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In reply to the discussion: Who was the most influential person who helped shape your politics to this day? [View all]malthaussen
(18,567 posts)46. Socrates
When in doubt, go to the roots. I might even take it back so far as Thales, but having read Plato's diologues before I knew of Thales, the latter is always viewed in light of the former. Anyway, as somebody-or-other pointed out a long time ago, all of philosophy is just commentary on Socrates.
There are so many influences that it seems a bit silly to attempt to rank them. If one reads and thinks a middlin' amount about civil society, it really becomes impossible to point to one author and say "that's the guy." Unless one has adopted a complete, ready-made ideology from one source.
-- Mal
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Who was the most influential person who helped shape your politics to this day? [View all]
NNN0LHI
Dec 2011
OP
To be cynical, probably Thatcher; she showed me clearly just what I was against!
LeftishBrit
Dec 2011
#24
My entire political life has been a defensive reaction to Ron and Nancy Reagan. nt
Romulox
Dec 2011
#29
LBJ - If he hadn't messed up in Vietnam he would have been the greatest president ever, imo.
yellowcanine
Dec 2011
#35
The veterinarian in OH who in 1973 refused to consider hiring me for a kennel job
kestrel91316
Dec 2011
#36
My father who talked continually about what FDR did for us. He lived through the Depression and
jwirr
Dec 2011
#37
When I was young my dad always pointed off into the distance (from the Pellston airport)
etherealtruth
Dec 2011
#40
Liberal family: my great grandfather was a Liberal member of parliament. We live in Ottawa. We
applegrove
Dec 2011
#43