Politics and Steam

Robert O'Brien

I've noticed a correlation between an individuals political views and their affection for steam heating. And it's the opposite of what I would have expected.

Robert O'Brien

Not one, multiple.

ttekushan_3

Anarcho-Syndicalists?

ttekushan_3

@Robert O'Brien I think it's an interesting question but may not be definable as our two party system confines us. On a authoritarian-anarchist scale, it could be interesting.

BTW, I don't "See where this is going?…" Hatterasguy.
Steam heating is a legit segment of the heating industry that has a relatively powerless status due to exigencies of the industry despite its merit.
Under these circumstances the mainstream so-called opposites are irrelevant to the discussion. The underdog's proponents might share significant chunks of worldview. I share @Robert O'Brien's curiosity. So why get such an early start in torpedoing the discussion?

Steve Minnich

More than anything, I'm curious as to how this conversation plays out.

Gordy

I'm somewhere in the middle. The best applicant for the job.

Paul48

You can't argue with someone's opinion. That serves no purpose. It hurts no one for him to have that opinion. You know what they say about "opinions".

SWEI

Bumper sticker a few years back that stuck in my mind:

If only closed minds came with closed mouths.

Paul48

I thought I made a mistake once, but I was wrong.

Paul48

I think that's why women have a longer lifespan than men. Women don't seem to spend anywhere near the time we spend, trying to be right. I know there would be fewer wars if women ran the show.

JUGHNE

I've seen the Jerry Springer ? show maybe 4 times on TV, the two women having a discussion seldom agreed on everything unless it was beating on the man involved in the discussion.

JUGHNE

You mean that is not "Reality TV"

Gordy

Paul48 said:

I think that's why women have a longer lifespan than men. Women don't seem to spend anywhere near the time we spend, trying to be right. I know there would be fewer wars if women ran the show.

Depends if it's two women in the discussion, or a man, and a woman. The latter usually results into submission to keep peace...........

DanHolohan

Women agree on everything? I think you need to meet more women.

Paul48

Dan........... I don't believe they agree on everything. But, unlike us, they won't fight to the death over nonsense. Have you ever won an argument with a woman? If so, don't let your wife see this.....lol

Gordy

Paul48 said:

Dan........... I don't believe they agree on everything. But, unlike us, they won't fight to the death over nonsense. Have you ever won an argument with a woman? If so, don't let your wife see this.....lol

Usually when I win the key is not to spike the ball.......sportsmanship.

DanHolohan

I've been married to the same lady for 44 years. I have four daughters and four grandgirls. Trust me, they don't always agree. I guess I'm just not a broad-brush guy.

Paul48

If ever there was an exercise in futility, it would be to argue with a woman.

Steve Minnich

In regards to arguing with women - Do you want to be right or do you want to be happy? 99% of the time the answer is very easy.

Paul48

They have things in their arsenal(manual:page 302), that will never allow you to win.

DanHolohan

I think the broad brush is for close-minded people. That would be like me saying all engineers are arrogant boors who get pissy when anyone disagrees with them.

Gordy

DanHolohan said:

I think the broad brush is for close-minded people. That would be like me saying all engineers are arrogant boors who get pissy when anyone disagrees with them.

It's all about the approach which includes convincing data. Engineers love convincing data presented in an uncondescending way. Even though they may portray the opposite.

Paul48

Keep in mind...an engineer that is wrong, is an unemployed engineer.

ttekushan_3

Hatterasguy said:

You cannot categorize a group of people politically based upon the steam system that they prefer.

I never did, despite your assertion. There's no monolithic group of of people based on one interest or association. I assume everyone is aware of that. I never got the idea that this discussion is about having to pigeonholing a group of people to the point of it being deemed unworthy of discussion at all.

Discuss away. Just back it up with some facts, please.

I'm delighted to have your conditional permission!*

-------

Political opinion is interesting to me since it's a lense thru which we view an infinitely complex world. One person can be blind to what is obvious to someone else, each one with facts and experiences to back it up. Everyone's lense is ground differently. They're like snowflakes. I just wonder if there are any common "optics" among the steam aficionados.

Overall, I favor the Political Compass where you have the North-South axis as Athoritarian*-Libertarian (or Anarchist) and West-East axis as Collectivist-Individualist. I don't know if anyone here is familiar with it. It's a useful [not flawless] tool to get an idea of where someone is most likely to stand on issues of the day.

There may be no commonality at all to the People of the Steam! But enquiring minds want to know …

---
Re: women having steadfast opinions? Some do and some don't. (see what I did there?) … But, oh, when they do…

Paul48

See..........The man made a general statement, with nothing to tell you, exactly what he meant. And you're ready to fight. You've injected your opinion into his, and, for all you know, he could mean something completely different.

DanHolohan

Some people end each day with a question mark. Other people end each day with a period.

Paul48

Sort me into the group with the question mark....as I might learn something tomorrow.

ttekushan_3

That *could* be.

ttekushan_3

@Hatterasguy , I merely took @Robert O'Brien 's statement that there's a "correlation" at face value. Since a correlation can be on a continuum anywhere from none (0) to perfect (1.00) and that his implication is that it's better than 50-50 (.5) that there's a prevailing political viewpoint and steam heat interest, I'm just wondering where that proportion falls.

Now, I presume Robert has an idea of what this political orientation is, but I don't. I'm curious where it does lie on the spectrum from "none" to "perfect" correlation.

But yes, I think it's a good idea to start out under the assumption that there is none at all. But there may be. Robert posting this under "politics of "steam" is provocative enough to make me think there is something to explore. Without discussion, the door is closed to finding out. There're infinite shades of gray between black and white!

All I'm saying is that there's never a perfect correlation. But as the correlation inches up in strength, things get interesting.

jumper

Women bosses have bad record regarding wars. Ceylon had a mother & daughter team for president & prime-minister.They got their country into a civil war that lasted forever. Israel's and England's lady P-Ms had to go to war too. Brazil,Argentina,and Chile in this century have elected dumb bosses too.

Steve Minnich

Really??? I don't know what history books you're reading but the ones I've read it was men making the decisions to go to war.

DanHolohan

You putting on that shoe, Hat?

DanHolohan

I made a general statement about those who take a broad-brush approach to groups of people, and I gave an example of how it would be incorrect to hang that description on ALL engineers. Please read it again and take a deep breath.

Gosh.

DanHolohan

As for the steam velocity, I would teach with gentleness rather that an ice pick.

ttekushan_3

Oh dear. I don't ignore everything you say, @Hatterasguy. You have too much knowledge for that!

I simply don't agree that shades of gray are no correlation at all. If black is no correlation at all and white is a perfect one, then I think there's a lot to discuss in between.

And if I called you arrogant, I apologize for that. That's not my intent. I just can't agree that there's nothing interesting to be learned in this discussion!

Paul48

Anyone ever watch the show "Shark Tank"? Isn't it funny how no one thinks any of the sharks are jerks, when the person seeking funding is completely unprepared?

DanHolohan

And I did not call you arrogant either, did I?

DanHolohan

Not directly. Not indirectly. Not at all.

The rest is in your head. Apparently, you read what I wrote and decided that was all about you. I don't understand why you would do that.

Please read it again.

DanHolohan

Apology accepted.

Mad Dog_2

Perhaps we are an anomaly in your "study," Bob, but Steamhead (MY ol' buddy) and I are Psycho about The Steam and DEFINITELY on opposite sides of the barricades! If I had to.guess, Frankie is Feelin' The Bern these days whilst I am in front on the Locamotive of the Trump Express... So, more Libs you guessing are in to The Steam? Mad Dog

BobC

Just because woman have not generally had the chance to exercise that power does not mean they wouldn't if given the chance - ever try getting between a mother and her cubs?

Maggie Thatcher and Golda Meir were two very tough ladies who did what they thought had to be done with no looking back.

Bob