Opting out of Politics, My Reasons

[Cortopassi]

I’ve been a member since 2014.

It was an amazing find for me to run into Craig’s book at the library, and I ate up everything I could find about the Permanent Portfolio for months before deciding to commit my portfolio to it. I can easily say that changing to the PP has added years to my life, removed the stress of investing, and greatly to my net worth, which I am sure would not have happened otherwise.

I’d still likely be floundering from strategy to strategy, never settling on one and letting my emotions ruin my chances at profits.
Once the PP concept was in place for a couple years in my mind, I started tweaking it a bit, especially after Tyler put out his Portfolio Charts website. What a great tool! If you haven’t used it, do so.

I have met a lot of interesting characters on this forum – too many to name, and when we discussed the PP, it was generally cordial, although at times gold especially caused some heated arguments.
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And then Trump came along. As I’ve mentioned many times, I voted for him, but became disillusioned with him, especially his style, over time.
We seemed to settle into four camps after Trump, 1) die hard supporters, 2) supporters who held their nose at his style because they otherwise agreed with policies 3) people who stayed out of the political topics (smartest move) and 4) people like me who either already disliked Trump or grew to dislike him.

I am opting out of the politics board. I had hoped after the election we could all (America) take a step back and become more civil. If anything, the temperature has increased. There is no discussion anymore on most of the political topics, on this forum or anywhere. It’s more one side or the other putting out a topic meant to tweak the other side and start an argument that isn’t going to change either position. It’s not worth my mental energy anymore.

I just wanted to put my thoughts out there. I still hope over time we can get back to more civil discourse on all these topics across America.

[SomeDude]

Cort....there is a 5th camp that I'm in. I hold my nose at his policies but like him because of his style and personal qualities.

Regarding civil discourse and why it's really not possible......we have a basic premise difference in the country right now.

That difference is massive and it results in black and white differences on everything. Here goes:

A huge part of the country thinks a communist gang is seizing control of the government through election fraud and media lies and censorship.

Very hard to find common ground when that basic premise is disagreed on.

[Mountaineer]

I’ve been a member since 2014.

It was an amazing find for me to run into Craig’s book at the library, and I ate up everything I could find about the Permanent Portfolio for months before deciding to commit my portfolio to it. I can easily say that changing to the PP has added years to my life, removed the stress of investing, and greatly to my net worth, which I am sure would not have happened otherwise.

I’d still likely be floundering from strategy to strategy, never settling on one and letting my emotions ruin my chances at profits.
Once the PP concept was in place for a couple years in my mind, I started tweaking it a bit, especially after Tyler put out his Portfolio Charts website. What a great tool! If you haven’t used it, do so.

I have met a lot of interesting characters on this forum – too many to name, and when we discussed the PP, it was generally cordial, although at times gold especially caused some heated arguments.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
And then Trump came along. As I’ve mentioned many times, I voted for him, but became disillusioned with him, especially his style, over time.
We seemed to settle into four camps after Trump, 1) die hard supporters, 2) supporters who held their nose at his style because they otherwise agreed with policies 3) people who stayed out of the political topics (smartest move) and 4) people like me who either already disliked Trump or grew to dislike him.

I am opting out of the politics board. I had hoped after the election we could all (America) take a step back and become more civil. If anything, the temperature has increased. There is no discussion anymore on most of the political topics, on this forum or anywhere. It’s more one side or the other putting out a topic meant to tweak the other side and start an argument that isn’t going to change either position. It’s not worth my mental energy anymore.

I just wanted to put my thoughts out there. I still hope over time we can get back to more civil discourse on all these topics across America.

From a confessional Lutheran perspective, the main things worth discussing, and developing a thorough understanding of, are the Two Kingdoms. The kingdom of the left is the civil kingdom (politics) and the kingdom of the right the theological kingdom (religion). The easy way to remember that is to visualize Jesus hanging on the cross: The horizontal cross beam is how Jesus and we relate to each other, the vertical beam is how we relate to God. And, when God looks at us from the backside of the cross, all he sees is Jesus, not our sinful, sin fulled, disgusting behavior deserving of God's wrath. We are saved because of what Jesus did ..... for you, for me, for us.

All that said, I hope you return to the politics forum. I've always enjoyed your perspectives. I think the politics forum can be (and hopefully will be) a model of how people with different opinions/perspectives/worldviews can get along. And, you will leave out all the good thinking that comes from a full participation in life - The Two Kingdoms that God rules, not just one.

Blessings and best wishes Corto, whatever you decide. ... Mountaineer

[pp4me]

I think this opting out of politics trend might be closely tied to the thread that Doodle just started about diversity - and especially a study I referenced about how neighbors stop interacting with each other as neighborhoods get more diverse. Flaming responses to political posts seem to have gotten much more common as the forum has gotten more diverse.

[dualstow]

Opting out of Politics instead of the whole forum- that's the way to do it.
If I weren't moderating, I probably wouldn't look at Politics at all. In fact, I opted out when it was created, so I have to bypass that to even look (e.g. clicking on New posts does not show anything).

[Xan]

The forum used to be more politically diverse, and flames weren't part of the equation. Not sure just what the magic was. Maybe a lot of it is selective memory.

[dualstow]

The forum used to be more politically diverse, and flames weren't part of the equation. Not sure just what the magic was. Maybe a lot of it is selective memory.

I think the country has changed, and we are a microcosm of that.

[flyingpylon]

The forum used to be more politically diverse, and flames weren't part of the equation. Not sure just what the magic was. Maybe a lot of it is selective memory.

There’s a pretty definitive point in time that roughly half the country went batshit crazy. Thing is, everyone has their own opinion about which half. It’s been downhill from there.

[SomeDude]

The forum used to be more politically diverse, and flames weren't part of the equation. Not sure just what the magic was. Maybe a lot of it is selective memory.

There’s a pretty definitive point in time that roughly half the country went batshit crazy. Thing is, everyone has their own opinion about which half. It’s been downhill from there.

We also have about 40% thinking the presidential election was stolen, a several hour or less "occupation" of Congressional Hall by those people, gangs of shock troops from the other side having burned and rioted all year and still at it, a president that is God knows where, the legislative in conjunction with the VP possibly trying to oust him, media and social media companies moving to silence as quickly as possible those who disagree with their political views etc.

Not even picking a side with any of the groups above, I think my side on that is already clear.

I'm just saying, there are huge events taking place and a big power struggle orchestrated by powerful people and we are just peasants observing it. It's only natural some of us would take sides and those sides are coming to a head right now like none of us have ever seen.

Of course it would bleed over into discussion here. For God's sake children are doxing their parents and reporting them like it's Nazi Germany or post Soviet revolution Russia. And it might well be just that if the lefties get their way. Hah! had to sneak that last line in there...................

[mukramesh]

For God's sake children are doxing their parents and reporting them like it's Nazi Germany or post Soviet revolution Russia. And it might well be just that if the lefties get their way.

I'm scared to ask but... how do you think the lefties feel about if the righties get their way?

[SomeDude]

For God's sake children are doxing their parents and reporting them like it's Nazi Germany or post Soviet revolution Russia. And it might well be just that if the lefties get their way.

I'm scared to ask but... how do you think the lefties feel about if the righties get their way?

I have no idea. I actually don't know what lefties worry about. That is not hyperbole. If the government relaxes it's control over our lives, what do the lefties think will happen? Chaos?

Has this ever been a thread?

It might be a good topic because I don't know that answer.

[SomeDude]

just a "wild guess "
the lefties feel (they "imagine") if the right gets their way they will be fascists... and do to them exactly what they are doing now to the right.

they don't care about freedom, it is all about despotic control on both sides in their minds... and better to be the side that gets there first...

Ahhh classic projection

[SomeDude]

just a "wild guess "
the lefties feel (they "imagine") if the right gets their way they will be fascists... and do to them exactly what they are doing now to the right.

they don't care about freedom, it is all about despotic control on both sides in their minds... and better to be the side that gets there first...

The question remains....."do what"? What do they think will be done to them?

[Cortopassi]

You guys are turning this political!

Someone mentioned Angus King, the independent senator from Maine, interview on 60 minutes. I just watched it. Goddamn I wish we had 100 of him in the senate.

[Kriegsspiel]

A neat trick to prevent yourself from making political posts: every time you get the urge to broadcast your opinion, reach down your pants with your dominant hand and flick yourself in the testicle.

[barrett]

You guys are turning this political!

Someone mentioned Angus King, the independent senator from Maine, interview on 60 minutes. I just watched it. Goddamn I wish we had 100 of him in the senate.

I think that Angus King is the Cortopassi of the Senate! Seriously, I don't get how posters on this forum seem to mostly see things in black & white terms when most of the issues being discussed are so complicated. It seems to me that this is why posters are opting out of the politics section. It's the four camps you described where people are so reluctant to maybe look at things from a different angle.

I am curious if you still feel that you get some positives from the other (non-political) parts of the forum.

[Cortopassi]

You guys are turning this political!

Someone mentioned Angus King, the independent senator from Maine, interview on 60 minutes. I just watched it. Goddamn I wish we had 100 of him in the senate.

I think that Angus King is the Cortopassi of the Senate! Seriously, I don't get how posters on this forum seem to mostly see things in black & white terms when most of the issues being discussed are so complicated. It seems to me that this is why posters are opting out of the politics section. It's the four camps you described where people are so reluctant to maybe look at things from a different angle.

I am curious if you still feel that you get some positives from the other (non-political) parts of the forum.

Thanks! He was a breath of fresh air after listening to others, on both sides.

All I end up seeing mostly is mathjak's daytrading adventures which also gets me riled up because it usually means 50% of my portfolio is going down (TLT and gold)!!!!