Political Compass redux

Posted by Guessedworker on Wednesday, 11 January 2006 00:18.

Around the spring of 2004 I found my way to Political Compass, and took the test. I guess it is well known enough for me not to need to explain it in detail. The intention is to capture the entire world of political orientation in one square grid, with the north-south pole representing the progression from authoritarianism to libertarianism and the east-west, left to right. The test involves six pages of often frustrating statements, with each of which one must agree or disagree, and with only the variant of strongly agreeing/disagreeing available if required.

I found that it was required quite often.

Western leaders tend to be grouped somewhat uncontroversially north of the authoritarian/libertarian mean and west of the left/right mean. To my horror I found that my test score had me holding hands with Tony Blair ...

... which only goes to show that it’s not the most subtle and discerning test when confronted with a race-realist, socially conservative English nationalist. At least I avoided the even more dubious company of Saddam Hussein and Saint Nelson.

This evening, for no better reason than it has been a duff news-day and I have conveniently forgotten all 6 pages of questions, I revisited Political Compass. What dire effects upon my political leanings has fifteen months of exposure to the MR commentariat wrought? What dangerously extreme, nationalist notions are cooking up inside my skull?

Not many, it seems. I scored:-

Economic left/right: 1.13
Social libertarian/authoritarian: 1.44

That puts me just one tiny square north and west of centre, not even as far right as Gerhard Schroeder.

Help ... I am a centrist! I hope I shall outlive the shame. But at least I need no longer fear the midnight knock of the Statspolitzei and that long walk down Koestler’s prison corridor, waiting to be picked up by a wave of eternity.

If you have not taken the Political Compass test do give it a try. If you have, take it again. It’s only a bit of fun.

Personally, I’m curious to know what Friedrich scores. And Fred. And Geoff ...

Tags:

Comments:

Posted by Phil on Wed, 11 Jan 2006 01:07 | #

If one conducts a test after set of assumptions about society have already been made and cannot be questioned (universalism and people being inter-changeable), there is nothing left to argue about is there?

It is like Economists making a whole series of assumptions and then proceeding to show the superiority of the Soviet planning model or engineered socialism. Its nonsense.

Quote:

An engineer, a chemist and an economist are marooned on an island ... .and they find a can of tuna, but have no way to open it.

Says the engineer: “Let’s find a rock and crush the can open.”

Suggests the chemist: “That’s impractical. A better idea is to find some chemicals and blast it open.”

Quoth the economist: “You people are truly misguided. There’s only one way: Let’s assume we have a can-opener ... .”

Posted by Svigor on Wed, 11 Jan 2006 01:29 | #

I always score very near center, just a hair left and upwards of center if memory serves.

The assumptions involved in the test ensure it does a better job of disseminating information than it does gathering it.

Posted by Svigor on Wed, 11 Jan 2006 01:31 | #

Make that left and downwards of center.

Really, I waffle endlessly because I’m a WN politically, and that’s the extent of it for me. I’d take a good WN monarchy or even socialism over any form of multiracialist state, any day.

I prefer something like the American Constitution if given my druthers.

Posted by Fred Scrooby on Wed, 11 Jan 2006 01:57 | #

“I’m curious to know what Friedrich scores. And Fred. And Geoff ...” (—from the log entry)

I first saw it a little after you did, GW—in August of 2004—and here was my result. I’ll take it again and post the new score (am in a rush just at the moment, but will get to it).

Posted by Matra on Wed, 11 Jan 2006 02:17 | #

I agree with Phil and had problems right from the first question. Anyway… I scored:

Economic left/right: 1.38
Social libertarian/authoritarian: 1.44

I then did it again imagining I didn’t live under a leftist establishment in a multicultural society, which meant several different answers to the questions on authority and abortion, and came up over 3 in the Social Libertarian/Authoritarian part.

Posted by Brunelleschi on Wed, 11 Jan 2006 04:02 | #

My score:

Image Hosted by ImageShack.us

Posted by Fred Scrooby on Wed, 11 Jan 2006 04:15 | #

I just took the test over: Economic Left/Right: + 0.25, Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: + 0.05

Rounding off, they put me at the exact origin of the graph, the point (0, 0).

The last time I took the test, two Augusts ago, I also scored nearly dead-center: I was at the point (-1, 0).

As I’ve often said, I’m middle-of-the-road, totally apolitical, if anything a bit on the liberal side, and have no passion for politics, for political arguments, or for political involvement. A genuine moderate, I support no ideology unless ordinary normalness is an ideology, in which case I’m an ideologue for ordinary normalness. All I support is ordinary normalness and all I oppose is crass degenerateness—more or less what all normal people support and oppose. What I oppose are leftism and degenerateness in all their forms and forced race-replacement of traditional communities and nations. I do not view myself as a conservative, have never felt “conservative” in my life (I always felt liberal), and tend to dislike conservatives. Some of them I dislike strongly. The thought of being like Paul Weyrich or Peggy Noonan absolutely horrifies me. I am neither a liberal nor a conservative, but view myself as a true liberal. The degenerates today who claim to be true liberals aren’t, but are instead only a deadly form of the filthiest most disgusting, repulsive metastatic moral cancer imaginable.

I am normal. They are degenerate. Period. That’s how I see things. I have no idea what left and right are supposed to mean though, as does everyone, I use those terms when I’m forced. Normal and degenerate are the terms I understand and prefer. To me, all the rest is blah-blah-blah-blah.
______
Moratorium-plus-Repatriation!

Posted by Fred Scrooby on Wed, 11 Jan 2006 04:18 | #

Having said all that, Brunelleschi (see his score, above) sounds like my kinda guy.

Posted by Voice formerly known as Matthew on Wed, 11 Jan 2006 04:19 | #

Gerhard Schroder

Economic Left/Right: 1.38
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: 1.08

Not sure about this test

Posted by onetwothree on Wed, 11 Jan 2006 04:21 | #

Hey, this is totally off topic and totally offensive, but it can’t be missed:

http://www.wimp.com/charliereturns/

Posted by Fred Scrooby on Wed, 11 Jan 2006 05:40 | #

I’d already seen that article by John Ray on the defects in this kind of test (linked in his comment), and it’s an excellent piece. This test and others like it leave something to be desired. For what it’s worth, though, I’d bet if the regulars at a typical left-wing site took this test they’d score way out in left-wing la-la land—yet notice that GW, Svigor, Matra, and I are all centrists according to this test, we who are viewed as extreme right wing wackos by far-out wacko-fringe leftists and by libertarian foaming-at-the-mouth fanatical race-replacers like Perry de Havilland and the Samizdata menagerie of assorted fakes, poseurs, know-nothings, narcissists, eunuchoids, pantywaists, half-wits, double-digiters, and complete assholes—de Havilland being the biggest of the lot.

Posted by ben tillman on Wed, 11 Jan 2006 05:53 | #

This is one of the worst-constructed tests imaginable.

Your political compass
Economic Left/Right: 0.63
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: 0.41

At least it puts me virtually dead center, so perhaps the architects of this test are idiot savants….

Fred & I are moderates! Or healthy, one might say.

Posted by ben tillman on Wed, 11 Jan 2006 06:08 | #

What goes on in a private bedroom between consenting adults is no business of the state.

The correct response is that there should be no “state”.

Pornography, depicting consenting adults, should be legal for the adult population.

The correct response is that people have a right to decide their own rules, and if there is disagreement they may secede, if necessary, and freely associate with those with whom they are compatible.

Posted by Andrew on Wed, 11 Jan 2006 07:26 | #

AAAAAAAA< I’m A Jacques Chirac, I’m Going to jump off a cliff. Lying bloody graph. 3.54 S/A . 1.38 E L/R Thats not Right.

Posted by Martin Hutchinson on Wed, 11 Jan 2006 14:53 | #

Yes, it’s inaccurate. Has me +4.63 on the economic right scale, which is about correct, but +1.73 on the authoritarian scale, which is rubbish. Judging from the examples, it is pretty well impossible to get a positive libertarian score if you’re right of center. Still, I’m glad the stupid thing didn’t make me out a woolly centrist like you lot

Posted by Alex Zeka on Thu, 12 Jan 2006 22:35 | #

Well, it seems I am an extremist:
Your political compass
Economic Left/Right: 6.75
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: 3.49

Perhaps I got a touch too trigger happy with the strongly “dis/agreeing buttons.

Posted by Phil on Thu, 12 Jan 2006 23:35 | #

I am too.

Your political compass
Economic Left/Right: 7.13
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: 6.21

Posted by Al Ross on Fri, 13 Jan 2006 01:38 | #

No shame in being an extremist. When I go to purchase a pair of shoes, I dont tell the store clerk that I want a moderately comfortable pair; I tell him that I require an extremely comfortable pair. It is the same with regard to political views - maximum comfort at all times.