[FunctionalPsycho]

I just found captain capitalism's blog and it's quite fascinating.
I have always been attracted to discussions of political ideologies regarding how nations and societies should be organized and function but still haven't been able to firmly decide my political orientation, since there are so many of these ideologies.

Can you guys help me by providing links to articles that summarize different ideologies, or describe which one you endorse and why?

[Sombro]

Just google 'political quiz' and go from there to see where you stand at this point.

Read as much history as you can. So much of it repeats itself without people even realizing it.

[JimNortonFan]

A lot of it's personality based. Watch vids of these guys. If you like Captain Capitalism's personality and cynical outlook you're probably more libertarian.

Note that Lefty Noam Chomsky calls himself a libertarian socialist (I think he means anarchist) and is also sarcastic and cynical.

[Suits]

Why do you need to decide your political orientation?

If there is anything that is wrong with a lot of modern day (and probably historical) politics, it is the tendency to choose single positions.

Don't align yourself with any political affiliation, even if informal. Develop your own well informed, rational opinion to building a better society.

Do so with each political issue independently, rather than adopting a comprehensive "view-point."

[FunctionalPsycho]

I don't intend to blindly follow any ideology and then irrationally defend it. I thought reading upon existing ones might help me form my own.

[JimNortonFan]

Don't waste your time. Politics is a waste now. We create wealth with information but our politics are based upon creating wealth through manufacturing. It's as 1800's politicians were arguing over divine right of kings and feudalism.

[The Beast1]

If you're genuinely curious where you fall on the spectrum try this test:
http://www.politicalcompass.org/test


It explains how a normal quadrant can explain political leanings better than just a left/right thing.

Ironically, it puts Obama and Romney as very close ideologically. I fall somewhere near Nelson Mandela. Good test.

If you want to run for an elected seat, run as a Democrat. Don't pick parties based on ideologies, pick a party based on whose PR is better (the blue dogs). You'll get better mileage running as a red piller in democrats clothing.

[el mechanico]

I took this one and got green party 76%
http://www.isidewith.com/political-quiz

WTF is the green party?

[FunctionalPsycho]

Political Compass result:

Economic Left/Right: -1.00
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -0.36

??

I took that I side with quiz and got Democrat 84%.

[polymath]

Take each issue and each race as its own question. The fastest way to wash your hands of thinking is to let some external ideology dictate your opinions. At least, that's my take. There is no shortage of blowhards for any perspective under the sun.

[TheKantian]

Read some political philosophy and then come to any conclusions.

[Architekt]

Do some reading/research and decide for yourself if you have an interest. Letting someone else make that decision for you doesn't really work..

[RexImperator]

If you are feeling some kind of need for validation externally through belonging to a political group, I would suggest not giving into that.

[The Beast1]

Nice, you're pretty centrally based. They explain the results to you at the bottom of the page.

[Cyr]

I just took that political compass test and ended up getting a placing in a similar position to you. This was because some of my answers were right wing and some were left wing, which made me agree with what suit said. Rather than necessarily aligning yourself with a certain party think about your own ideologies.