self-deceptive futility.
You place a high value on "how effective the group is at getting elected officials who will promote the principles of liberty." Sadly, under our present American "dualopoly," the decks are all stacked against that. While I am not saying we should abandon trying to get that result, I think that the non-partisan / anti-partisan approach taken by Downsize DC ( http://downsizedc.org ) is the insight we all need to turn the tide.
As suggested by the geniuses at Downsize DC, let's get a vast army of liberty-minded people pulling together, hammering daily on our EXISTING "representatives" to ensure that they will pay a dear price unless and until they start to actually represent the interests of liberty.
The Downsize DC approach authentically addresses your stated problem of reversing the forces that "fragment and marginalize seemingly like-minded individuals."
Posted By: Mrs. Fire Eater
Date: 2009-03-28 15:26:34
People tend to fragment and marginalize themselves. Many crave it, which is why it is such good bait.
A vast army of liberty-minded people? That sounds exhausting, and too much like getting "our guys" to outgun "their guys" to me, which is the framework under which the current system operates. Yawn.
The only way I see to create a perpetually self educating liberty machine is to present and promote your values in your community to one (or a few) individuals at a time.
Or a library group, or a commissioner meeting, or... Anyway, I find it far more productive and satisfying to take the long view and promote my values out in the community then to bang my head on the liberals currently in office. Change the voters, and the reps will follow.
Try to change the reps without changing the voters and the reps laugh and laugh at the bump on your head. Doing it in unison with other LPers? Even funnier.
Want to comment on this
article? Leave your comment here. Your email address is
required to track your comment. However, we will neither
publish your email address nor distribute it to other
organizations or persons. The only reason we might use
it would be if we needed to contact you regarding your
comment. All comments are subject to our
terms of use policy.
