NationStates Jolt Archive

You know, the people who understand basic concepts like "All is good in moderation" and "Rule your body with your heart and mind, not one or the other"? How come the people who have pushed the human race through history and upheld us for all of time are always drowned out by the shouts of the extremists from every which direction and philosophy?

Seriously, it's always been the moderates who made up the silent majority. It's always been the moderates that everyone tries to win in elections. How come moderates can't have a truely moderate candidate instead of having to chose between a few extremists? Where's the moderate love?

I love moderates, they're usually the only ones who make sense. The problem however, is human nature.

People are just naturally drawn to extremes. No one is going to be drawn to a person who doesn't have a "strong" opinion.

It's unfortunate, I agree.

Crane Brinton's model

The moderates do rule, until the extremists get pissed off enough to kindof kill them.

You know, the people who understand basic concepts like "All is good in moderation" and "Rule your body with your heart and mind, not one or the other"? How come the people who have pushed the human race through history and upheld us for all of time are always drowned out by the shouts of the extremists from every which direction and philosophy?

Seriously, it's always been the moderates who made up the silent majority. It's always been the moderates that everyone tries to win in elections. How come moderates can't have a truely moderate candidate instead of having to chose between a few extremists? Where's the moderate love?

You get two moderate candidates every time there's an election. Familiar with the race to the middle?

Indeed, moderation seems very much the case in most democratic nations...it's just an odd fact that the centre has been pulled to the right in the USA and often a bit to the left in Europe. The Labour party in the UK is a right funny entity though, they seem to be trying to occupy every base at once (and suceeding a lot of the time in doing so!) So moderation really is in the ascendent in the west at least...

...although of course, democracy is still a very radical idea in many places! Moderation just depends on what people's idea of normality is.

Moderation isn't apparently sensational enough to get the coverage it deserves. *sigh*

You get two moderate candidates every time there's an election. Familiar with the race to the middle?

They're two candidates with specific agendas that don't run with the mainstream moderates so they pretend to center themselves so they can get elected. Hardly moderate candidates, we usually just get two corporatists.

How come the moderates never get a voice?everyone has "a voice"... we all have that rigth...

and If you dont use it...too bad for you.

Its your choice really.

A long time ago, I tried to start 'The Happy Medium Party.'

Nobody showed up but me and a couple of psychics that thought we had free beer. :(

Bullshit moderates never get a voice. I'm a moderate, and I've got a voice: a very loud and obnoxious voice at that. Moderates don't have to be quiet and annoyingly open-minded, they just have to look at each issue separately, as opposed to deciding along party lines or sticking to some stupid, generic lines of reasoning such as liberal or conservative. The problem isn't that moderates don't have a voice, the problem is that most truly moderate politicians are pussies, and pussies are meant for one thing, and one thing only.

And Aldranin posts his first after a two-week beach vacation.

You know, the people who understand basic concepts like "All is good in moderation" and "Rule your body with your heart and mind, not one or the other"? How come the people who have pushed the human race through history and upheld us for all of time are always drowned out by the shouts of the extremists from every which direction and philosophy?

Seriously, it's always been the moderates who made up the silent majority. It's always been the moderates that everyone tries to win in elections. How come moderates can't have a truely moderate candidate instead of having to chose between a few extremists? Where's the moderate love?Outwardly, the Moderates look like they waffle. to the extremists. the moderates take too long getting the job done, or they are selling out to the 'enemy'

and in this day of instant gratification, everyone wants things done NOW!
"We don't wanna wait 10 yrs for a small consolation prize, we want the whole enchalada 10 minutes ago!"
No compromise, no give and take... it's now all or nothing.

thats why.

Bullshit moderates never get a voice. I'm a moderate, and I've got a voice: a very loud and obnoxious voice at that. Moderates don't have to be quiet and annoyingly open-minded, they just have to look at each issue separately, as opposed to deciding along party lines or sticking to some stupid, generic lines of reasoning such as liberal or conservative. The problem isn't that moderates don't have a voice, the problem is that most truly moderate politicians are pussies, and pussies are meant for one thing, and one thing only.

*Raises Hand* Ooh! Ooh! I know this! Is it... um.... The next season of 'The Real World'? :D

I'm a moderate and I feel like the radical elements on this forum get a voice (either those of the extreme conservatives, socialists and communists). I feel we need more of a voice in this world today and on this forum too.

Because most people think they are moderate and most people think they have no voice...

I once heard a story, the punchline of which was that a wise man observed (back in the days before the internal-combustion engine came along):

"Look out at the street. You see people walking on the left side, and others on the right side. Who do you see in the middle? - Horses."

Which is to say that moderation, in and of itself, is not always the very best thing. That's not to say, with Barry Goldwater, that "extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice," just that sometimes the "moderates" are simply those who don't have particularly strong convictions.

You know, the people who understand basic concepts like "All is good in moderation" and "Rule your body with your heart and mind, not one or the other"? How come the people who have pushed the human race through history and upheld us for all of time are always drowned out by the shouts of the extremists from every which direction and philosophy?

Seriously, it's always been the moderates who made up the silent majority. It's always been the moderates that everyone tries to win in elections. How come moderates can't have a truely moderate candidate instead of having to chose between a few extremists? Where's the moderate love?

Not only do the moderates have a voice, but they always get the last word. Usually it's some lame excuse as to why they locked a thread or to explain why they banned someone from the forum.

Not only do the moderates have a voice, but they always get the last word. Usually it's some lame excuse as to why they locked a thread or to explain why they banned someone from the forum.Sthephistan had a Voice...

and she was not afraid to use it.

How come moderates can't have a truely moderate candidate instead of having to chose between a few extremists?

¿

what country do you live in?

i don't think you people completely understand politics, moderates would get eaten alive, they have nothing to stand on

i agree with the socrates philsophy on politics, and that democracy is the same as mob rule, they ignorant public can easily be swayed into any direction

You know, the people who understand basic concepts like "All is good in moderation" and "Rule your body with your heart and mind, not one or the other"? How come the people who have pushed the human race through history and upheld us for all of time are always drowned out by the shouts of the extremists from every which direction and philosophy?

Seriously, it's always been the moderates who made up the silent majority. It's always been the moderates that everyone tries to win in elections. How come moderates can't have a truely moderate candidate instead of having to chose between a few extremists? Where's the moderate love?

Because, the moderate is the champion of inaction. By his very nature he cannot initiate action because he would automatically become one extreme of that action. In any group you will have the two extremes that will act and react with the remainder between sitting on the fence content to see which way the conflict goes. At some point they determine the middle and take their stand after the fact. Moderates are followers who enjoy the safety between extremes. They are good enough when the sailing is smooth, but you don't want one in charge when the shit hits the fan.

*Raises Hand* Ooh! Ooh! I know this! Is it... um.... The next season of 'The Real World'? :D

Exactly. :)

Exactly. :)
Unless 'The Real World' gets cancelled and they run 'The Surreal Life' again...

Because most (US) "moderates" (and Libertarians) are too busy trying to make a living to get involved in the process of electing governments "Of By and For Rich DemoRepublicats"

Show me a Rich self-proclaimed "Moderate" who has a chance in hell of buyin... er... winning an election running for office and I'll introduce you to a Liar.

The US has a long history of electing moderates to the highest office. The nearly guaranteed failure of non-moderate presidential candidates is built into the two party system. With very few exceptions, its been moderates who have run the US since its founding. They do get a voice, a much more important one than the voice of the radicals.

Sthephistan had a Voice...

and she was not afraid to use it.

Stephistan was NOT a moderate.

The US has a long history of electing moderates to the highest office. The nearly guaranteed failure of non-moderate presidential candidates is built into the two party system. With very few exceptions, its been moderates who have run the US since its founding. They do get a voice, a much more important one than the voice of the radicals.

exactly what i was thinking. which is why i want to know what country they live in - perhaps its somewhere with proportional representation and a very low minimum percentage of the vote required to get seats or something.

Stephistan was NOT a moderate.

Maybe not to you.

Maybe not to you.

Uhh, she was most definetely a liberal, and said so herself.

Eutrusca is more a moderate than her.

And he definetely has a voice.

The US has a long history of electing moderates to the highest office. The nearly guaranteed failure of non-moderate presidential candidates is built into the two party system. With very few exceptions, its been moderates who have run the US since its founding. They do get a voice, a much more important one than the voice of the radicals.

Check yourself there. For the last 25 years (probably more) the US has been run by corporatists more interested in their and their friends' wealth than the well-being of the country. S'why we call 'em politicians and not statesmen.

It seems even the libertarians, lacking any real chance at grasping power, have still gone down the path of extremism.

Check yourself there. For the last 25 years (probably more) the US has been run by corporatists more interested in their and their friends' wealth than the well-being of the country.

but it's not like instituted sweeping reforms or held some sort of a revolution while doing it. their political positions have been largely been 'moderate', tending towards the center of the already ridiculously narrow range of acceptable political discourse in america. cronyism and corruption aren't signs of extremism; they're par for the course when it comes to institutions of power. business as usual, and typically utterly bland and boring to boot.

Because no one has ever gotten laid for being a moderate. Extremists are sexy.

My father had a saying, "the only thing in the middle of the road is a yellow line and dead skunks".

I agree with the sentiment of having, holding, and defending views. I don't care for a laissez-faire and wishy-washy view of politics, but I believe that we have a problem identifying what moderate is - and who Moderates (or centrists) are and what they stand for.

If a Moderate is someone with few opinions, a fence-straddler, then I'm opposed. Give me someone who says what he means, means what he says, and doesn't hesitate to take a stand.

If a Moderate is an independent thinker who is unmotivated by extremist rhetoric, is able to choose a practical course of action, guided by the understanding that extremists will exhaust themselves in battle and eventually compromise - as they usually do - then I am all for him. Let them knock themselves out, then sit down with them and work out real solutions. A Centrist/Moderate can choose from all views and facts presented, and need not be bound by party ideology and emotion.

I am tired of the Ann Coulter vs. Michael Moore school of debate. I feel strongly about issues, and excercise the freedom to choose what I support without the pressure of party, institutional thinking, or others' emotion. I feel very strongly about matters which I choose, and I work at implementing them. I don't see myself as being in the middle of the road - hell, father would kick my ass if he were around - I see myself as having a better view of the whole road.

Well if we're talking about the US...

Most people tend to consider themselves moderates. Therefore if there was a moderate party, the moderate party would always win, effectively creating a one party state. And we know what THAT leads to....