I've always been open minded. I also have a deep respect for intelligence and honesty. I'm generous to a fault, and a hopeless romantic. On the other side I tend toward impatience and pessimism. Forty plus years in a business that demanded perfection instills attitudes I guess.
I distrust authority, detest abuse of same and generally lean toward the cynical perspective in that arena. I am troubled by the ongoing trend toward shallowness and rampaging consumerism in America and how easily citizens are led my the media. All types of media.
Being the oldest of eight children whose father died at 44, casting me into the role of caretaker and provider at 16 no doubt influenced my contempt for the winner take all, survival of the fittest, me *first* mantra I so often hear coming from the right these days who seem to hold such contempt for the poor. It also probably explains my rather protective reflexes where children are involved.
It would be a most pleasant experience if some of the right leaning posters on Usenet could elaborate somewhat in their *own* words and from their own experiences just why they believe what they believe about the economic and foreign policies they so enthusiastically support rather than sounding like they are just repeating the code words of a law of the jungle ideology.
Even if we didn't agree perhaps we could at least better respect one another.
I might add that going for the laugh and good sarcasm are under appreciated around here. :) Oh, and irony also. ;)