Do you keep up with the "Anti-you's"?

Question

Inspired by an earlier convo...

If you're a feminist, anti-feminist, democrat, republican, atheist, christian etc, do you keep up with the other sides as far as reading blogs, books, radio shows, news articles, manifestos etc? Why or why not?

Answer 1

a little bit.

I do so because it is good to understand the other side.

and I may get info I didn't have before (which may or maynot make me relook at things)

Answer 2

Sure I do. How else will I be able to plan my own attacks?

Answer 3

I do frequently watch Bill O'Reilly. Mostly for laughs though....interesting question.

Answer 4

I consider myself to be an independent, and I'll read blogs, articles, or books, mainly for the search for ideas that make sense. But I've found that radio can be too irritating because some are so staunch in their views they'll drown out anyone who remotely disagrees. I also stay away from manifestos because tend to skew towards the extreme left or right.

Answer 5

Since I'm a feminist-I try to research the different branches of feminism and anti-feminsts. I know in each group there are good and bad-it's a matter of just how good and bad some of the left and right wing parts of groups get that interest me. I've been to right-to-life conventions and workshops-just to see what the party line was-and it was actually worse than I thought-I had no idea how naive I was about their goals (no birth control either) and methods. I could not believe the violence that was being justified to "save lives". I was so silly when I thought men's groups would be interested in learning about how to be better men who would want to work with feminists-what a shock when I started reading the anti-feminists and anti-women sites and their objectives.

I read books blogs newspapers magazines and regularly research topics that interest me. Since I'm getting a degree-I end up doing lots of research on a variety of topics. I try to keep up with the dem and repub platforms-but also the crazy parts of each group. I spend a lot of time in the political section of YA so I keep up on the latest nasty rumors about Obama and McCain-though Obama seems to get the brunt of it in YA Politics so far. I'm not into the christian/atheist wars so I stay away from it completely.

Answer 6

Why? I dont need to... They keep up with me! I only have time to keep up with my favorite team!

Answer 7

I tend to keep myself informed using various forms of information including, but not limited to newspapers, journals, television news, source references (e.g. Doctoral Dissertations) to become conversant in current events.

Answer 8

i don't like to consume my time with hate literature, but i do like the occasional glimpse to the "other side"...

Answer 9

No, why would I want to read something written by a pathetic douche bag misogynist clown?

Answer 10

Somewhat. I've researched men's rights groups because I was curious to see what was out there. Is it all negative or are there some positive messages out there? I was surprised to find not all men's/father's groups are about hating women and feminists. (Wanting to be better dads, have access to their kids, etc.)

I wasn't surprised to find groups that were all about blaming and complaining. I just think their time could be better spent trying to do some good in the world instead. Something positive.

Politically, I'm probably what you'd consider to be an Independent. I look at what both Dem's and Rep's have to say. I watch Fox News once in awhile. Don't really buy the "Fair and Balanced" line. LOL I have a hard time believing that many of the views expressed on this channel really represent the majority of Republicans. I've met some that I wouldn't put into the fundamentalist Christian neo-con category at all. I'm not impressed with views that are too skewed one way or the other, liberal vs. conservative. Nothing is black and white.

Well I am a Christian. I rather enjoy learning about other religions or even just Christian beliefs that differ from my own. Not to argue with anyone though...just discuss and perhaps learn something new. I'm pretty open when it comes to religious beliefs...whatever anyone believes or doesn't believe.

Answer 11

I play "follow the money" thoroughly with every foundation, individual, organization, every member on their boards, their alma maters and their banks.  It's quick and easy to do on the Internet.  There are "rivers" or currents in our society of old "Houses" and concentrations of wealth.  I follow the money just until I hit one of those currents.  Then I know if they are my enemy or not.  Any dribbling or drollings into, through or out of larger rivers of Christian-based dominionism is grounds for being my "enemy".  

Then, I identify their opponents and play "follow the money" with those people.  Interesting phenomenon emerges in that component of review because quite frequently you'll find that entities are creating an issue and have positioned basically hired and paid for "opposing" sides to debate an issue in the public eye to move the social consciousness in some direction, good and bad.

And then I like to read something they've written.  That let's me know how much a threat they are to humanistic / democratic society.  It also let's me know sometimes, that their irrational public image isn't a true reflection of their more rational selves and I then ratchet down my mistrust for them, which is of course what I did in William Buckley Jr.'s case. Or, it let's me know how stupid or sexist or racist they truly are, such as neoconservative U.S. Sec. of Education in the 1980's William Bennett, who wrote "The Book of Virtues".  By reading that book, it's clear that Bennett is a racist.

Many "anti-You's" aren't really players at all, just literally paid clowns playing a role, like Ann Coulter who profit from "shock speech", an act founded in tent revival ravings of the 1930's and is almost typically used for "fund raising" of some kind off the least educated most religiously feeble-minded populations (SEND IN THOSE DOLLARS AND PROTECT FAMILY VALUES, YOUR VERY WAY OF LIFE!!!!!!).  The introduction of a new shock speech clown is always a good heads up because, by following the money off that individual or who employees him or her, you can figure out which organizations are hemorrhaging financially or are building a war chest. THEN, I phone three or four rational people whom might know something about that industry or cause and ask them directly, "What do you know about, (say) the Heritage Foundation?"

I am especially interested in predicting which player is about to get burned or crucified.  For example, when the Christian Evangelicals announced about two years ago in their official publication that they were 40 million strong and that they would call for the violent overthrow of the U.S. government if it did not legislate into law that putrid religion's pet set of sensibilities, I focused on it's leader, Ted Haggerd.  I scoped him out and the whole cult and laughed, saying, "THAT boy's DOOMED."  Two weeks later he was outed as having a boytoy lover.  There are forces agin' the jackals and it is fascinating to watch that game between those who struggle to dominate and enslave us and those who struggle to protect democracy.

Answer 12

Yeah, as a general rule I tend to watch news things I disagree with most often.  The idea behind that is "I already know what *I* think, let's hear what all the others have to say...".

To be honest it could drive me crazy if I let it.

Answer 13

To an extent.  There aren't a lot of things I'm completely 100% for or against though.

Answer 14

somewhat.

i get the headlines for Christian Science Monitor. I actually like their format and find they do have some progressive-driven articles. they do have some conservative views too- they're the ones i want to know about.

i keep up with some of the anti-fem websites b/c of my interest in women's human rights (violence).