I’ve grown to consider the reading material found on The Straightdope Board as a major part of my education. While I post only when my fancy is tickled – I read posts almost daily. I search for posts on every subject and I’m never – ever – disappointed in the highest quality of debate found on this board. I absolutely love the debate form as a method for forcing out different aspects of a subject – and rounding out the subject for a reader.
Now here’s my fear. I suspect that Straightdope could fairly be labeled a “liberal” or ‘left leaning’ board. I understand that the representation here is broad but the posters and the threads starts might be described as left of center, predominate on this board. (No, I don’t have a cite .) By saying that, I mean – certain viewpoints appear strongly over-represented on this board when compared to the general population. That is not in itself a bad thing – but what that “fact” does do is create the impression that there is more out there to learn. Good, Bad, Or Indifferent ---- Another universe of ideas just might be out there that may not be getting a fair representation at Straightdope. With all of those assumptions in mind ---- and I understand they are “assumptions” only — I ask this. >>> Is there a conservative counterpart to Straightdope somewhere out there in the ether? If so, I’d love the web address so I can go take a peek, or two or 1,002.
There is one, but it’s a little extreme so I don’t think mods would appreciate me citing it (even if I wanted to I can’t remember it’s name).
But as I said that is an extreme board. I do not know of any Right of Centre or non extreme ‘right’ boards (I am sure others here do)
As a left leaning person myself I find it hard to concede that any rightwing viewpoint is a good thing for anyone to learn, believing that right-wing views are old-fashioned and therefore are things we should forget, rather than seek to learn.
Having said that I am politically naive, so am probably wrong about my previous paragraph, it is just how I tend to think. If anyone can prove me dead wrong feel free.
But -
If what you seek is to escape from the risk of learning a left-slanted POV of an issue that may not be the whole truth by finding out what the right-slanted pov is. Using those two POVs to figure out what the truth actually is.
How can you hope to argue against a position if you’re ignorant of it?
Personally, I find this BBS well left of centre, but being a centrist (between Left/Socialism and Right/Capitalism), I read Blogs of both descriptions. I am, however very much a Libertarian (as opposed to Statist) but whereas there are a number of Libertarian blogs, I have yet to find a pure Statist blog - many socialists seem to be statists, but many do not.
.) By saying that, I mean – certain viewpoints appear strongly over-represented on this board when compared to the general population. That is not in itself a bad thing – but what that “fact” does do is create the impression that there is more out there to learn. Good, Bad, Or Indifferent ---- Another universe of ideas just might be out there that may not be getting a fair representation at Straightdope. With all of those assumptions in mind ---- and I understand they are “assumptions” only — I ask this. >>> Is there a conservative counterpart to Straightdope somewhere out there in the ether? If so, I’d love the web address so I can go take a peek, or two or 1,002.