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male
age
30-35,
*jf1989
writes:hello everyone,over the past month i have seen your site. it is a great site for exploring relationship, sexual or confidence problems. however, i have been skeptical. I have one critism that might be apparent.getting a little off topic, let me say that i have a lot of relationship problems. i am almost 18 and have never kissed a girl (let alone had a girlfriend. It used to eat me alive but because of a lot of your advice I am growing to accept myself and be comfortable with it. Being a relgious person I believe we all have our own cross to bare and God gave me this one because I could handle it best. I thank you for your pious knowledge.however, being from the states i tend to think more "right-wing" than a lot of you people from around the world. Regarding my spirituality i would like to say that i am very religious and this may the crux of my question.Blatantly stating all the advice that I have received has been good, BUT it has had a libral bias. I feel that a political overpowerment on a site forces someone to think with one lens. My question is does dearcupid have a leftist bias?
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reader, anonymous, writes (23 October 2007): I would just like to point out, that back in my day we had some pretty great students at our schools - 15 to 17 in age who can argue a point across WITH backup sources, and not just pulling stuff out of their asses and for the heck of it. So for you to say that you are JUST A KID doesn't say anything.
First, you started this 'discussion' here on DearCupid's main site. Second, you expect that all of our answers will be pacified. Third, you can't back-up your own ideas. Lastly, you withdraw from the thread you posted on the slight hint of defensiveness and assertiveness that members reply with. I mean what did you expect? Your thread is a question for debate and discussion. Simple as that.
As with someone who mentioned this earlier, the main site is for people who need help with their personal issues. The forum is where you can open up for debate and discussion. If you would have used some logic, regardless of your age, you will know that based on 99.9999999% of all the main site threads, your thread isn't quite in the right place. Then again, it's partially the mod who approved this thread in the first place.
As far as answering your question whether DC is a leftist society, I can tell you it isn't. Rather than being leftist, we are more moderately liberal and moderately conservative with the minority of extreme left and extreme right. The extreme right usually having their questions and posts rejected due to their usual aggressive and egotistical hurtful approach.
As you can also see by looking through the threads, we have a lot of religious people with their beliefs, but they range from traditional conservative to traditional liberal. Then there are a lot of others whom aren't religious but can still be traditional conservative and liberal based on their upbring and culture.
So as a conclusive summary, DC has a bit of everything, more so with people in the moderate conservative and moderate liberal range. I can tell you what DC doesn't and shouldn't have are extreme right and extreme religious. Those two things are usually full of undeserved hate, prideful ignorance, and unreasoned logic.
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reader, anonymous, writes (27 June 2007): Hang on, what I did say and which is clear, is that you want to fight.
We answered your questions just you didn't like how we did it, please differenciate. I did offer my opinion, you didn't like it, please differenciate.
I think it is a great idea for you to continue to use this site for relationship/life issues-that is what this site is intended for.
I don't believe you want to Americanize the site and you are reading into what I have to say. I did say if this is about you wanting a political debate forum, this area is not about that. Perhaps if you went to forums you would get what you want.
I don't know how all this conjecture is actually helping you and clearly it is not, you are unhappy with our responses. Perhaps handing in a script will aid us in this.
I don't lable it anything as Dear Cupid as I recogize this site as it is a hodge podge of many people from many backround be it cultural, belief/ religious/ political, educational, regional. To say it is one is very limiting and will be more a means to divide than unite. If we dare claim it is Americanized, that will cause contention and is unfair to this site and the people on it.
We use English to communicate but this is not a sole right to Americans-that's ignorant. I don't think this site is full of ignorants so even your interpretation of my words, twisted in bitterness, is unfair.
You are re-acting as your feelings are hurt and what you say is influenced.
So to answer your question, no I don't think Dear Cupid as a leftist or liberal bias. As this robs from the true purpose of this site and to admit to such a limiting and unfair title or classification would undo the mission of the Creator of this site.
This isn't political based but the people of this site, when offering their advice may rely on this as well as their wisdom or other knowledge that shapes who they are and their belief systems.
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reader, ajf1989 +, writes (27 June 2007):
ajf1989 is verified as being by the original poster of the questionmalyceYou are saying who am I to judge when you are clearly labeling me as a person who wants to come in "Americanize" this site.lastly if you feel that a person's opinion and their ability to judge should be taken away from them then you are more right wing than me.i am just some teenager who just had a question and maybe i should have not posted this question and went through this via another direction.ironic look i am sorry that i did not provide a link for this. in fact i googled this quote and nothing came up. i saw it on a Henry Knox article in school. I do not have this paper anymore. sorry for this incovience.oviously this is turning into a political argument and i will not post or even look at this question anymore.my purpose of this site is because i needed some help on relationships. i have posted 4 questions in my month here all having something to do with love.restating i am not some guy who wants to bring down this site down or "Americanize". i am just a KID who had a question. sorry if my arguemnt did not have much proof. i could get it BUT i am not. i do want to turn this into debate with a long list with me vs. the world. i am sorry if i projected this image. i request to delete this topic as long as the posters have seen my responce.on a side note thank you for helping me out. i will continue to post on your site if i need help.
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reader, Aunty Sarah  +, writes (27 June 2007):
 It is now wonder that you have had relationship issues. Take a chill pill and just enjoy life for what it is!
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reader, TasteofIndia +, writes (27 June 2007):
 It's hard to say that this site has ANY views, because the site is filled with individuals giving opinions. You can judge all you'd like the people giving advice, but you can't call the entire site "left" OR "right". Every Aunt on here comes from different walks of life and comes with their own views and political stance.
The wonderful thing about Dear Cupid is that ANYBODY and EVERYBODY can write. I see a lot of debating on here on a lot of really important issues - racism, abortion, divorce, gay & lesbian issues, sex... I think that's sort of the beauty of the site. You can see things from ALL sides of the story.
If you'd like to see more of your point of view, why don't you answer questions with your own ideas?
You raise an interesting question, but one without much validity.
Good luck, sweetness.
xxIndia
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reader, ironic nostalgia +, writes (26 June 2007):
 ajf1989, misunderstandings are abound.let me first state that the evidence i was looking for was advice from users that made you think this site has a "leftist bias."i wasn't looking for evidence of the founding fathers' opinions of modern america. on that note, though, i'll say that just mentioning the income tax doesn't qualify as evidence about the opinions of the founding fathers. you claim that they "stated that you cannot pull the the storng [sic] to make the weak stronger," but you provided no reference for this. how do i know that the founding fathers said this? i provided a reference for my argument, you did not. this is what i mean when i say you make claims without evidence.so i was looking for examples of "liberal bias" of this site from you, and you provided none. how can i examine your perception that the site has a bias if you won't explain your position? just stating that you think it is so doesn't help me understand why you think that way, and i would need to know why you think that way in order to answer your question.and your question wasn't simply "on an average person's perspective is this a leftist site?" but "does dearcupid [sic] have a leftist bias?" those two questions are fundamentally different. the former is asking everyone's personal opinion, while the latter is asking whether or not those who give advice on this site have a bias towards a progressive ideology. i was seeking to answer the original question you posted, which would require an explanation on your part as to why you think this site has a "leftist bias."hopefully this has cleared up any misunderstandings. my point is that your own personal perspective appears to be coloring your point-of-view to find bias where there probably isn't any. try looking at this site from an objective standpoint (and it is possible, unless you reject the concept of an objective reality). unless you can provide some evidence to support your claim, there's nothing i can do for you.
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reader, anonymous, writes (26 June 2007): Oh and what you fail to recognize that there are personality traits that will compel one to be a part of this site and offer their advice-that we have a more psychological link than a political or relgious one.
So if you want a political debate forum, head to a site that supports your craving.
If you came on here to rant and whine and have a tantrum under a guise of being educated, well sorry, I am sure most saw through it and chose to not jump for the fly.
This site is what is it and for where I am, on my side, I don't see it as leftist or right wing. There are far too many opposing views and differing opinions from my own to declare it justifyably anything.
It is what it is.
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reader, anonymous, writes (26 June 2007): You do raise a really interesting question about the perspective in which people give advice, it's something I think about a lot on here. On a website like this, I do think most advice is "personal" advice in which the writer is influenced by their own political or moral perspective. That is the difference between advice giving and a more professional form of counselling or therapy in which the facilitator is not there to put their own ideals on to another persons situation. I think good advice is always in the interest of the question asker which would if necessary go against the repliers own belief system. Take a fairly common question, abortion for example. If someone gives advice that seeks to provide the girl with information so that she can make an informed choice herself, where would that lie politically or morally? I have a feeling it would be seen as taking a certain political stance, but I'm inclined to think it is more neutral and without a bias.Another point I want to make, and I may be wrong, but a lot of Americans seem to be caught up in a "them vs us" or "good or bad" mentality, you tend to see things as black or white, e.g. you're a Conservative or you're a Republican. You're a creationist, you're evolutionist. I just wanted to make a point that this website isn't based in America nor are a majority of the writers American and that there are a lot of people who don't see things so distinctively and clear-cut, and that there is often a lot of grey between that black and white that defines our beliefs.
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reader, anonymous, writes (26 June 2007): First off. You relied on another's assessment and judgement of what this site is about. With this already tainted view, you came on here to prove him right or wrong? What does this say of you and your character?
Secondly, three people rise to the little fly dangling before them and you base a very biased, premeditated judgement on this site and all the people in it and with this generalization-deem it leftist.
Thirdly, if you so recognize that you are so right wing and this puts you at odds with others, again before you came on this site, you made a judgement call and concluded that it was against, opposing to your views and liking and with it you post your latest comment with the oh how disappointed and with a sneer, I should have expected these answers.
So what the hell are you on here and going on about?
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reader, ajf1989 +, writes (26 June 2007):
ajf1989 is verified as being by the original poster of the questionlet me elaborate when i meant anarchisti meant totally left wing sorry. bad word judgement.the founding fathers stated that you cannot pull the the storng to make the weak stronger.an example of how this is present in our society today is income tax.their is your evidencei consider my question closed and answered. Most of the answers are submininal stating "personally, i do have less conservative views on the world but that doesn't mean that everyone on this site has those views." oh and by the way I have clearly stated that I do have more right wing views of the world. which of course will lead me to believe that this a leftist site. that was not my question. let me restate my question. on an average person's perspective is this a leftist site? one of the main reason i asked this question is because on of my teachers told me about this site and he is admitted socialist. assuming that this site would have no bias i checked it out.personanlly i believe that is politically dominant should be clearly stated. on a even personal level I believe that a person should be aware of every side of the spectrum and then find their own opinion.further more i consider my question closed. i am mostly to blame on opening this can of worms. i understand that this apposes the purpose of this site. i should have expected these answers.
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reader, anonymous, writes (26 June 2007): Regardless of religion or political influences, which everyone in the world is influenced by knowingly and unknowingly-it's life. The people in this life, the world are who they are and they are entitled to what they will think, feel and will experience life. It is so easy to label others, put them into a box, and generalize for the sake of argueing.
People offer their insights based on life experiences which are lead by their beliefs. When it comes down to it, saying one is of one Religion should lend light to another's understanding of them and should not rob. Realizing that another may have a differing perspective should just be a realization and of acceptance and not a chance to sneer at another and set yourself on high.
So does it really matter?
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reader, ironic nostalgia +, writes (26 June 2007):
i'm going to assume the "libral" misspelling was just that and not the blatant smear-spelling employed by many on the right... but i think it does hint at what dragonette said. think about where your perspective is -- could it be your own right-wing bias that has shaped your perception that dear cupid has a "leftist bias"?also, it would really help to qualify which advice you have received that is biased towards one political ideology or another. examples and evidence could go a long way to substantiating your argument. as it stands now, i've got nothing to work with, and i can't really help you further.you state that one cannot claim what the founding fathers would think about america today, yet you do just that. tell me, exactly how is america an "anarchistic society"? last time i checked, we had a legal system with an enforcement agency, as well as a standing government.but, it doesn't work both ways when you have guys like, oh, i don't know, thomas jefferson and james madison, who made written statements in support of the separation of church and state. look here:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Separation_of_church_and_statei suppose you can believe whatever you want, but i think the words of the jefferson and madison speak for themselves, both in support of a separation of church and state.you've made a lot of claims and you haven't provided any evidence for them. honestly, this is a relationship advice site, and i don't think that there's going to be an overt bias towards one political ideology or another. a majority of users could subscribe to one ideology more so than others, but i don't feel that that fact alone would create institutional bias on the website, as you claim.finally, a side-note, if the advice is good, as you claim, what difference does it make whether or not the advice appears to be "liberal"? good advice is good advice, regardless of the ideology of the adviser.
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reader, ajf1989 +, writes (26 June 2007):
ajf1989 is verified as being by the original poster of the questionyou cannot say what the founding fathers of America would say today. i believe everyone founding father would have a different opinion. one could even argue that they might be mad at America for transforming their views in an anarchist society.it works both ways.overall i consider myself to be free thinker and i disagree/agree with politics on all sides. for example while I am against overtaxation i am a firm believer in alternative education (and graduated with a alterantive secondary school diploma). while i believe in pro-life choices i also believe that looser gun laws will lead to less shooting. and so on and so forth. but overall yes i do conisder myself a weak republican from the U.S.A. which may seem ultra-draconic for the rest of the world.
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reader, harshbutfair +, writes (26 June 2007):
 Since when did non-religous, liberal become "leftist"? And when did the religous assumed the mantle of the right??? Can conservative liberatarians (and there is such a thing) no longer be right-wing?
The founding fathers would give modern America a proper bollocking thank God/f__k they had the insight to seperate state and church!
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reader, dragonette  +, writes (26 June 2007):
 Left is relative. Relative of where you stand. Seeing as there are people here from a lot of places in the world, maybe it's not dear cupid that has a left wing bias as much as you who has a right wing bias?
If you're a very religious, pro-life, pro-privatization of state-owned services, anti-tax person then other people who don't share your views might come across as a bit leftist I guess. However, I feel I must add that I've seen opinions uttered that fit the whole political spectrum available =)
However, I think that most people who give advice on dear cupid are much less interested in politics than in helping the people who ask questions. So take the advice you get and make the best of it.
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reader, Jamer70 +, writes (26 June 2007):
 Well thats hard to answer, as one of the great things about DearCupid is it brings hundreds of peoples views from anywhere with internet access together to give advice. Me myself im not that religous but accept it, but dont not give alot of religous advice as im not well known to the field. But this doesnt count for all other aunts/uncles. Truthly it depends on the person.
But overall i dont think dearcupid is lefty as there are too many people who may have different political and religous views
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