| TWTD is a hotbed of left wingers 08:15 - Mar 31 with 10316 views | urbanpenguin |
People keep writing on here that TWTD is full of "left wingers", or even worse "the far woke".
But is it? I didn't want to do a poll because that would only descend into a binfire, but I am nonetheless interested in the fact some people think this website has an Overton Window further to the left than other places in the world.
I suspect that what's actually happening is that those people who otherwise post on Twitter/X or in closed family Facebook groups are here suddenly encountering different views and counter opinions where normally there's a bubble of agreement.
That doesn't mean that everybody here is left wing, just that perhaps it slightly more reflects a broader society, but they cannot get their minds around that and so just believe and shout that they are drowning in a sea of lefties.
Or perhaps, for no logical reason I can imagine, a thirty year old website run by a couple of football fans has somehow turned into a Suffolk amalgam of Tribune, Pravda and The Morning Star, just with more content about Bontcho. [Post edited 31 Mar 8:17]
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| TWTD is a hotbed of left wingers on 11:05 - Mar 31 with 785 views | GlasgowBlue |
| TWTD is a hotbed of left wingers on 10:55 - Mar 31 by SonOfSpock |
Indeed, like locking people up for social media posts and recently voted in favour of dispensing with Jury trials in certain cases and significantly reducing appeal to Crown court.. |
In fairness, those social media posts were incitement to murder. |  |
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| TWTD is a hotbed of left wingers on 11:10 - Mar 31 with 745 views | Benters |
| TWTD is a hotbed of left wingers on 08:38 - Mar 31 by Herbivore |
And yet some posters constantly berate the left for not being willing to engage in debate with those they disagree with. It's patently not true. We've tried, repeatedly. I've asked Benters some thought provoking questions about his politics recently and his support for Farage in the face of what Farage stands for and have done so perfectly reasonably. He doesn't respond or throws in a glib one liner. A couple of posters recently described Zach Polanski as dangerous because he supports decriminalising drug use, I provided an argument - backed up by actual evidence - for why that's not a remotely dangerous policy but is quite a sensible policy that has worked elsewhere. They disappeared rather than engaging in debate. I'm not sure what more we can do. |
Thanks for the mention.
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| TWTD is a hotbed of left wingers on 11:10 - Mar 31 with 757 views | Nthsuffolkblue |
| TWTD is a hotbed of left wingers on 11:05 - Mar 31 by GlasgowBlue |
In fairness, those social media posts were incitement to murder. |
Indeed. No one is locked up "for social media posts".
But in the same way, the law applies to comments made within a social media post and any other form of communication. And that is absolutely reasonable. Incitement to murder, rioting, racial hatred, etc. You can't just go, "ah, but it was just a social media post so it doesn't count." |  |
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| TWTD is a hotbed of left wingers on 11:11 - Mar 31 with 750 views | WeWereZombies |
| TWTD is a hotbed of left wingers on 10:50 - Mar 31 by Guthrum |
I think what you've said does require training. Particularly in an era where everyone is brought up on soap operas and TV dramas full of overwrought and emotionally unstable characters screaming at each other (if not actually trying to get people sacked or kill them).
Melodramatic acting is mistaken for normal social interaction. Especially on the internet, where emotional and empathic signals are largely missing.
Plus the idea that truth is based upon one's gut feelings, rather than hard facts. |
Sounds like you're doubling down a bit there, Guthers... |  |
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| Little known fact…. on 11:11 - Mar 31 with 737 views | Benters |
| Little known fact…. on 08:54 - Mar 31 by Bloots |
….old Benters can be found every weekend standing outside Clacton pier sporting rainbow hair, wearing a Che Guevara t-shirt and selling copies of the Morning Star. |
*Rainbow wig* | |
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| TWTD is a hotbed of left wingers on 11:12 - Mar 31 with 742 views | Camul123 |
| TWTD is a hotbed of left wingers on 10:36 - Mar 31 by LA_Tractor_Boy |
Obviously you care about politics and I don't. Not loudly and proudly, but it's all a bit 'meh' to me.
Genuine question. As it's so important to you, what do you do to influence anything other than pay to join a union and stick a cross in a box?! |
Margaret Thatcher introduced the Community Charge, better known as the Poll Tax.
People of a political bent made their objections.
The rest is history.
Be political. |  | | |
| TWTD is a hotbed of left wingers on 11:12 - Mar 31 with 739 views | Guthrum |
| TWTD is a hotbed of left wingers on 11:00 - Mar 31 by urbanpenguin |
Yeah. It does. And one of the reasons that politicians (of all stripes) largely come from private schooling system is because those schools put a lot of attention into things like music, theatre, debating and expression - all tools that help build confidence, social engagement and strategies of persuasion that are fundamental to our current politics. Obviously, for so many politicians (and others in power, especially economic and media power) to come from a small subset if society and education skews everything hugely.
I've just listened to Nick Robinson interview Zack Polanski. For the record, I am a Green member and have been a few years after I lost hope in Labour. That said, I think he comes across very well and I would encourage posters on this site who throw silly phrases around and at anyone not right wing to listen. They may not be convinced, like him, or like green policies, that's fine, but they may be interested in the discussions around storytelling, theatre, persuasion and bullying narrative. They may also realuse that discussion and debate is useful.
If interested: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/p [Post edited 31 Mar 11:03]
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I went to a public school which (pre-National Curriculum era) included a lot of acting in the teaching of English.
But it is far from exclusive. Late 19th and early 20th century Working Class movements taught and encouraged public speaking and debate skills. |  |
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| TWTD is a hotbed of left wingers on 11:13 - Mar 31 with 718 views | WarkOfTheTown |
| TWTD is a hotbed of left wingers on 08:20 - Mar 31 by Herbivore |
There's about 4 or 5 posters who are genuinely further left than centre left on the entire board. The idea that we're all communists (I mean, I am, but I'm one of the exceptions) is for the birds. We've normalised politics that is quite far to the right of centre in this country so anyone who isn't right of centre is now a lefty according to many on here. |
Generally, those of us on the left believe in fairness, inclusion and equality. We believe people should pay their fair share of taxes, with the wealthiest paying more than those on lower incomes. We want to protect institutions like the NHS, and we are concerned about climate change.
Those on the right are generally selfish, who take little or no accountability for their actions, and care little for those outside of their family and friendship groups.
Note my use of the word generally | | | |
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| TWTD is a hotbed of left wingers on 11:16 - Mar 31 with 695 views | urbanpenguin |
| TWTD is a hotbed of left wingers on 11:12 - Mar 31 by Guthrum |
I went to a public school which (pre-National Curriculum era) included a lot of acting in the teaching of English.
But it is far from exclusive. Late 19th and early 20th century Working Class movements taught and encouraged public speaking and debate skills. |
Oh, absolutely, and in the interview I mention Zack discusses working class theatre of the oppressed and community theatre. My work is in other forms of the arts, and I'm actively involved in opening up participation - in fact my charity runs a three floor community art space in Hillsborough, Sheffield, that's full of kids every weekend, as well as other projects up and down the country including community theatres.
But Humanities, music and expression has been sucked out of the curriculum whereas it's doubled down in private education, and a cynic would say that the ruling classes have done this intentionally - something I'm inclined to agree with. [Post edited 31 Mar 11:22]
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| TWTD is a hotbed of left wingers on 11:16 - Mar 31 with 692 views | Nthsuffolkblue |
| TWTD is a hotbed of left wingers on 11:13 - Mar 31 by WarkOfTheTown |
Generally, those of us on the left believe in fairness, inclusion and equality. We believe people should pay their fair share of taxes, with the wealthiest paying more than those on lower incomes. We want to protect institutions like the NHS, and we are concerned about climate change.
Those on the right are generally selfish, who take little or no accountability for their actions, and care little for those outside of their family and friendship groups.
Note my use of the word generally |
The strange thing is that many on the right are not so selfish as have fallen into the ideology that it is unfair to expect the richest to pay more. It is a narrative fed by the media which is largely controlled by some of the richest in society.
They are taught to fear the little guy rather than those with the control and power. After all, it won't make any difference who that is they're all the same. | |
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| TWTD is a hotbed of left wingers on 11:21 - Mar 31 with 669 views | chicoazul |
| TWTD is a hotbed of left wingers on 08:38 - Mar 31 by Herbivore |
And yet some posters constantly berate the left for not being willing to engage in debate with those they disagree with. It's patently not true. We've tried, repeatedly. I've asked Benters some thought provoking questions about his politics recently and his support for Farage in the face of what Farage stands for and have done so perfectly reasonably. He doesn't respond or throws in a glib one liner. A couple of posters recently described Zach Polanski as dangerous because he supports decriminalising drug use, I provided an argument - backed up by actual evidence - for why that's not a remotely dangerous policy but is quite a sensible policy that has worked elsewhere. They disappeared rather than engaging in debate. I'm not sure what more we can do. |
And on this, Farage is pro decriminalisation as well. |  |
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| TWTD is a hotbed of left wingers on 11:21 - Mar 31 with 670 views | WeWereZombies |
| TWTD is a hotbed of left wingers on 10:36 - Mar 31 by LA_Tractor_Boy |
Obviously you care about politics and I don't. Not loudly and proudly, but it's all a bit 'meh' to me.
Genuine question. As it's so important to you, what do you do to influence anything other than pay to join a union and stick a cross in a box?! |
You can canvass for the party you support and you get the chance to talk to your prospective Parliamentary candidate face to face as you knock on doors together, was doing that last week. You get to feed back what you have found out that is happening locally and they get to make an impression on you that you can communicate to other voters. | |
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| This forum has always…. on 11:23 - Mar 31 with 656 views | J2BLUE |
| This forum has always…. on 08:40 - Mar 31 by Bloots |
….been a massive lefty bumfest.
Over recent years it’s been exacerbated by a handful of the far woke also being the loudest, most frequent and most aggressive posters.
End of political editorial. |
100% this.
With a rolling cast of the same 10ish core posters with their alt log ins who absolutely dominate any political thread. |  | | |
| TWTD is a hotbed of left wingers on 11:23 - Mar 31 with 660 views | Churchman |
| TWTD is a hotbed of left wingers on 09:23 - Mar 31 by ElderGrizzly |
This is it exactly.
The vitriol in the US is because it is has gone so far to the right, that the centre-left people are seen as extreme. Biden and Harris positioned as communists and extreme left, when they were centre at best, if not slightly right of centre.
I'm very much centre-left here and thought I had middle of the road views, but they are not twisted by Farage and Lowe's lot into extreme-left, 'woke' views. |
Agree with you about how the Democrats are viewed from my limited experience. My political views pretty much accord with yours too.
I’ve seen politicians up far too close. I have almost universal contempt for what I have seen and heard. Nothing I’ve seen since I stopped working has changed my view.
In terms of opinions, friends and acquaintances hold a wide spectrum of views which is interesting. There are some posters on here who hold very different political views to me but I have the utmost respect for and I will happily listen, sometimes change my mind or agree to disagree. No problem with that. How else do you learn?
Listening (reading) is the key. The old cliche of two ears one mouth, listen twice as much as you talk isn’t far wrong.
What I struggle with is rudeness and intolerance. Both are unacceptable. Nobody is always right and all views should be encouraged which is why I hold the opinion I do about giving the likes of Farage his airtime to destroy himself.
So is TWTD a hotbed of left wingers? Well, I don’t think the language of the title is right, but I do think it left leaning and doesn’t reflect the political make up of this country. There’s actually no particular reason why it should. |  | | |
| This forum has always…. on 11:24 - Mar 31 with 657 views | Nthsuffolkblue |
| This forum has always…. on 11:23 - Mar 31 by J2BLUE |
100% this.
With a rolling cast of the same 10ish core posters with their alt log ins who absolutely dominate any political thread. |
I would ask why this is. Why don't right-leaning posters engage? | |
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| TWTD is a hotbed of left wingers on 11:24 - Mar 31 with 655 views | thebeat |
| TWTD is a hotbed of left wingers on 08:20 - Mar 31 by Herbivore |
There's about 4 or 5 posters who are genuinely further left than centre left on the entire board. The idea that we're all communists (I mean, I am, but I'm one of the exceptions) is for the birds. We've normalised politics that is quite far to the right of centre in this country so anyone who isn't right of centre is now a lefty according to many on here. |
I think you'll find it' the other way round. Anybody who isn't left is instantly classed as far right | | | |
| TWTD is a hotbed of left wingers on 11:31 - Mar 31 with 627 views | chicoazul |
| TWTD is a hotbed of left wingers on 11:13 - Mar 31 by WarkOfTheTown |
Generally, those of us on the left believe in fairness, inclusion and equality. We believe people should pay their fair share of taxes, with the wealthiest paying more than those on lower incomes. We want to protect institutions like the NHS, and we are concerned about climate change.
Those on the right are generally selfish, who take little or no accountability for their actions, and care little for those outside of their family and friendship groups.
Note my use of the word generally |
Deranged take.
Informed right wing people are right wing because they are conservative by nature. They prefer the familiar to the new, the local to the super national, the tried and proven to the new and unknown. This is because this is what they think is best not only for themselves but everyone else too. That’s the opposite of being selfish and unaccountable.
Farage is not conservative. He is an insurgent who wants to change everything, including our gentle tradition of welcoming immigrants. This is what the simpletons who like Reform and Restore and the Tories don’t understand.
There is no right wing conservative party in UK politics at the moment. | |
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| This forum has always…. on 11:35 - Mar 31 with 614 views | positivity |
| This forum has always…. on 11:23 - Mar 31 by J2BLUE |
100% this.
With a rolling cast of the same 10ish core posters with their alt log ins who absolutely dominate any political thread. |
who has an alt log in on here? must be exhausting... | |
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| Here he is. (n/t) on 11:41 - Mar 31 with 573 views | Benters |
| This forum has always…. on 08:40 - Mar 31 by Bloots |
….been a massive lefty bumfest.
Over recent years it’s been exacerbated by a handful of the far woke also being the loudest, most frequent and most aggressive posters.
End of political editorial. |
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| TWTD is a hotbed of left wingers on 11:42 - Mar 31 with 567 views | Nthsuffolkblue |
| TWTD is a hotbed of left wingers on 11:24 - Mar 31 by thebeat |
I think you'll find it' the other way round. Anybody who isn't left is instantly classed as far right |
Ah, so this place is really a hotbed of far right supporters. | |
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| This forum has always…. on 11:43 - Mar 31 with 555 views | J2BLUE |
| This forum has always…. on 11:24 - Mar 31 by Nthsuffolkblue |
I would ask why this is. Why don't right-leaning posters engage? |
It's pretty pointless. I engage. Others do as well but the left on here generally think it's morally superior and talk down to everyone who in their eyes isn't as enlightened as them.
That's not a great starting point. Anyone looking at TWTD would assume society heavily leans to the left. Then we regularly get 'shocks' like Trump/Brexit when people get into the privacy of the voting booth.
Why does the left have this attitude of being morally superior and believe they are 100% right when society as a whole seems to be at the very least in the centre and probably towards the right? This is usually where they mention the media and how we're all brainwashed thickos.
If we're asking questions why do the centre right posters on here all post with one username but the lefty mafia have new posters every week who have knowledge of TWTD going back over a decade? Why so many alt accounts?
The whole thing is bizarre. Even the whats app group joke is based on actual proof of posters co-ordinating their responses (to be clear, none of them post at this time as far as I know although at least one did admit to having an alt so not 100% sure). | | | |
| This forum has always…. on 11:47 - Mar 31 with 535 views | Benters |
| This forum has always…. on 11:43 - Mar 31 by J2BLUE |
It's pretty pointless. I engage. Others do as well but the left on here generally think it's morally superior and talk down to everyone who in their eyes isn't as enlightened as them.
That's not a great starting point. Anyone looking at TWTD would assume society heavily leans to the left. Then we regularly get 'shocks' like Trump/Brexit when people get into the privacy of the voting booth.
Why does the left have this attitude of being morally superior and believe they are 100% right when society as a whole seems to be at the very least in the centre and probably towards the right? This is usually where they mention the media and how we're all brainwashed thickos.
If we're asking questions why do the centre right posters on here all post with one username but the lefty mafia have new posters every week who have knowledge of TWTD going back over a decade? Why so many alt accounts?
The whole thing is bizarre. Even the whats app group joke is based on actual proof of posters co-ordinating their responses (to be clear, none of them post at this time as far as I know although at least one did admit to having an alt so not 100% sure). |
Brilliant post. | |
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| This forum has always…. on 11:48 - Mar 31 with 537 views | Nthsuffolkblue |
| This forum has always…. on 11:43 - Mar 31 by J2BLUE |
It's pretty pointless. I engage. Others do as well but the left on here generally think it's morally superior and talk down to everyone who in their eyes isn't as enlightened as them.
That's not a great starting point. Anyone looking at TWTD would assume society heavily leans to the left. Then we regularly get 'shocks' like Trump/Brexit when people get into the privacy of the voting booth.
Why does the left have this attitude of being morally superior and believe they are 100% right when society as a whole seems to be at the very least in the centre and probably towards the right? This is usually where they mention the media and how we're all brainwashed thickos.
If we're asking questions why do the centre right posters on here all post with one username but the lefty mafia have new posters every week who have knowledge of TWTD going back over a decade? Why so many alt accounts?
The whole thing is bizarre. Even the whats app group joke is based on actual proof of posters co-ordinating their responses (to be clear, none of them post at this time as far as I know although at least one did admit to having an alt so not 100% sure). |
Don't you read some right-leaning posters as having the same 100% right approach? I do. I would also like to suggest that I am left leaning with an openness to listen to alternative opinions. I do dismiss people justifying racism and xenophobia rather forthrightly but I will listen to people making points surrounding it.
Don't we all think we are 100% right on things? If we didn't, we wouldn't hold the view we have on it, would we? | |
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| This forum has always…. on 11:49 - Mar 31 with 529 views | positivity |
| This forum has always…. on 11:43 - Mar 31 by J2BLUE |
It's pretty pointless. I engage. Others do as well but the left on here generally think it's morally superior and talk down to everyone who in their eyes isn't as enlightened as them.
That's not a great starting point. Anyone looking at TWTD would assume society heavily leans to the left. Then we regularly get 'shocks' like Trump/Brexit when people get into the privacy of the voting booth.
Why does the left have this attitude of being morally superior and believe they are 100% right when society as a whole seems to be at the very least in the centre and probably towards the right? This is usually where they mention the media and how we're all brainwashed thickos.
If we're asking questions why do the centre right posters on here all post with one username but the lefty mafia have new posters every week who have knowledge of TWTD going back over a decade? Why so many alt accounts?
The whole thing is bizarre. Even the whats app group joke is based on actual proof of posters co-ordinating their responses (to be clear, none of them post at this time as far as I know although at least one did admit to having an alt so not 100% sure). |
getting a bit tinfoil hat there, j2!
who has an alt log in on here? must be exhausting... | |
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| This forum has always…. on 11:52 - Mar 31 with 504 views | J2BLUE |
| This forum has always…. on 11:48 - Mar 31 by Nthsuffolkblue |
Don't you read some right-leaning posters as having the same 100% right approach? I do. I would also like to suggest that I am left leaning with an openness to listen to alternative opinions. I do dismiss people justifying racism and xenophobia rather forthrightly but I will listen to people making points surrounding it.
Don't we all think we are 100% right on things? If we didn't, we wouldn't hold the view we have on it, would we? |
Yes we all think we are right but some of us don't think our opinion is more valid and important than everyone else's.
If the greens had a 10 point lead in the polls I wouldn't be happy but that's democracy. Where as most of the left think they can see the truth as they are so clever and anyone who doesn't agree with their worldview is thick and/or racist. | | | |
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