goths and politics survey - please help!

[insolitus_noir]

Greetings, everyone.

I'm writing a feature for Morbid Outlook on goths and politics and, as part of my research, I'm conducting a little survey. If you have a moment, would you kindly help me out by answering a few questions? You'll find the survey right here:

www.inkandashes.net/gothpoll

Results will be published sometime during the summer, depending on the editorial schedule.

[blackwater1110]

Okay, I answered your poll. In return, please post your article here when you're done, or provide a link, for those of us who can't get ahold of a copy ourselves. Deal?

[Lolly PopMuzik]

Originally Posted by insolitus_noir

*old Animaniacs survey ladies* Wouldja like to take a SURVEY?!

Hmm, no question regarding ethnicity or race?

[Wednesday Friday Addams]

12. Who do you prefer: Hillary Clinton or John McCain?
Hillary Clinton
John McCain

Whoever wins we lose.

[Godslayer Jillian]

What the fuck! Know that you give no chance for anarchists to answer honestly.

[insolitus_noir]

blackwater: deal.

LollyPopMusik: Animaniacs. Excellent. And no, no question on ethnicity or race. Perhaps on a future, larger survey, but for now my focus lies elsewhere.

Wednesday: I couldn't agree more.

Godslayer Jillian: I feel your pain, guv. I really do. I'm an anarchist myself. However, the survey isn't intended to test ideological purity, anarchist or otherwise (and that's not even getting into all the flavours of anarchy), but examine instead how people feel towards the current candidates and the issues as defined by mainstream politics. While I realize that, as anarchists, our solutions to many issues would not fit in any of the options presented to us, what I want to know is how you feel about the options currently being presented to us.

[blackwater1110]

Originally Posted by Godslayer Jillian

What the fuck! Know that you give no chance for anarchists to answer honestly.

Seconded. I just supposed that all those other questions started with, "if you were coerced into participating in a rigged, crooked, and illegitimate political scheme, and had to choose between three flavors of shit, which would you choose?" as well as "if you were forced to accept the rule of law of a government over all people unfairly, including policy decisions forced upon the large majority by a smaller minority over issues which don't concern them, which of the prepackaged ideological stances would you prefer for them to control you with?" I have that problem in pretty much all surveys like this, so you are basically forced to "buy in" on the majority of questions just to complete them. "Yah. The pollsters are all a bunch of conformists." (smokes clove)

[KontanKarite]

Yeah... the survey didn't do me any justice really.

[insolitus_noir]

I can understand how some of you feel the survey doesn't do you justice. Can any survey really accomplish that? If you choose not to participate, I won't be offended at all.

All I can say is that one of the (many) shortcomings of any survey (and I've taken classes on statistics, epidemiology, and the like) is that it's not possible to capture every shade of grey. Some of the questions were deliberately framed to force a choice. Some of the questions serve more to ensure internal consistency in answers than to address the specific goal I have for the survey. Short of asking people to answer essay question, limits are unavoidable. And as I mentioned, the survey isn't about what we would *like* to see, but how we feel about the current options presented to us by dominant politicians. (Blackwater, Godslayer Jillian...how about we start a thread on being an anarchist in today's political climate? There's a good discussion, there...)

But I like I said. If you don't like and don't feel like answering, don't worry about it. I'll certainly take your concerns into account for the next survey, whose construction will depend on the results I get with this informal first step.

[GothicChristian]

Originally Posted by Wednesday Friday Addams

12. Who do you prefer: Hillary Clinton or John McCain?
Hillary Clinton
John McCain

Whoever wins we lose.

Not entirely, we could always have them mysteriously die in their sleep, or they could be bludgeoned to death by angry Americans, I'm praying for the last one. >.< That wasn't very Christian of me to say, I know, but lying is worse!

[HumanePain]

Originally Posted by insolitus_noir

I can understand how some of you feel the survey doesn't do you justice.

Look: if you were really interested in the opinions of Goths regarding politics (which is what your thread title infers), you must realize that Goths think waaaaay outside the mainstream. We are not sheep. The issue we have is that your poll offers mainstream choices, not the broader choices some of us would prefer. For example there is no mention of eliminating Corporate Welfare. (Tax forgiveness by the government.)

[insolitus_noir]

Originally Posted by HumanePain

Look: if you were really interested in the opinions of Goths regarding politics (which is what your thread title infers), you must realize that Goths think waaaaay outside the mainstream. We are not sheep. The issue we have is that your poll offers mainstream choices, not the broader choices some of us would prefer. For example there is no mention of eliminating Corporate Welfare. (Tax forgiveness by the government.)

For the last time, the survey is ABOUT attitudes towards mainstream choices, and I UNDERSTAND what the survey's shortcomings are.

The problem is that while it's a comfortable belief to think that we goths are oh-so-radical, experience suggests that this is sometimes true, sometimes not. Just like there are religious goths and atheist goths, wolf goths and sheep goths., friendly goths and attitude-laden goths. There is simply nothing beyond anecdotal evidence and wishful thinking to support statements along the lines of "goths are politically radical," or "goths are highly individualistic," or any other "goths are X" kind of assertions.

As far I know, no one - certainly not in the mainstream - has attempted to do any kind study to get beyond the anecdotal to figure out what the goth community looks like in the aggregate. At least, nothing serious. But in order to really do the goth community justice, a certain baseline, which we don't have yet, must be established. So, HumanePain, please credit me with some competence here. This is but a necessarily imperfect first step that will provide the baseline for a more accurate and comprehensive study, a lantern to light the way, if you will. And like I said, if you don't like the survey, don't respond. I won't be offended.

EDIT: And thank you all for the feedback. It will certainly be very useful for future work.

[le_revenant]

I voted for Kodos!

[Godslayer Jillian]

Originally Posted by insolitus_noir

while it's a comfortable belief to think that we goths are oh-so-radical, experience suggests that this is sometimes true, sometimes not.

I actually agree with this. Believing goths are overall radical would be an unbased fantasy. While there's more atheists, freethinkers, and pagans among goths, I'm pretty sure when it comes to politics most goths, even respectable goths, are either uninterested or simply fitting under the mainstream idea of 'liberal'.
I'm pretty sure anarchists are a minority among goths.

[Mother Of All Things Odd]

Originally Posted by Wednesday Friday Addams

12. Who do you prefer: Hillary Clinton or John McCain?
Hillary Clinton
John McCain

Whoever wins we lose.

I haven't really been here that long but that is pretty much the most profound statement on our presidential candidates this year. But hell the truth is the truth

[HumanePain]

But it's like the question:

"Have you stopped beating your wife?"

[Godslayer Jillian]

Originally Posted by HumanePain

But it's like the question:

"Have you stopped beating your wife?"

Not!
That's an answer hackers and some linguists recommend.

[Ishan]

Originally Posted by Godslayer Jillian

I actually agree with this. Believing goths are overall radical would be an unbased fantasy. While there's more atheists, freethinkers, and pagans among goths, I'm pretty sure when it comes to politics most goths, even respectable goths, are either uninterested or simply fitting under the mainstream idea of 'liberal'.
I'm pretty sure anarchists are a minority among goths.

There is little to define the true nature of Goths than to say we break the mainstream in order to find our own truth. This makes our segment of the world very attractive to those who attack based upon bias, fear and misunderstanding. It also means our permissive and experimental proclivities garner the momentary participation of the darkest of souls; true Goths are passionate, and draw inspiration from their dark nature whilst seeking the light. The dichotomy is a curious study, for certain. By the way, being Pagan is probably as original and veritable a trait for a Goth than any other faith - thank you, Godslayer, for including us ... make certain to capitalize next time. LOL!

[Mr. Ed]

Originally Posted by Ishan

There is little to define the true nature of Goths than to say we break the mainstream in order to find our own truth. This makes our segment of the world very attractive to those who attack based upon bias, fear and misunderstanding. It also means our permissive and experimental proclivities garner the momentary participation of the darkest of souls; true Goths are passionate, and draw inspiration from their dark nature whilst seeking the light. The dichotomy is a curious study, for certain. By the way, being Pagan is probably as original and veritable a trait for a Goth than any other faith - thank you, Godslayer, for including us ... make certain to capitalize next time. LOL!

Sometimes I wonder if I'm the only Catholic on the entire board.

[VampireFaust]

Is the poll still open or have the results already been published?

[insolitus_noir]

Sorry I haven't been checking the boards lately. Crazy busy.

The poll is still functional, and the deadline has been extended to August 1st. So, there's still time to participate. As for when results will be published, that will depend on long it takes me to compile the results and complete the write-up. It will also depend on my editrix's publishing schedule. I'll post a link here when the results are published.

Thanks again to everyone who participated!

[Tauschung]

Just answered your poll.

[insolitus_noir]

Originally Posted by Tauschung

Just answered your poll.

Thank you muchly.

[insolitus_noir]

Results are in! Read all about it in this month's issue of Morbid Outlook .

[Godslayer Jillian]

That's cool, 15% consider themselves anarchists.