Online tests and economic pigeonholing

[matgb]

Well, I remembered why I switched from Mozilla to Firefox, and went and did an OK Cupid! test. The browse didn't crash. Shame I can't say the same about Thunderbird; I've found all the mail, and been told how to reboot it so it loads it back up, but it won't give me a profile with access to it. Gah!

Anyway, to topic. I took the

You are a Social Liberal (70% permissive) and an... Economic Liberal (30% permissive) You are best described as a: Democrat Link: The Politics Test on Ok Cupid Also: The OkCupid Dating Persona Test

and found the results to be a little weird to say the least, although they didn't surprise me. Essentially, I'mstrong on social freedoms, but strong on social protection. The problem with these things is it judges a desire to give a safety net and an equal start to everyone as being economically controlling, and makes me non economically permissive.

Wrong! I'm a strong believer in the principles of a market economy, the Market is undoubtedly the most efficient means of distribution and exchange yet discovered, and it's pretty good with assessing the value of an individual product, as long as it is a functioning market.

The thing is, I don't believe in corporate ownership, and would rather shop in small, local businesses than chain stores whenver possible. But every tick in favour of controls on corporations makes me "less" in favour of economic freedoms. This isn't tied to online tests, it's endemic within commentary on economics. It's assumed you're either 'Left' or 'Right' economically, there doesn't seem to be any understanding of the difference between social justice, fair trade and a functioning market analysis.

Sorry, rant over, I return you to your regularly schedule of me bouncing all over the room and worrying about the phone bill.

Comments

[paulatpingu.livejournal.com]

I wont bother wasting bandwidth with anther picture, suffice to say that if I squint I think I'm a simdgen to the left of you on the social/economic scale.

(68%, 28% for what it matters)

Oh, congratulations on the bouncing by the way. Just don't do yourself an injury before you don't need to use the phone as a substitute, if you know what I mean.

[matgb]

What, us getting almost identical results on something that asks our opinions? Never!

I'll be emailing when I've finished getting gmail to work right.

[theweaselking.livejournal.com]

Pssst! That OK Cupid test, like most of it's sort, are written by Internet Libertarians with the express purpose of showing either that everyone is a Internet Libertarian or that Internet Libertarianism is the sole reasonable decision, ever.

Internet Libertarians can be distinguished from the normal kind by the fact that they're clueless assholes who actively deny facts that don't fit their worldview, instead of normal Libertarians, who are just ignorant of the facts and don't consider the consequences of their policies.

[matgb]

I don't know, it's a very similar result to my political compass result, which was again very similar to a thing I did with MORI a few years back. It's a crap test, but it put my result where I expected to see it. It's just wrong, but that's not the fault of the test, even economists don't understand what I'm talking about when I make the distinction half the time :-(

[paulatpingu.livejournal.com]

Er yeah, it's an internet test. If you pay anything more than passing attention to it, you're stupider than you look. I think with politics test I kinda know where I stand, what with having degrees in it an' all.

And it does rightly suggest that me and Mat are pretty much identical, which well, we are.

[nadriel.livejournal.com]

Care to explain the bouncing all over the room?

[nadriel.livejournal.com]

Oh, and will you be at the Cavern tomorrow?

[matgb]

If I'm at work, yes, if not, no.

Absolutely plan to be, and want to hear David's band, but I won't go out if I'm off sick, it's wrong.