A Tardy Hello

[Duncle]

Hi Everyone

I've been on the forum for a while, and I recently realized that I'd never introduced myself. The trigger for my deciding to do so now is a reply to one of my posts from drunkenshoe, which contained a number of false assumptions about who I am and what I believe in. So...s short introduction to me would seem to be in order.

I'm in my early 50s. I'm British, living in Southern England.

I'm a lifelong Atheist and philosophical Materialist.

I have an active interest in a number of academic areas, including Philosophy, Psychology, History and Comparative Religion.

Politically, I would self-identify as a Libertarian Socialist. I am strongly pro-civil liberties and anti-censorship. I believe passionately in equal oppurtunities for everyone. I deeply distrust the centralized state, and support greater local control over decision-making. I hold that the wealthy, as the main beneficiaries of our economic system, should be heavily taxed in order to pay for services for everyone else. I'm generally pro-free trade (but not at all keen about some of the specific TPP provisions), pro-trade union, pro-technology. I view climate change as probably the biggest challenge that we face, but other than that I'm at most a very light green (I don't have a problem with GMOs, for example). Although I'm not an Anarchist, Left-Wing Anarchism has been a big influence on my thinking- I suppose you could characterize my views as a kind of "Kropotkin Lite".

Hope this is informative.

Best wishes to all

Duncle

[stromboli]

Welcome back.

[Mr.Obvious]

I'd welcome you to our little band of heathens, but we both know you already made yourself at home. ;)

[PickelledEggs]

lol Welcome (officially), Duncle

[Solomon Zorn]

Hi Everyone

I've been on the forum for a while, and I recently realized that I'd never introduced myself. The trigger for my deciding to do so now is a reply to one of my posts from drunkenshoe, which contained a number of false assumptions about who I am and what I believe in. So...s short introduction to me would seem to be in order.

I'm in my early 50s. I'm British, living in Southern England.

I'm a lifelong Atheist and philosophical Materialist.

I have an active interest in a number of academic areas, including Philosophy, Psychology, History and Comparative Religion.

Politically, I would self-identify as a Libertarian Socialist. I am strongly pro-civil liberties and anti-censorship. I believe passionately in equal oppurtunities for everyone. I deeply distrust the centralized state, and support greater local control over decision-making. I hold that the wealthy, as the main beneficiaries of our economic system, should be heavily taxed in order to pay for services for everyone else. I'm generally pro-free trade (but not at all keen about some of the specific TPP provisions), pro-trade union, pro-technology. I view climate change as probably the biggest challenge that we face, but other than that I'm at most a very light green (I don't have a problem with GMOs, for example). Although I'm not an Anarchist, Left-Wing Anarchism has been a big influence on my thinking- I suppose you could characterize my views as a kind of "Kropotkin Lite".

Hope this is informative.

Best wishes to all

Duncle

I think pretty much like you do. But I have highlighted an area where I have to disagree.

For a lot of things, the local government is not sufficient. The federal government is necessary to protect our liberties, in many cases where common sense doesn't seem to be present, on the local level.

[Baruch]

Local government in England, Councils? ... are a very different thing than Federalism in the US.  Basically everything used to be run, in England, from City Hall ... being The City ... in London.  It would be natural to distrust such an arrangement.  Basically councils in England are like muppets controlled from London, are they not?

[Duncle]

Local government in England, Councils? ... are a very different thing than Federalism in the US.  Basically everything used to be run, in England, from City Hall ... being The City ... in London.  It would be natural to distrust such an arrangement.  Basically councils in England are like muppets controlled from London, are they not?

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have significant autonomy, and are (sort of...I guess) comparable to US states. England has most of the population (over 80%), and its very centralized indeed.

Councils used to have a lot of financial autonomy. They lost that under Thatcher. Nowadays, they're pretty much muppets, as you say.

[Blackleaf]

I was wondering who the heck you were. lol. Welcome to our little band of misfits.

[Sal1981]

Hi.