# Your politics are the content of your character **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 30, 2016, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-politics-are-the-content-of-your-character/773477 "2016-11-30T18:34:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-politics-are-the-content-of-your-character/773477/1 "2016-11-30T18:34:06Z")
I want to float an idea from a pit thread and make it into an agreeable discussion. The idea is that you ought not to judge people for their political opinions. I’ve seen that before – that judging people by their politics is like judging them for their hair color. But politics is largely about how you want to treat other people. Your politics reflect your moral compass. Your politics reflect your intellectual honesty. Your politics can be mean and petty, or they can be generous and expansive. In short, your politics are not your hair color, and are tell on your real character. It may not be the complete story of who you are, but they are are decisions you make about how to treat others and if that’s not a valid way to judge you, what is? If you’re actually comfortable with the ramifications of your political decisions, why wouldn’t you want people to judge you based on your politics? It seems to me that in and of itself this betrays a flawed character. You feel like you aren’t personally accountable for the shitty things you want to do to other people. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-politics-are-the-content-of-your-character/773477/2 "2016-11-30T18:47:43Z")
Because politics are not a full measure of one’s character. For example, let’s talk about help for the poor. I’m a liberal who thinks that the government has a strong obligation to a social safety net, including things like early education programs like Head Start. I know conservatives who think Head Start is a wasteful program that has little lasting impact, and think it ought to be ended. I can name a couple of people with these views who have also done far more than I have to help underprivileged children, including things like spending lunch breaks reading to local kids from bad schools. If you judge these people by their politics, you are likely to conclude that they are hard-hearted bastards who want to kick very young kids out of school. If you judge the sum of their character, however, they are probably a better member of society than I am. ---
**Author:** ![WillFarnaby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/willfarnaby/32/514_2.png) [@WillFarnaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillFarnaby)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-politics-are-the-content-of-your-character/773477/3 "2016-11-30T18:48:11Z")
Politics concerns itself with the questions of how, when, why, where, and on whom is the use of violence appropriate. This is a narrow subset of ethics and does not comment on a wide range of human personality. For example, I don’t believe it is appropriate to use violence when someone has used marijuana and harmed nobody. This doesn’t mean I think it is wise to use marijuana, moral to use marijuana, etc. ---
**Author:** ![greenmario](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/97f17d/32.png) [@greenmario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/greenmario)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-politics-are-the-content-of-your-character/773477/4 "2016-11-30T18:52:11Z")
I think people are generally open to being judged by their political preference but they probably don’t think their ideas are as shitty as you think they are, and refuse to be told that they are in turn, shitty. In American politics the dominant two party system also means that if you are a single-issue voter on say abortion, you get judged in with bigots, homophobes, ect. ect. because a vote for the republican candidate has come to embody all of these things, regardless of how that individual voter actually is. ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-politics-are-the-content-of-your-character/773477/5 "2016-11-30T19:02:38Z")
Overall, I do think you can judge someone for their politics, but you certainly have to look at the totality of their intentions, especially if you’re looking at a simple yes/no vote or a binary Republican/Democrat choice. For most people, these binary decisions are the result of a complicated set of compromises. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-politics-are-the-content-of-your-character/773477/6 "2016-11-30T19:28:35Z")
Life is not black and white. Looking for simple answers to complex issues and labeling each person accordingly may help you as it supports your world view, but details matter. Life is not like the echo chamber of this board. The most upstanding member of your community, the admired father, business person, philanthropist, active in charities, could in fact be a terrible person. Wife beater, child abuser, just an asshole. You cannot truly know the heart of any individual or what their motives may be. No matter how close you become to them. To judge them based upon a few simple viewpoints is right up there with racism. In fact I see little difference. “I see _these_ _people_ this way” is not a productive viewpoint. I am sure that you know a few token conservatives but damn if any want to move into your neighborhood. And you simply would not tolerate them sending their kids to school with yours. They have their place. They need to be properly vetted of course. Insulate your life and family from these people. Perhaps you can get a local ordinance passed. Something like “no conservatives after sundown.” **tnetennba** your are correct. Politics is largely about how want you treat other people. Can you see how you want to treat those who are not of your clan? ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-politics-are-the-content-of-your-character/773477/7 "2016-11-30T20:14:09Z")
This is about what I expected, but less than I hoped for. ---
**Author:** ![Thing\_Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@Thing\_Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing_Fish)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-politics-are-the-content-of-your-character/773477/8 "2016-11-30T20:16:24Z")
Yes, politics are a reflection of your philosophy, which in turn are a reflection of your moral character. I think it is appropriate to put a lot of weight on politics when judging someone’s character, though it obviously isn’t the only factor to consider. I know Republicans who are generally kind and generous people, and vocal liberal Democrats who treat the people around them like shit. How could a kind and generous person possibly be a Republican? Through being misinformed and not bothering to find accurate information, like the person mentioned above who believes that Head Start is a failed program. This is certainly a moral failing, but shouldn’t prevent us from acknowledging and honoring the good aspects of that person. To say that judging people’s character based on their expressed beliefs is akin to racism is just ridiculously stupid. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-politics-are-the-content-of-your-character/773477/9 "2016-11-30T20:21:31Z")
> [@tnetennba](#): > > This is about what I expected, but less than I hoped for. What does this even mean, less than you hoped for? ---
**Author:** ![Pantastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3bc359/32.png) [@Pantastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pantastic)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-politics-are-the-content-of-your-character/773477/10 "2016-11-30T20:33:02Z")
> [@Dallas\_Jones](#): > > To judge them based upon a few simple viewpoints is right up there with racism. In fact I see little difference. “I see _these_ _people_ this way” is not a productive viewpoint. So you’re arguing that saying 'I think someone who supports blatantly racist policies is a bad person" is “right up there with racism”? Isn’t that a bit hypocritical, since you’re clearly saying that racism is bad, but also saying that condeming someone for supporting racism is as bad as racism? And they’re really not alike at all. People can choose what politics to support, they don’t choose their skin color. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-politics-are-the-content-of-your-character/773477/11 "2016-11-30T20:38:50Z")
IMHO, before judging someone for their views, it needs to be first found out how they got there. I typically loathe man-hating feminists (not all feminists - but the ones that do sincerely hate men), for instance, but if a man-hater became a man-hater due to having been the victim of rape or sexual assault or some other action perpetrated by a man or multiple men, then that man-hating stance is 100% perfectly understandable. Not good, but understandable. Just like if someone hates Jews due to having been bullied or taken advantage of a Jew or what - understandable but not good. ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-politics-are-the-content-of-your-character/773477/12 "2016-11-30T20:39:25Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > What does this even mean, less than you hoped for? I feebly hoped that it would be slightly more than the predictable knee-jerk responses from people who want to “explain” instead of having a discussion. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-politics-are-the-content-of-your-character/773477/13 "2016-11-30T20:41:40Z")
Feel free to respond to what I wrote. I’m happy to engage you further. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-politics-are-the-content-of-your-character/773477/14 "2016-11-30T20:43:05Z")
> [@dracoi](#): > > For most people, these binary decisions are the result of a complicated set of compromises. Right, which is why it’s unfair and absurd to paint all Trump voters with the widest brush possible and claim they’re all racist, bigoted, homophobic, rape-culture-celebrating neanderthals. They’re not, and I suspect a great many probably didn’t like either choice. ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-politics-are-the-content-of-your-character/773477/15 "2016-11-30T20:44:09Z")
Let’s just say Trump is off limits or it’ll turn into another of those threads. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-politics-are-the-content-of-your-character/773477/16 "2016-11-30T20:46:29Z")
Not all Trump voters are racist, bigoted, homophobic, rape-culture-celebrating neanderthals. If you agree with that sentence, substitute the terms “Muslims” and “terrorists” and see if that changes you mind. If it does… ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-politics-are-the-content-of-your-character/773477/17 "2016-11-30T20:48:45Z")
I didn’t mean for this to become another Trump thread. ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-politics-are-the-content-of-your-character/773477/18 "2016-11-30T20:56:16Z")
Raven, my annoyance is that you and three of the other first five posters all make the same point, and it’s one I made in the OP. Hence the feeling that people want to “explain.” Your example is a good one, but I think it goes without saying that people can have more or less the same goals but different paths for getting there. But to say there’s a such thing as a political opinion that doesn’t make someone a bad person is kind of strawmanning the argument. There are, and there are political opinions that are morally indefensible. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-politics-are-the-content-of-your-character/773477/19 "2016-11-30T21:14:54Z")
Let’s ask a few questions: 1. Have I known many people who held repulsively racist attitudes? Hey, I grew up in Archie Bunker’s neighborhood. Of COURSE I have. I have known people who couldn’t go 10 minutes without using the N word if you offered them a check for 100 grand. So, they were evil, right? Well, no. Many of them were kind, generous people. Many of them were people I loved, who loved me, who helped me in ways I can never repay. I don’t expect you to forgive those people for their ugly statements. I don’t expect black people to accept whatever excuses I can offer on their behalf. 1. Change it around. I regard abortion as a atrocity. That said, have I known women who are strongly pro-abortion, or who’ve had abortions? Sure. SOME of them are otherwise wonderful human beings. It’s hard for me to square that with my beliefs. But there is more to any human being than their ugliest thoughts or worst sins. ---
**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-politics-are-the-content-of-your-character/773477/20 "2016-11-30T21:21:42Z")
Actions count opinions do not. First instance I used to know a friend of my fathers who was a fireman. He used to love to tell gross stories of calls he did and he would often tell them in racist ways. Even though he was a racist he risked his life to go into burning buildings and save the lives of black people on several different occasions. I think his character was good because of his actions which were heroic and not his bad opinions. To even ask this question is arrogance and question begging. Everybody in politics wants a better world, they just disagree on how to get there. Pretending those who disagree with your means want evil ends just closes your mind. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-politics-are-the-content-of-your-character/773477.md?page=2)