How Diverse/Insular Are You?

[LizzieMaine]

Reading the recent political/religious threads here, I've been thinking about what an interesting and diverse lot of people we are -- we're united by a common interest in things vintage, but otherwise, we're all over the map.

And that strikes me as rather uncommon nowadays -- I get the feeling that it's a general tendency for people to surround themselves for the most part with others who agree with them -- to create their own little bubbles of unanimity on the sorts of issues that we've been discussing here lately. Me, I've tried not to do that -- a long time ago I spent a number of years as a member of a sect where it was forbidden to associate with non-members, or even read materials critical of the group's teachings, and as a result of that experience I've come to realize just how precious the idea of intellectual diversity really is. So I tend to go out of my way to make friends with people who don't necessarily agree with everything I say or believe -- just because I *can.*

I'd be interested to know how others here feel about this -- so, here's a poll!

 

[scotrace]

I divert from my insular friends on a reggler basis.

 

[Matthew Dalton]

I think it's only natural for this to happen; "birds of a feather..." and all of that. It's not necessarily a negative thing.

Problems just start when you decide that because you and your friends think a certain way, then it must be because you’re a microcosm of the majority of people; so everyone different is wrong.

 

[Elaina]

I think by diversifying one's life it gains a better understanding of many things. I'm leaving it at that because it goes all kinds of ways into, for me, relgion and morals and sometimes those are not always good to go into in public.

My three closest friends are all as different as can be from me, and other then a common interest in shopping (and not the same kind), the only things we have in common is we have husbands and at least one child. We are all different religions (muslim, hindu, catholic/greek orthodox and an atheist) different cultural backgrounds, different political beliefs and different lifestyles, but if they were not in my life, I think I would be less of a person then what I am.

Elaina

 

[Twitch]

Well, I don't really fit into any of the poll categories. I've always been a lone wolf and not a joiner of groups. I've never felt the compulsion to be reinforced by others for my beliefs. My interests are fairly esoteric but a few do share them but not many- WW 2 aerial combat history and old cars. I'm not a conformist. I sincerely don't care what anyone thinks of me. Passage of time- age- seems to do that.

Hmm? Perhaps that is another thing that makes Loungers similar- non-conformity

 

[Viola]

I'm the token conservative, usually. They keep me around for amusement purposes.

Of course I'm hardly a standard Republican either so...[huh]

Viola

 

[Powerhouse]

Well...

I don't have a "crowd" HAHAHA...lol

 

[Strider]

I get the feeling that it's a general tendency for people to surround themselves for the most part with others who agree with them -- to create their own little bubbles of unanimity on the sorts of issues that we've been discussing here lately.

That's exactly what happens. Opinions are no longer valued these days; you either agree with someone, or they will immediately judge you and call you stupid, ignorant, etc. There was a Dilbert comic I read in the paper the other day:

and that's pretty much how people think. Generally, I don't have the kind of discussions with people that can turn ugly unless I think they are intelligent enough to handle them, and even then with caution.

 

[Matthew Dalton]

Well, I don't really fit into any of the poll categories. I've always been a lone wolf and not a joiner of groups. I've never felt the compulsion to be reinforced by others for my beliefs. My interests are fairly esoteric but a few do share them but not many- WW 2 aerial combat history and old cars. I'm not a conformist. I sincerely don't care what anyone thinks of me. Passage of time- age- seems to do that.

Hmm? Perhaps that is another thing that makes Loungers similar- non-conformity

What you said describes me pretty well also.

I'd agree with the non-conformity in the Lounge, although I think perhaps there's quite a bit of gentle conformity in trying to fit in with the fashions and style of the 30's and 40's, no?

 

[Nick Charles]

ME TOO I'm with twitch and Dalton. Don't really have anyone I converse with regularly and don't know anyone vintage in town. I just do my own thing.

 

[Matthew Dalton]

I've got my friends who I speak to regularly, but only a few of them and for the most part we don't really connect.

If I was able to find a suitable “pack” I think I’d be a little less of a Lone Wolf. Social interaction is important. But even then, I’ll always enjoy being alone. Interaction is important, but definitely not as much with me as it appears to be with most others.

I guess this would mean I'm very insular in that I prefer the company of someone who agrees with me all the time; me. But paradoxically most of my friends are very different and a fairly diverse group.

 

[Dixon Cannon]

Let's face it.....

I'm a Neo-Jeffersonian, Constitutional Fundamentalist - a Libertarian! I believe in individual self-responsibility and limited government intrusion into the private lives of people. I believe in tax honesty, fully-informed jurys, holding government to the strict confines of our Constitution and citizen activism.

Eyes roll and arguments start everywhere I go! That's ok; at least we're talkin' !!

-dixon cannon

 

[Viola]

*rolls eyes at Dixon*

j/k We see eye-to-eye mostly. Sorry to ruin that arguing for you, big guy!

Viola

 

[Miss Crisplock]

I really don't have a "crowd". I have friends, relatives and aquaintences, but am no longer part of the kind of social group that I had in younger years. Most of the groups I belonged to were school based, or developed out of school relationships.

Which in itself would make the group insular, yes?

Accually, wouldn't all groups or crowds by definition be insular?

 

[mikepara]

I like the fact...

... that most of us in the Lounge fit happily into both camps.

Just by the standard reaction to most threads it seems whilst we can congratulate each other on nice purchases / lucky finds etc we wouldn't all go out and buy or wear the same item [even if we could find it] just because its from the era of choice.

I love items from most era's and in fact would love to live in a classic white 20's house. The inside however would be late 60's - early 70's decorated and furnished.

My Hifi music of choice would be Psychedelic or Surf with the odd 77 punk record in the pile.

My casual clothes very Mod 6ts My dress clothes 6ts with a load of 20's stuff with a large bit of classics from most eras.

I was amused a few weeks ago when I posted to a thread saying I thought a certain 60's group had poor style and I didn't like them. I was accused of being [40's] insular. Truth is I just dont like that groups style.

I wouldn't expect anyone else here to be as diverse as me but then I know lots of you are. Infact Imagine a 'do' like say the Queen Mary thing and hundreds of identical clones turn up. It would ruin it.

So I'm certainly not trying desperatly to fit into any era. If I like it i'll buy it if I can. I'm not after Brownie points.

 

[Paisley]

I don't have a "Friends" type of crowd, either. I have my best friend and best guy friend. As for my coworkers and dance partners, if we quit working together or dancing together, we'd probably never see each other again.

My best friend and I disagree on many social and political things, but she's coming around. (I'm more conservative, she's more liberal, but we don't argue.) She told me that she was home watching the movie "Rent" and turned it off because she didn't like the artists whining about the landlord throwing them out for being behind on their rent. She said they should get jobs and pay up. She's one "support our troops" bumper sticker from becoming a total Republican.

 

[deanglen]

The Lounge is very similar to the congregation I serve. I strive to be consistent in my ministry to impact diversity, not avoid it. Politics, beliefs, tastes, all very here and there, but I have a phrase I use in the services at Trinity when we ask folks to sign the attendance pads, it begins: "Your presence here is no accident..." I feel it fits the Lounge, too.

dean

 

[Miss Crisplock]

I embrace divertingly.

 

[Pilgrim]

I don't have a lot of people I consider close friends. Among those who are closest to me, we share a lot of opinions. However, I have friends at the next level who have a considerable variance of opinion and political orientation. We do our best to respect each other without spending time arguing.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

Another nonconformist.

I don't like anything phony or cheap, so that rules out about 90 percent of today's popular culture. I'm stuck with all of these values from the past, so I could never honestly conform much to this world. My artistic angst. :eusa_doh:
I've got a few close friends that basically feel the same way as I do on most subjects, so maybe that makes me somewhat insular too.
Geez,...I'm all messed up! [huh]