Can't Sleep Quiz: Kept Awake by a Naked Fear of Global Annihilation edition
1. Ethnicity
a. Do you feel your ethnicity is a large part of your life?
Yerp. Please read "Privilege, Power and Difference" by Allan Johnson if you're white and you don't think your ethnicity is a large part of your life.
b.What is your ethnicity?
White American
c.Is your ethnicity distinct from your national identity?
No, but skin color is a pretty basic distinction in terms of privilege globally.
d.Do you speak the same language your Grandparents spoke?
Yes
e.Great great Grandparents?
Not on my mom's side, I think a couple of them spoke German and Swedish.
f.Do you have a feeling of solidarity or even simple recognition for people of similar backgrounds?
I didn't really appreciate how much my sense of place and national identity was a part of me until I left the country, though. I really, really missed the States when I was abroad...things like the way you understand people's non-verbal messages, the fact that there is a kind of broad national character.
g. What part does the perception of race play in your understanding of your own ethnicity?
When people talk about "race" in this country they're mostly talking about ethnicity. Most white people don't really understand that because it's the whole fish in water thing...white ethnic culture is the dominant culture. It's invisible to us because our ethnic group is what's portrayed as the "norm".
h. Do you feel your ethnicity is a matter of "blood" or descendency or do you feel it is cultural?
I think it's an social institutional thing. Light-skinned people trade in distinct ethnic heritages to become white, to very material advantage. At this point, if you have light skin, have a Christian-normative upbringing (celebrate Christmas, etc.) and speak English as your first language, you're white, so where your ancestors came from is immaterial.
2. Politics
a.Do you follow politics?
A bit, but more right now.
b.Are your politics similar to or wildly divergent from those your parents espoused when you were growing up?
My folks divorced when I was little, and my dad's family is Republican while my mom's is Democrat. I grew up seeing how similar their values were, but that my "liberal" relatives were/are more likely to say stupid racist, classist shit than my "conservative" relatives, and less likely to be willing to consider alternative opinions. I've always thought that was very interesting. I ended up far, far more liberal than the most liberal of my family, but very much in line with the values of my conservative family.
c.Do you feel your personal politics spring more from how you perceive your needs or from your personal morality? Something else? What do you base your political decisions on?
I don't know if politics are separable from morality. I think it's immoral to allow children to go without health care. I think it's immoral to let kids go without solid educations. I base my political decisions (voting, I guess) on which group is most likely to advance a more socialist agenda. I'm totally, fundamentally a democratic socialist, and that's a very personal moral feeling I have as well as something I think is egalitarian and just for a plural society.
d.Do you feel that any political party or movement truly represents your values?
Neither of the big 2, but the dems obviously do better.
e.Do you feel any particular political party is looking out for your interests?
I think they're looking out for the interests of their careers, their big donors, lobbying groups, and what they view as the interests of their constituencies. My own personal interests are basically not the point in national politics, and that's the way it should be. We all have a stake.
f. Have you studied history? How has this affected your political view?
It was my "major", and yes, it has had a profound impact on my political views.
3. Sex
a. Do you feel sex is a moral issue?
Between consenting adults without developmental disabilities, no.
b. Do you ascribe an inherent value to virginity?
For consenting post-pubescent people without developmental disabilities, no.
c. Do you feel that some sexual thoughts/feelings/or behaviours are acceptable for one gender but not for another?
No.
d. Is the "forbidden" somehow more sexually exciting for you?
No.
e. Do you tend to be more passive or aggressive sexually?
I think we have pretty egalitarian sex. TMI. Sorry.
f. Do you think celibate people are "better" people or simply have less of a sex drive?
No, and it depends on why they're celibate. If it's a religious thing, probably not, but some people apparently don't really feel the need.
g. Do you feel sex between two consenting adults can be "wrong"?
No, but there's a lot of shit I think is super unappealing.
h. Do you believe there are any inherent differences between the minds of men and women?
Our brain chemistry is different. But that's tricky, and not well understood, and I think drawing broad conclusions about men and women from what we do know is pointless at best.
i. Do you think strangers can have satisfying sex?
I would assume so, since some people seem to have sex with strangers on a regular basis.
j. Conversely do you think it is possible to have sex with the same person for 30 years and still find it exciting and fulfilling? What about hot?
7 years in, it just depends on the situation. Sometimes it's hot, sometimes it's not. I'm assuming it'll be like that in 23 years, too.
4. Food
a. Do you cook?
Yeah, but neither as well or as diversely as I'd like.
b. Do you feel the use of mixes and prepared foodstuffs is a moral question?
What?
c. How often do you eat meals outside the home?
I don't know...maybe once or twice a week. Not sit-down restaurant meals, though...we can't afford that more than once or twice a month.
d. How often do you have a sit down meal at home?
At least once every day.
e. Do you feel eating is a moral question? Do you feel you are a moral failure when you take great pleasure from eating?
Yeah, in the age of factory farming and impending global food shortages. I think organic, local and low on the food chain is probably better for everyone, but on the other hand them's who's got it should share. And the second part...what? This survey is kind of awesomely weird.
f. Do you feel morally superior when you refrain from eating?
No. I think my mom does, though.
g. Do you ever pass judgement on strangers based on the items in their grocery carts?
When I see people with kids buying horrible shit, I feel pretty bummed out. I feel very satisfied when I see people with carts full of whole foods. I'm a jerk.
5. Religion
a. Do you believe in a god or gods?
I'm an agnostic theist, so my answer is a conditional no, then a conditional yes. I practice the Buddha dharma, which at its most basic is not actually a religion. I DO NOT believe in the God of the Abrahamic faiths. That God sucks balls.
b. Do you feel your god/s is/are personal and are concerned with the minutae of your daily life?
I kind of feel like if there is a "God"-being, some kind of grand sentience, it's not omnipotent or even omniscient, it's a parent. It has the power to give life and to provide guidance, but it can't actually make us do anything. In that case we'd all be its children, so I could see it being really incredibly pained to see us hurting each other so badly.
c. Do you think other people who believe as you believe are inherently better people than those who have different beliefs?
No, but I think fundamentalism is dangerous and I think I'm a better person than, say, some of the mega-church Christian right pastors who preach bigotry, misogyny and hatred to thousands of people every day.
d. If you could wave a magic wand and convert everyone on earth to your belief would you? Why? Why not?
I would convert everyone to a fundamental, ingrained, inviolable belief that the safety and well-being of children is sacrosanct.
e. Were you converted from one religion to another?
I once accepted Jesus into my heart. I think he left his Rob Zombie t-shirt and Reservoir Dogs on VHS, but I don't have his phone number.
f. Was your religion inherited, as in do you worship and believe in much the same fashion as your parents and grandparents before you?
My dad's side was Catholic, so no, and on my mom's side they've actually been atheist humanists for several generations, which is kind of interesting. My folks are probably both agnostic.
g. To what extent are your religious beliefs cultural? Or to put it another way are they the prevailing beliefs and customs of your social set? Is your religion "normal" for your area?
My upbringing was Christian-normative (we celebrated Christmas and Easter, etc.) which is obviously the dominant model in this country. My "social set" is pretty hostile or at least very distrustful towards religion, probably more so than I am. I think there are probably a lot more Christians around than I'm aware of, based on the number of churches up in here.
h. Does the god of your understanding play favorites or does it love everyone more or less equally?
I think only dickhole gods play favorites (like having a "chosen" people, or having selective admission to Paradise), and I don't want to have anything to do with them.
i. Does the god of your understanding condone killing?
The God of My Understanding(TM) says: Humans killing humans is wrong 99.9% of the time, humans killing animals is complicated but mostly wrong, and animals killing animals is their business. Animals killing humans is disturbing but probably fair.
j.Does the god of your understanding play favorites with one gender over the other? Making only women her emissaries on Earth, for instance, or saying that women are the "natural" heads of the household and men their "servants"?
What?
k. Does god as you understand it care if teenagers masturbate?
Where did you get this questionnaire, C?
l. How does your god feel about sex?
"These god questions are boring." -C
m. Same sex marriage?
My God says "Go to bed, K, and stop worrying about global food shortages, hateful mega-church pastors, climate change-induced apocalypse, knife-wielding intruders, earthquakes, your lack of disaster preparedness, and your household budget." Amen. (And hook up that gay marriage shit, it's a basic civil right.)
a. Do you feel your ethnicity is a large part of your life?
Yerp. Please read "Privilege, Power and Difference" by Allan Johnson if you're white and you don't think your ethnicity is a large part of your life.
b.What is your ethnicity?
White American
c.Is your ethnicity distinct from your national identity?
No, but skin color is a pretty basic distinction in terms of privilege globally.
d.Do you speak the same language your Grandparents spoke?
Yes
e.Great great Grandparents?
Not on my mom's side, I think a couple of them spoke German and Swedish.
f.Do you have a feeling of solidarity or even simple recognition for people of similar backgrounds?
I didn't really appreciate how much my sense of place and national identity was a part of me until I left the country, though. I really, really missed the States when I was abroad...things like the way you understand people's non-verbal messages, the fact that there is a kind of broad national character.
g. What part does the perception of race play in your understanding of your own ethnicity?
When people talk about "race" in this country they're mostly talking about ethnicity. Most white people don't really understand that because it's the whole fish in water thing...white ethnic culture is the dominant culture. It's invisible to us because our ethnic group is what's portrayed as the "norm".
h. Do you feel your ethnicity is a matter of "blood" or descendency or do you feel it is cultural?
I think it's an social institutional thing. Light-skinned people trade in distinct ethnic heritages to become white, to very material advantage. At this point, if you have light skin, have a Christian-normative upbringing (celebrate Christmas, etc.) and speak English as your first language, you're white, so where your ancestors came from is immaterial.
2. Politics
a.Do you follow politics?
A bit, but more right now.
b.Are your politics similar to or wildly divergent from those your parents espoused when you were growing up?
My folks divorced when I was little, and my dad's family is Republican while my mom's is Democrat. I grew up seeing how similar their values were, but that my "liberal" relatives were/are more likely to say stupid racist, classist shit than my "conservative" relatives, and less likely to be willing to consider alternative opinions. I've always thought that was very interesting. I ended up far, far more liberal than the most liberal of my family, but very much in line with the values of my conservative family.
c.Do you feel your personal politics spring more from how you perceive your needs or from your personal morality? Something else? What do you base your political decisions on?
I don't know if politics are separable from morality. I think it's immoral to allow children to go without health care. I think it's immoral to let kids go without solid educations. I base my political decisions (voting, I guess) on which group is most likely to advance a more socialist agenda. I'm totally, fundamentally a democratic socialist, and that's a very personal moral feeling I have as well as something I think is egalitarian and just for a plural society.
d.Do you feel that any political party or movement truly represents your values?
Neither of the big 2, but the dems obviously do better.
e.Do you feel any particular political party is looking out for your interests?
I think they're looking out for the interests of their careers, their big donors, lobbying groups, and what they view as the interests of their constituencies. My own personal interests are basically not the point in national politics, and that's the way it should be. We all have a stake.
f. Have you studied history? How has this affected your political view?
It was my "major", and yes, it has had a profound impact on my political views.
3. Sex
a. Do you feel sex is a moral issue?
Between consenting adults without developmental disabilities, no.
b. Do you ascribe an inherent value to virginity?
For consenting post-pubescent people without developmental disabilities, no.
c. Do you feel that some sexual thoughts/feelings/or behaviours are acceptable for one gender but not for another?
No.
d. Is the "forbidden" somehow more sexually exciting for you?
No.
e. Do you tend to be more passive or aggressive sexually?
I think we have pretty egalitarian sex. TMI. Sorry.
f. Do you think celibate people are "better" people or simply have less of a sex drive?
No, and it depends on why they're celibate. If it's a religious thing, probably not, but some people apparently don't really feel the need.
g. Do you feel sex between two consenting adults can be "wrong"?
No, but there's a lot of shit I think is super unappealing.
h. Do you believe there are any inherent differences between the minds of men and women?
Our brain chemistry is different. But that's tricky, and not well understood, and I think drawing broad conclusions about men and women from what we do know is pointless at best.
i. Do you think strangers can have satisfying sex?
I would assume so, since some people seem to have sex with strangers on a regular basis.
j. Conversely do you think it is possible to have sex with the same person for 30 years and still find it exciting and fulfilling? What about hot?
7 years in, it just depends on the situation. Sometimes it's hot, sometimes it's not. I'm assuming it'll be like that in 23 years, too.
4. Food
a. Do you cook?
Yeah, but neither as well or as diversely as I'd like.
b. Do you feel the use of mixes and prepared foodstuffs is a moral question?
What?
c. How often do you eat meals outside the home?
I don't know...maybe once or twice a week. Not sit-down restaurant meals, though...we can't afford that more than once or twice a month.
d. How often do you have a sit down meal at home?
At least once every day.
e. Do you feel eating is a moral question? Do you feel you are a moral failure when you take great pleasure from eating?
Yeah, in the age of factory farming and impending global food shortages. I think organic, local and low on the food chain is probably better for everyone, but on the other hand them's who's got it should share. And the second part...what? This survey is kind of awesomely weird.
f. Do you feel morally superior when you refrain from eating?
No. I think my mom does, though.
g. Do you ever pass judgement on strangers based on the items in their grocery carts?
When I see people with kids buying horrible shit, I feel pretty bummed out. I feel very satisfied when I see people with carts full of whole foods. I'm a jerk.
5. Religion
a. Do you believe in a god or gods?
I'm an agnostic theist, so my answer is a conditional no, then a conditional yes. I practice the Buddha dharma, which at its most basic is not actually a religion. I DO NOT believe in the God of the Abrahamic faiths. That God sucks balls.
b. Do you feel your god/s is/are personal and are concerned with the minutae of your daily life?
I kind of feel like if there is a "God"-being, some kind of grand sentience, it's not omnipotent or even omniscient, it's a parent. It has the power to give life and to provide guidance, but it can't actually make us do anything. In that case we'd all be its children, so I could see it being really incredibly pained to see us hurting each other so badly.
c. Do you think other people who believe as you believe are inherently better people than those who have different beliefs?
No, but I think fundamentalism is dangerous and I think I'm a better person than, say, some of the mega-church Christian right pastors who preach bigotry, misogyny and hatred to thousands of people every day.
d. If you could wave a magic wand and convert everyone on earth to your belief would you? Why? Why not?
I would convert everyone to a fundamental, ingrained, inviolable belief that the safety and well-being of children is sacrosanct.
e. Were you converted from one religion to another?
I once accepted Jesus into my heart. I think he left his Rob Zombie t-shirt and Reservoir Dogs on VHS, but I don't have his phone number.
f. Was your religion inherited, as in do you worship and believe in much the same fashion as your parents and grandparents before you?
My dad's side was Catholic, so no, and on my mom's side they've actually been atheist humanists for several generations, which is kind of interesting. My folks are probably both agnostic.
g. To what extent are your religious beliefs cultural? Or to put it another way are they the prevailing beliefs and customs of your social set? Is your religion "normal" for your area?
My upbringing was Christian-normative (we celebrated Christmas and Easter, etc.) which is obviously the dominant model in this country. My "social set" is pretty hostile or at least very distrustful towards religion, probably more so than I am. I think there are probably a lot more Christians around than I'm aware of, based on the number of churches up in here.
h. Does the god of your understanding play favorites or does it love everyone more or less equally?
I think only dickhole gods play favorites (like having a "chosen" people, or having selective admission to Paradise), and I don't want to have anything to do with them.
i. Does the god of your understanding condone killing?
The God of My Understanding(TM) says: Humans killing humans is wrong 99.9% of the time, humans killing animals is complicated but mostly wrong, and animals killing animals is their business. Animals killing humans is disturbing but probably fair.
j.Does the god of your understanding play favorites with one gender over the other? Making only women her emissaries on Earth, for instance, or saying that women are the "natural" heads of the household and men their "servants"?
What?
k. Does god as you understand it care if teenagers masturbate?
Where did you get this questionnaire, C?
l. How does your god feel about sex?
"These god questions are boring." -C
m. Same sex marriage?
My God says "Go to bed, K, and stop worrying about global food shortages, hateful mega-church pastors, climate change-induced apocalypse, knife-wielding intruders, earthquakes, your lack of disaster preparedness, and your household budget." Amen. (And hook up that gay marriage shit, it's a basic civil right.)