.

I'm going to use OD as the data we discuss.

Let's look at all postings in August.

Let's take 10 typical lefties and 10 righties from OD.

We'll probably end up with over 1,000 postings on each side. We'll analyze the total collection.

You'll notice that I am not trying to pick out specific posts and say, "see this supports my view."

It's easy to do that but it is non-productive. If the only goal is to win an argument you 'cherry pick' your data to support that view.

But if you want to understand you take a representative sample and analyze it.

So let's do that.

One more thing, what do we do with these labels?

Well, as imperfect as they are, for this simple 'thought experiment' will put people in one of two camps. So folks will say I am on the right and let's say elchivito or tonkovich are on the left. (no slight intended)

So using that as a rough guide let's take the top 10 most exemplary leftist and rightists and compare them.

If we actually do this experiment instead of talk about it I would do a google search of whom we picked and then search for words, phrase, etc. We'll get into the specifics later.

So what would we search for? Here's a list, it's just a suggestion. The order is not significant. I'll put down some things and we'll see what happens.

1. Using implied profanity or highly derisive terms towards those that differ. That's not the same as being critical. One could say, I think you are evasive and incapable of answering. That's civil. But if you say, "that guys a POS" or similar, then your over the top.

2. Let's go even farther, though this is harder to quantify, which side is more civil? Here's some reasonable (I think ways to measure).

3. Who apologizes more to their opponents?, Who corrects errors or retracts mis-statements more?

4. When asked for assistance, a link, clarification who responds specifically and who ignores, give partial answers or acts with contempt. For example, in DD, if someone asks, what's the idle speed of a 95 300D NA who says 650 or here's a link and who says, "did you use the search button?" or, "it's in the FSM?"

5. Who says, "I see some merit in what you are saying?" You get the idea. Next area.

6. Who presents their ideas from a factual, analytical or reasoned manner?

7. Who argues more from a repetitious, emotional or inflammatory manner?

8. Who relies more on anectdotal evidence instead of the perspective of the largest segment of society? As an example if we say change the law so that 1% of the population benefits but 99% pay the price which side predominantly argues for the 1% and which for the 99%

*** QUICK NOTE: At this point I'm not saying which, if either approach is better, I just want us to see how the different sides behave.

9. Similar to above: who relies upon outliers for their arguments. Case in point: last year I walked around with a plastic bag, basically sewn to my guts. It caught my waste and I had to empty it every couple of hours. Which side would say my employer should spend $10,000+ to modify bathrooms so I could do this and which wouldn't.

10. Last one (for now) which side engages in fallacious arguments, typically strawman or guilt by association. So if someone says this mass murderer uses chop-sticks, I use chop-sticks, therefore I'm like the mass murderer - which side uses that more?

Remember, my question is based on the already recorded actions on this site for this month.

Let's talk about it, and if necessary, I'll do a transparent (you'll can see every step) analysis of the data.

-

uh, i seem to remember you calling kerry a "satanist"?

please correct me if i missed something there.

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"The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread."

And you tovarich, what do you call people with whom you disagree?

Inherent error in the sample audience. The 10 on each side are not representative of their "sides" as a whole, and cannot be equated as such. Furthermore there is no definition as to what defines someone as leftist or rightist in your post, and from whose perspective. I could go on. Sorry thats the academic in me

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TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

Good points, all. We tend to lump the 'other side' as a monolithic construct when in reality, most of us are not fanatics adhering to the party line. Most of us are reasonable people who disagree on this or that belief or idea or philosophy but probably agree more than we disagree, else the social fabric would be torn and we would enter violent revolution. In this nation we continue to believe that path is far worse than the consensual path we currently trod.

I wonder where the tipping point is? It seems to me taht the tipping point is always closer than people believe at the moment. Take for example, Sam Adams. When he was fomenting revolution in Boston most of the colonies and colonists still believed that relations with Mother England were strained but not broken and that cooler heads would prevail.

i call them "botnst".

p.s.

you know, having visited relatives in poland in the 1970's, i saw firsthand the evil of the soviet union, in its treatment of its satellites. so, your little pun - tovarich, indeed - is not particularly amusing, nor the least bit descriptive.

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"The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread."

To you. But it amuses me greatly, given your dalliance with collectivist thinking.

To bad BB, Larry, SRJ and BHD are not posting actively. I'd pick them to be in the rightist pool. That ought to jack the numbers up lol

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Sent from an agnostic abacus

2014 C250 21,XXX my new DD ** 2013 GLK 350 18,000 Wife's new DD**

- With out god, life is everything.
- God is an ever receding pocket of scientific ignorance that's getting smaller and smaller as time moves on..." Neil DeGrasse Tyson
- You can pray for me, I'll think for you.
- When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.

Discussion in the public forum.

You start somewhere.

Since the preferred mode of many is shrillness I offer an alternative.

You surely don't believe you are the only academic; this site has a dozen or more.

Adjust sample as one wants.

I suspect even with a wide latitude of settings the results will be consistent.

This allows the discussion to move from rhetorical to actuarial.

In real-world scenarios that is considered progress.

Dismissing with a few sentences, of course is an alternative.

.

Is the goal to jack the numbers or reflect and consider?

It's not that difficult to look at imperfect data.

It's how most things get done.

Instead of dismissing give it some thought.

.

ok. "ayn".

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"The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread."

I do not resent being placed on the left for this particular circle jerk, but wish to state that it's inaccurate. I have as many Libertarian leanings as I do Democratic and in fact generally consider myself to be a true old school conservative. Goldwater style. You remember? Conservatives used to believe that what happened in a person's home and family was none of the government's goddam##d business. That's before their brains were taken over by the Project For A New American Century. That's me, conservative thru and thru. So, if you insist on putting me on the left, be my guest. Just be aware that your study is invalid. Anyhow, let's see the list!

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You're a daisy if you do.
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84 Euro 240D 4spd. 220.5k sold
04 Honda Element AWD
1985 F150 XLT 4x4, 351W with 270k miles, hay hauler
1997 Suzuki Sidekick 4x4
1993 Toyota 4wd Pickup 226K and counting

I have and I stand by my idea. There is no such thing as a representative sampling when you only have 10 of each.

__________________
Sent from an agnostic abacus

2014 C250 21,XXX my new DD ** 2013 GLK 350 18,000 Wife's new DD**

- With out god, life is everything.
- God is an ever receding pocket of scientific ignorance that's getting smaller and smaller as time moves on..." Neil DeGrasse Tyson
- You can pray for me, I'll think for you.
- When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.

Look at the title of the thread.

I offer a proposal, a reasonable starting point. If done the results will be illuminating.

Data can be examined. I've done it for 30+ years. Do you think when we take 10,000 data points a second during wind-tunnel tests that there isn't a great deal of spurious information.

Ultimately,of course many of us know what the results will be.

The dismissals are another avoidance of what folks don't want to see.

If I was in advertising/marketing and brought this to my boss he'd say, sure. let's see what we get.

Here folks prefer their rhetoric and certainty to candor.

.

Emphatic but baseless until tested.

I offer a test.

.