Why Americans misunderstand correct use of political labels

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It is because they use the flawed so-called 'Nolan Chart' which tilts the conventional political spectrum 45 degrees.

http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Nolan_chart

It's because our political system functions on a one dimensional plain.

The Nolan scale summarised



This is how most americans seem to view politics.

For clarity, in the American context there should probably be a donkey and elephant in the two side quadrants respectively.

Anyway, my point is that this slanted political spectrum is to blame for the lack of plurality in US politics.

Well, I'm sure David Nolan would be flattered by your assertion(god rest his soul) but the American political lexicon was skewed long before the Nolan chart came around. Think about how long the internet has actually been around, only a relatively small amount of people have ever taken that political quiz. The media and politicians themselves are the ones mainly to blame, they brand each other and hide their true beliefs. I'm not exactly sure what you mean by 'plurality' tho.

There's more people nowadays willing to admit they want Christianity and Judaism in the government. They don't necessarily see that as evil.
I guess good would be the American flag symbol? Or any flag, depending on the country? In other words, allegiance the the flag and nothing else?

I find that labeling is both sensible and expedient when dealing with inanimate objects, but categorizing humans is counterproductive. We should celebrate our similarities rather than focus on our differences.

By plurality I mean having three or even four or more parties in contention of power, as you often do in other developed democracies as opposed to the Demo-publican dichotomy that you have in the USA.

That is not a dichotomy, we have a one party system,

Having three or more was the evil Communists, Workers, Soldiers, Peasents, none of that allowed around here.

There will be no goals other than the American Goal, just as God intended.

The branch of GOD, and the branch of the poor, both have millionair leaders appointed.

Starting a party that only looks out for those making $20,000 to $40,000 a year would be Treason, and the NSA, FBI, would disrupt that plot against GOD.

Comrad Stalin and Chairman Mao had more diverse views expressed in their governments, and they are both dead, because of GOD.

We are a Police State with a War Machine, nothing that some Euro Party could ever get its hands on.

The FBI, NSA, CIA, refuse to tell Congress what they are doing, and they all spy on Congress.

The President will be in office for eight years max, the Government is Forever.

America is run by the Secret Hand of God. The CIA even had a bank called Hand.

Our Nation was Taken Private, a long time ago.

^ a little conspiracy theorist for my comfort, but i appreciate the sentiment.

Can't you just get over it? America's political lingo has been in use for decades, and as far as I know applies mostly to America. It's like the Imperial measurement system: culturally odd but otherwise benign.

Actually I disagree. Most Americans do not see it on four planes like that, it is merely 2: either left or right, which in my opinion has worn out it's welcome. Technically, mainstream Republicans and Democrats should be right, while communist, hard core socialist, libertarians, and other radicals should be on the left. It also forget that both sides are crooked.

I don't know why but i find Americentricism and American exceptionalism a fascinating subject.

It intrigues and appalls me in equal measure. Sort of like a train crash. You know you shouldn't, but you can't help but stand and gawp. Besides as a citizen of the world, i feel we should take an interest. The political lexicon in America in some way, effects the entire world in one way or another.

Well, I'm glad my country keeps you amused. Everyone needs something to amuse them.

But I'm not convinced we (Americans) are really that different from everyone else. Sure, we have slightly different priorities, and we are blessed to live in what is essentially a very large island with no real risk of invasion, but are we really that different? I think not. We just do what we need to do, which is no different than anyone else out there.

That said, I ran across some interesting ethnographic research about how Westerners (and Americans in particular) perceive reality far differently from other cultures. I shall send it to you once I find it.

Funny enough, I know a USian (and a politically informed one at that) who expressed utter shock that Canada had more than two parties. He said that Duverger's law meant any system based on First Past the Post would have to have only two parties and even claimed that the UK had proportional representation, which explained why it had multiple parties!

I think a lot of America's cultural oddities can be made sense of when one realizes that it's early founders were a Puritan petite bourgeoisie fragment from England.

Most people (americans, or otherwise) just talk about "left and right"- one dimensional. So I dont know how you're able to project any kind of two dimentional diagram on to american (or any other nationality's) thinking.

Most americans ( like I) have never seen this Nolan diagram before. So it hasnt had any influence on american thinking. So this Nolan Diagram thing is more likely a symptom- than the cause- of whatever the disease is that you're talking about. Whatever that is.

But you havent dropped the other shoe- you havent told us what is wrong with the Nolan diagram. Nor have you told us what American illness it's the cause/symptom of.

So follow through- and finish making your point please.

In short: WTF are you talking about?