I find it interesting...

[seawasp]

... to note the complete polarized diversity in my friends' lists on both LJ and FB; I have friends on the extreme liberal treehugger side, and on the right-wing fanatic side, and in directions that don't fit in the normal polarized categories, and me, often looking at all of them in bemusement.

I sometimes wonder whether I'm unusual in this wide diversity of political opinion, or if this is the norm; I would tend to expect people who have very strong political opinions that shape their actions would have a harder time having someone with polar opposite opinions in their friends' lists, but perhaps not; perhaps the thing that leads often to people hurting each other online -- the lack of direct connection, separation from the person -- could also lead to more overall tolerance in that they aren't seen as a direct threat. But I don't know.

Just a late-night idle thought before heading off to bed.

Comments

[alex swavely (from livejournal.com)]

No, me too.

And there used to be a coffee house near me that had just about the entire spectrum of political and social belief sitting at the same community table every night.

[isleburroughs.livejournal.com]

I actually do hug the tree in my yard on occasion:D

One of my bfs is one of them gun totin' republicans, Bush guy, loves Palin but didn't take her very seriously. I think he just liked her legs. But we don't talk politics much except to laugh at how much we disagree. *phew!*

[randallsquared.livejournal.com]

I think that it's extremely unusual to have a lot of diversity in views among a single person's online-only friends. It's so much easier online than in person to separate into like-minded groups, and I think that this ease is a major reason for the increasingly shrill tone from the extreme left and right.

People who have a lot of online friends of both extremes typically fall into one of a few sets: people who have lots of offline friends of both extremes already, for whatever reason; people who have political views that largely consist of some left and some right extremes (libertarians, for example, who might be considered the anti-moderates); and people with non-political followings, like fiction authors and musicians.

[murstein.livejournal.com]

I go out of my way to pay attention to the more rational members of both the right and left wings. I've been known to make the same observation in two places, and been called a right-wing lunatic in one and a left-wing lunatic in the other.

Sadly, this is no longer the norm. It used to be that everyone heard a mixture of both right and left, if they paid any attention to the news at all. Just about every news source prided itself on providing at least two viewpoints to every seemingly important issue. Today, you have to go out of your way to get that. Even Google News profiles us, based on the articles we click on, to slide the articles "more relevant to your interests" toward the top.

[goodluckfox.livejournal.com]

On Facebook and LJ, if one of my friends stops posting about their own lives, and starts using it strictly as a vehicle for their political beliefs, I unfriend 'em. If I wanted to read a political blog, I'd go read one or several. I follow my friends because they're people I care about.

My life is interesting enough to post about things other than politics. :) Maybe not everyone is so "lucky". :)

[elainegrey.livejournal.com]

I suspect the economic policy opinions of my LJ friends (libertarians, capitalists, and socialists) varies far more broadly than the social concerns. I've pacifists to supporters of the military. I know the social/sexual identities vary dramatically, and the theological positions, educational backgrounds, mental health and physical abilities and ages vary.

I know i have one person on the Christian fundamentalist side -- he'd been involved with dominionist congregations -- and i wonder if we both connect just as an act of listening to the other. I can listen to him (except for one of his hobbies: that's what the scroll wheel is for) and believe i should listen to more folks who have such different views. I don't have any neocons (i don't think), no persons with extremely polarized opinions about the middle east (unlike in real life, where i do), no folks who jump to mind as hawks.

I tend to find folks based on network of friends friendships, seeing comments on posts, and adding folks when they seem particularly articulate and compassionate.

If any of your friends see this and want to friend a Quaker (because that would be different for them) i'd be happy to read their point of view.

[xander-opal.livejournal.com]

I've noticed this, myself. People seem pretty polarized in discussions at college, as well. Folks seem to be settling further into their viewpoints or politics.

[zanzjan.livejournal.com]

I have lots of friends across the political spectrum, more online than in real life though there's a fair variety there too. Some tense times lately, but we're careful to retreat to what we do have in common whenever tempers start to rise.