You know, I didn’t realize it until you said it, but centrism is accepting both positions, and it’s also rejecting both positions. In both cases you’re holding the two sides as equivalent.
And ultimately, I feel that authentic political engagement comes from your own values and not fear of associating with people who are in your corner for the wrong reasons. It’s entirely possible to reject mainstream political narratives across the board, come to your own conclusions, and end up somewhere other than the center.
Absolutely. When you come to your own conclusions, it’s easy to disavow radicals that want to rub shoulders with you. When you follow an ideology, you’re forced to associate with everyone who claims to follow that ideology.
Yeah, the only time where I think centrism is valid is actually with Israel, because genuinely the IDF and Hamas are both evil and kill civilians without a care. Even then of course there’s distinctions to make and consider. But that’s a whole separate deal.
I think the best position is to be solidly in A or B, but acknowledge that the other side has some valid points and your side has some valid flaws. That’s a mark of wisdom imo. Unfortunately, I think people oversimplify it and think that centrism is the same thing.
There’s also the power dynamic to consider, the centrist position is to let the IDF murder all of Gaza, they keep chewing through children like nobody’s business.
Oh yeah, absolutely. IDF or Hamas, whoever has more power is going to kill civilians en masse with it. This is the one time I’ll actually unironically say both sides are the same. There is a power imbalance, absolutely, but there’s no doubt that they both have the intent to annihilate the other.
Centrism is meaningless. When your only position is to reject both positions, your fundamental position rests on the affirmed positions of others.
You know, I didn’t realize it until you said it, but centrism is accepting both positions, and it’s also rejecting both positions. In both cases you’re holding the two sides as equivalent.
And ultimately, I feel that authentic political engagement comes from your own values and not fear of associating with people who are in your corner for the wrong reasons. It’s entirely possible to reject mainstream political narratives across the board, come to your own conclusions, and end up somewhere other than the center.
Absolutely. When you come to your own conclusions, it’s easy to disavow radicals that want to rub shoulders with you. When you follow an ideology, you’re forced to associate with everyone who claims to follow that ideology.
Exactly. Compromise isn’t a virtue in and of itself. Centrism may on a case by case basis be correct, but only as accident.
Yeah, the only time where I think centrism is valid is actually with Israel, because genuinely the IDF and Hamas are both evil and kill civilians without a care. Even then of course there’s distinctions to make and consider. But that’s a whole separate deal.
I think the best position is to be solidly in A or B, but acknowledge that the other side has some valid points and your side has some valid flaws. That’s a mark of wisdom imo. Unfortunately, I think people oversimplify it and think that centrism is the same thing.
There’s also the power dynamic to consider, the centrist position is to let the IDF murder all of Gaza, they keep chewing through children like nobody’s business.
Oh yeah, absolutely. IDF or Hamas, whoever has more power is going to kill civilians en masse with it. This is the one time I’ll actually unironically say both sides are the same. There is a power imbalance, absolutely, but there’s no doubt that they both have the intent to annihilate the other.