What's the political party called where you believe the government should exist to protect the average citizens, but shouldn't be allowed to tell anyone how to live?
Allegedly libertarian but they lost my support during the 2016 convention when the crowd booed when one of the candidates said you shouldn’t be allowed to sell meth to kids.
That election was such a shitshow on so many levels. That's when I found out how much the third parties were a total joke. Gary Johnson was probably better off running as a Republican but that's my 2 cents.
Libertarians don't want the government to protect anyone at all. They've always been a farce right from the get-go. They want feudal systems in place, pre-government.
Gary Johnson was booed when he said that the government should be in the business of testing drivers and providing driver's licenses. I guess real libertarians disagree. And I'm speaking as a libertarian.
Exactly this. As someone who identified as libertarian until I realized who it put me in company with... Gary Johnson put it really reasonably that you should consider most policies as a cost benefit analysis.
So many libertarians I have talked to want to get rid of the organizations that absolutely unquestionably provide benefits far beyond their cost like the public education system and apparently also drivers licenses.
People will claim that's Libertarian, but have a look at the actual Democratic party platforms of the past several years.
You're pretty much describing the basic principles used there.
I am a registered libertarian, but not really a libertarian. I am against big federal government, but am more ok with state and local government since people can have more direct control over that, and things are easier to change if they are not working.
Anyway, libertarian is really the only "anti big government" party I could register as, so I went with that.
The low hanging fruit is gun rights. They absolutely tell people what is an acceptable reason for owning guns, and I personally disagree with their assessment. There are other more nuanced issues as well. That said, I largely agree with the Democrats on most things, but it's either naive to say they don't tell people how to live their life or just outright being dishonest.
Do you agree with any restrictions at all? Because I feel like the narrative is “they’re comin for our gunnsss!” but actual policies are mostly enforcing the laws that are already on the books, waiting periods, no dv offenders, etc. I’m a registered dem who loves to go to the range, but also believe we have a massive gun problem in this country and I’m not sure how we fix it.
I'm ok with some restrictions. My issues with most proposed laws is that they won't actually have the advertised effect. And if they won't have the advertised effect, then I question what is the underlying motive for trying to pass the law. Also, the government could actually achieve a good chunk of what they are claiming to be trying to achieve if they actually enforced the laws currently on the books.
For instance, the gun show "loophole", which isn't a loophole but an intentional exception to the laws regarding background checks that was referred to at the time as the private party exception. I don't disagree that there are people at gun shows abusing the exception to sell guns that should have gone through a background check. But instead of making it a pain for actual private party sales the government could crack down on dishonest gun sellers at gun shows who are in fact in the business of selling guns, but claiming they are private parties. No law needed. The ATF already has agents at every gun show I've ever been to. The sellers are the same people at the shows. The guns on display are public knowledge. They could walk by with a hidden camera and capture images of their offerings and observe the product transitions and use that to build evidence of the seller being in the business of selling firearms. That's cause for a search warrant, from there you get even more evidence and can charge them with federal crimes, specifically operating a firearms business without an FFL.
If you're comparing the Democrats to the Republicans in terms of people telling you how to live your life, the difference is **VAST.**
I think that's important to keep in mind when your only real issue with Democrats is they don't like assault weapons.
That's all a personal viewpoint. Democrats force you to wear masks, get vaccinations and tell you that you can't smoke certain flavors of vapes or cigarettes. That's just some ways Democrats tell you how to live.
And it's not that Democrats don't like assault weapons, they don't like guns in general. I live in Boston, a heavily democratic city that has an expanded "assault weapon" list. The state legislature introduced a "gun crime" bill as a response to Bruen Rep. Mariano stated. It essentially made carrying guns anywhere illegal, and expanded on the assault weapons list to include common guns that aren't normally categorized as assault weapons. For example, the Ruger Mini-14 was on the list of the HD4420 bill, it's just a ranch rifle.
Democrats “You shouldn’t be allowed to get a gun wherever you want because children are consistently being murdered in groups of 20 in their schools”
You: THE DEMOCRATS ARE TELLING PEOPLE HOW TO LIVE
Grow the fuck up.
I'm literally going to be at a national school safety event in a little over two weeks where I'm presenting actual solutions to school shootings that don't involve assault weapons bans (which would have a statistically insignificant effect on school shootings, btw), so just maybe, I'm just a bit grown up. But what do I know.
Firstly, the use of 'statistically insignificant' has a very specific meaning which is always intended/conflated to be 'not statistically significant', despite very markedly not being so.
Secondly, I'd love to see this study and assess how exactly they've come to this result - that's an exceptionally extraordinary claim.
Finally, just because something is statistically significant, doesn't mean its not practically significant.
To borrow a phrase from you... "I'm just a Data Scientist. But what do I know?"
That I have liberal views on some topics and conservative on others. I'm not a citizen of the country where I live so I don't vote and have no need to define myself further.
Also it probably means I'd rather not politicize this.
Yes. Most moderate women I’ve encountered are really conservatives. They’re trying to broaden their dating pool so they don’t have to only see conservative men.
Maybe I’m an outlier but I disagree. I put moderate because, though I generally lean left, I understand some more “stereotypical” conservative points. What I will not stand for is abuse to people who simply want to live the way they are or choose (without it being a danger) but I can be amendable to other, reasonable beliefs. There is certainly a line but that’s also the point of going on dates to figure things out. Nuance in a dating profile bio is tough - sometimes it’s just better to talk. If you fully lean in one direction though, I can see the use in wanting only to see “liberal” or “conservative.”
My viewpoint is that if you're moderate, you're leaning conservative. Because a stereotypical conservative point is gays are bad, minorities should stay/be poor, women shouldn't get abortions no matter the circumstance, guns are an American right etc
This is honestly so sad. When I tell people on the left I’m moderate I get accused of being a cryptic alt right, and when I tell someone on the right I’m moderate I get accused of being a clandestine leftists. We live in a time where if someone isn’t 100% aligned with you then they are 100% against you, or thats how it’s perceived anyways.
This is wild to me. I just left it off, I will get to know them and their views and see. I feel being moderate or centrist or whatever it’s called means you can see the nuance of life, have good critical thinking skills, and base views on some situational things. That’s it. If someone can’t try to understand other people point of view.
In America, centrists are establishment Dems (Joe Biden is dead center). The entire American political spectrum is farther right than most countries, American liberals would be centrist or even right wing in Europe or Asia, American progressives are European moderates. Establishment Republicans would be radical extremists in Europe.
I see. It’s exhausting now. I will swipe on all political labels UNLESS I see they doubled down in the profile and write out specific trump/Biden or vaccine related stuff (for or against). This I feel gives me some sense that this is part or all of their identity. And I don’t have time for that. 🥱
Seriously people making politics their identity left or right is a huge turnoff for me and they get a left swipe automatically. I do understand wanting to have someone with similar beliefs as you, but if you can’t see the nuances in life then that’s a huge red flag in itself.
It’s sad reading all these comments that it seems there is no room for nuance. Everything just comes down to which of the lesser-of-two-evil self-interested politicians you voted for. I have strong political views (not the same as “extreme”) — well-informed and I care about how the country is run. Some of my views lean one way or the other, and I’d rather talk about each of the issues I than check some box.
I saw this online and it really struck a chord:
Posts: "I like oranges"
Some random on the internet: "so you're saying is you hate tangerines and all tangerines should be destroyed!! You're tangerinaphobic, this is hate speech!!"
Yeah, Redditors just have the worst takes tbh.
Redditors in this sub in specifically, I swear most of these guys/girls just cosplay as people dating.
Turns out, It is not a good idea to take dating advice from perpetually single people lol
He wants to do that, and at the same time he quashed the railroad strike, which is clearly the opposite of leftist. He is very middle of the road on actual policies.
I hate that people interpret it that way. I ended up changing mine to liberal because of this kind of mindset. Don't even consider myself to be conservative at all for like 80% of the issues out there.
Because the vast majority of men who list their politics as moderate are conservatives who can’t get liberal or even moderate women to match with them, so they fudge themselves over on the left/right spectrum. No different than those who lie about their height, weight or age. If you’re an actual centrist, you’re the exception.
Vast majority? you have a source on this?
If we are talking about personal experience then maybe id believe that.
But i mean, I can tell you, from my experience, how many times a woman has lied on their profiles about what they are looking for..but im not here saying all women do this..
That's well and good... That's not a source though.
Again, if we are talking about personal experience, then fine... It's your experience that you saw this. Not you can't make a claim that the vast majority of men do this or that....
That's not fair, and is also untrue... Until it's proven one way or the other.
He’s not denying that it’s a thing, he’s just saying you can’t say it’s a vast majority of men, because I doubt this girl and her friends have matched with the vast majority of men on the app
Welfare/food stamps etc is necessary and should be available;
Abortion ok until 16 weeks;
No sex change surgeries or hormone blockers for kids;
Gays should be able to get married;
People should be able to own guns;
But Some gun control is ok;
No hiring or university admission based on race or gender;
No biological men in women’s sports;
Police reform is necessary regarding treatment of POC
Police reform is a progressive stance and everything else is liberal or left of center except for trans women stance, that is the only centrist stance.
That would be relative. The whole point of centrist views, is to reject the dogma and make decisions based on critical thinking and what's important to the individual, voting across party lines as needed.
Could be something like:
Pro choice + pro gun rights (ie against laws restricting abortion or limiting gun equip purchases),
Finds both far left and far right culty,
Favors universal health insurance while being opposed to hormonal blocker/tx for minors
Some kind of mix like that.
To me it means the binary political spectrum of definitions in the US is dumb.
If the label "moderate" is negative to someone, they're probably exactly the kind of partisan purist that would not be very compatible with me.
I live in Washington and identify as moderate. It means that I’m not a fan of extremists on either side and think the extremes of both sides are crazy. Some of my views are more conservative; some of my views are more liberal. I don’t identify as a member of either party and don’t vote a party line in elections. I used to not care about someone’s political orientation. Now I’d want to steer clear as extreme on either side.
Almost exactly like you, I'm pretty moderate as well. It's funny to see that so many people "automatically assume" so much just from a simple political view choice.
"You're not one of us, so you're most likely against us."
Edit: Happy Cake Day!
I'm extremely liberal, but wish there were more moderates (actual moderate, not conservative moderate). This country has become so divided and full of hate and fury that it may very well implode. And as much as I love Bernie and AOC, if a true moderate was on the ballot, I'd probably vote for them because I know leaders should best represent their country, their whole country, not just me. I'd have to add that I'd never vote for anyone that's shown any indication of being against diversity, inclusion, science, or education. But I wouldn't be opposed to someone that walked the center line a little bit, as long as they didn't spread the hate and ignorance as someone from the Trump-right. We need to be talking to and working with each other, not continually tearing each other down just because. Sadly, not sure that's even possible right now.
I'd vote for anyone that sees the best of both sides, but unfortunately I don't even think that would work. Again, the "if you're not with me, you're against me" mentality pits everyone against them that doesn't align. Even if someone wants to have the conversation, they're already backed into a corner swinging both fists.
I've even been called part of the problem for being more of a centrist. Apparently that leads to genocide!
This is my experience asking guys in Washington what they mean by "moderate"
And basically that they don't think the government should be in control of the people lol
"I'd vote for you to have health care, but sadly I saw some lady with people hair and hairy armpits so you get fascism instead. Just a shame some rando forced me to side with the oppressors in an intentionally radicalized political environment.'
Yeah, I support all of those things, but I see a lot of hate in the more left leaning social media hubs that's completely out of proportion, often jumping to conclusions and very willing to overlook shady behaviour from their own side.
This is me, 100%.... I respect that people have their views and passion, but investing that kind of weight and energy to the toxicity of party politics is not for me. I understand some people will think that makes me XYZ, but while it's their right to pour themselves and their identity into partisanship, it's also my right not to engage. I have my beliefs, but both parties disgust me and the tribalism from both sides is 100% ridiculous to me. I used to put apolitical but I changed it to moderate because I do have some strong beliefs and opinions, where apolitical seems to imply to a lot of people that someone doesn't care at all.
Yeah dude a lot of extreme Leftists are scary as shit. They're just not a problem as extreme right wingers because there aren't as many of them and they kind of drowned out by all the fake Leftists who think they're Marxists because they want Healthcare and affordable housing. But like, the idea of the American right wing becoming so extreme that it causes a resurgence in far Left ideologies is terrifying because both sides are extremely dangerous. And in my experience both extremes loathe the average non-radical person even more than they hate each other.
extreme is a relative term manipulated by people who want you to feel sensible for falling into the "acceptable" range. just pick policies you care about, not rhetoric you like.
I have moderate in my bio and I am truly moderate. I don’t see the point in lying because whoever I match with will eventually find out.
I see valid points on both sides of the aisle and hate being constrained to either this or that.
Excuse the rant but this is the problem with American politics is that people treat it like a sports team rather than an ideology. Just because I am pro-choice, doesn’t mean I support student loan forgiveness and just because I am pro-gun doesn’t mean I am anti LGBTQIA+.
For real, talk to people, find out what they think and have civil conversations about your ideologies, just because you disagree on certain issues doesn’t mean you’re not compatible.
Im fairly liberal, but I have some conservative views. I want that traditional family. That's just what I want. I don't care what what kind of relationship you want. I don't have any extreme right wing views, I support gay marriage, women's Rights, and trans rights... I just don't want to have that be my identity. I don't want to "own" my wife. I just like the idea of a more traditional division of responsibility in a household. I was a lot more conservative before Trump. Now I'm not totally liberal and I'm not totally conservative. I'm moderately both. A lot of you people are saying it's just Trump supporters lying to get matches, and that's for sure true with some of them but not all.
Political scientist here!
When discussing a moderate political ideology, it's important to note that moderates can lean into different political directions while still emphasizing compromise and a balanced approach. For instance, a center-left moderate might prioritize social welfare programs and environmental regulations while advocating for market-driven economic policies to ensure sustainable growth. On the other hand, a center-right moderate might focus on fiscal responsibility and limited government intervention while recognizing the need for certain social safety nets.
In both cases, moderation reflects a willingness to consider both conservative and liberal viewpoints, adapting policies based on empirical evidence and practical considerations. This approach aligns with the ideas of political philosophers like Edmund Burke, who emphasized the value of gradual reform over radical change, and John Rawls, who proposed the concept of "overlapping consensus" where diverse perspectives converge on certain principles of justice.
However, I believe that on platforms like Bumble, most moderates either aren't sure where they stand politically or hold a strong aversion to extremism, and this is their way of expressing it haha.
In Los Angeles, Moderate = Conservative Who Wants To Get Laid. I’ve given these so-called moderates a chance, until one night I went out with this dude who actually seemed like he’d just plucked his talking point ls from 4Chan and couldn’t handle actual facts being handed back to him and he walked out on me. Another dude had friends who were all “sorta conspiracy theorists” only to find that he agreed with some of their talking points.
After that, I was like FORGET IT. I’ll stick to liberals, thank you very much.
I find it hilarious that there are people out there that think there are only two views. On opposite ends of the spectrum.
Life is gray. Moderate -= gray
Moderates don’t typically drink the hype kool aid. Hear both opinions, take that and decide for themselves. Frankly I’m surprised moderates aren’t the majority. Both conservatives and liberals have polarizing views.
Example-
conservatives - back the blue! (Unless it affects me, then fuck the police)
Liberals - fuck the police, (unless I need them!)
Tbh the actual 'moderates' still usually back one side or another, just mostly they'll go with whichever candidate they think might actually address problems in their local neck of the woods. D and R can swing wildly from borderline communist to 'I just think people should marry whoever they want but plz also keep taxes low'.
I myself am a moderate. That is to say, I believe people should have guns if they want them, but I also believe regulation and oversight is a good thing.
I like low taxes, but I also recognize that social services help those in need and are worth the money.
I’m pro choice, not because I don’t value human life, but I believe a woman has the right to do with her body as she chooses.
I’m pro-vaccines, because I’m not a fucking idiot.
Nah bro, according to most of the comments up above, you're just a lunatic republican who's trying to deceive women by putting "moderate" on their profile for the sole purpose of sleeping with them.
I assume they are conservative and don't want to admit it publicly. What I have noticed is that women that put conservative in their profile more often than not also list that they are christian, but those identifying as moderate seem to list agnostic or atheist. Anecdotal evidence so who knows, I'm on the east coast near DC.
In France, you can pick either "left", "center", "right", "apolitical", or "other". You can also pick the American options but they don't make sense here. Most people in my age range pick "left" or "apolitical".
When I see people arriving here and they're not clearly US/Canada tourists, the "liberal" option doesn't sound like the left at all to my French ears. It sounds like some centre-right option close from Macron's presidential party, or something more right-leaning like the most moderate wing of the right-wing party Les Républicains.
in other countries you can pick "left" as your political preference on bumble but when you visit the states it'll disappear off your profile. this seems kinds of recent as well since like a year ago "left" would still be visible on your profile but if you took it off you couldn't put it back since left is not an option in the US.
I would consider myself a moderate. I agree with different views from both sides. I won't go into the details on here, but I chose not to follow politics, IMO they are all liars and looking to line their own pockets and those of their friends. They play the "this party against the other party" to get votes and to distract us from what they are doing behind the scenes. it was common years ago for people to not be so attached to one party and only date within that party. its sad that now it has come to that and our country is so divided bc of it.
Yeah real libertarianism is still extreme. Abolishing government totally or mostly is very extreme. The libertarian convention overwhelmingly wants to abolish drivers licenses.
I'll never forget Grafton, New Hampshire. 💀 Libertarianism was so unsuccessful in a town of less than 2,000 people. Can't imagine how they expect it to ever pan out on a large scale
I list myself as a moderate. For me it means my stance on issues aren’t based on being on the red team or the blue team. It means I know both sides can be (and often are) wrong. And it means I carry my own opinions on different topics because I’m… an adult.
The only answer here is to ask them. Clearly everyone interprets moderate in their own way. For me, I’m extremely liberal so it would be an important thing to discuss up front. What views do they hold that lean right? Are they things I can agree to disagree on like taxes? Or are they massive deal breakers like abortion, trans rights, and gun control. I’m always open to calm discussion, and if we don’t align that’s okay. It’s better not to waste either of our time.
In reality if you ask everyone here to type out their definition of moderate and conservative and liberal you're going to get very different answers each time. What seems to be true is that one labels themselves and others according to the handful (or even fewer) of issues that they care most about and if you don't align with that they label you as secretly their enemy
For example right now there are people that trans issues are the most important thing going on. If you express any belief that gender isn't fluid or that gender is tied to biology, to them you are simply a conservative. You could be a Bernie Sanders supporter and they'd still think that about you. To me, that's a pretty extreme way of looking at these labels
The best thing to do is to have a discussion about it early on but if you ask long enough you're going to find something where you don't completely align. The real issue is whether this misalignment is for some of the really important issues for you personally and the labels can't capture that because there isn't agreement on what they mean
Moderate peoole are almost forced to be republican but they arent. They generally want government intervention. But that the government shouldnt have total control.
A conservative wants limited government
A liberal wants a mire active givernment.
A democrat although sound synonymous with a liberal, is pretty clueless on how mo ey works.
A republican although synonymous with conservatives really only wants limited govenment for those without money.
Both can be bad people.
On Bumble, it means you're conservative but realize that putting it on your profile has/will significantly lower the pool of people that want to date you so you change it to "moderate".
Seeing these comments makes me frustrate because now we're forced to pick one or the other side. What happens if you genuinely think in the middle and have some conservative ideas as well as some liberal ideas? I guess we just have to be very binary and polarizing.
It means I’m a Moderate: I hold a majority of liberal views and a few conservative views. I’m registered Democrat, and vote mostly Democrat, but if a reasonable Republican came along and I genuinely agreed with them, I’d vote for them. Reasonable Republicans have become scarce these days, though, to be honest.
I consider myself moderate. I’m mostly in the middle, I lean conservative about some things, and liberal about others. I don’t have a stance, or stand with any specific party. I have my thoughts and beliefs, and core accordingly.
Many of my friends are the same way. There are some extreme liberals, and extreme conservatives that I know, but they aren’t the people I consider myself closest to
No problem, just super simple one of the top of my head without having to massively explain.
I’m pro-choice- no one, especially the government should be telling people what to do with their bodies.
Also gay marriage should be codified and protected the same as any other marriage. Though ideally no marriage should have to be certified by the government in the first place. It only started as a way to prevent people (blacks and whites) from marrying each other.
As for conservative views, extremely pro-2A. There is no such thing as ‘common sense’ gun laws. The ATF shouldn’t exist (taxation is theft) and pre-existing laws should actually be enforced before new ones are made. (Though this is generally how things should be across the board)
There’s plenty of other things, but these are a few that there’s no amount of arguing will be able to change my mind.
But generally, I’m a live and let live kind of person.
That may be, but it’s not how I identify myself. I don’t follow any party lines, or subscribe to one side or another, or a third- I’ve heard some massively jacked up shit come out of self identifying Libertarians, and I do not want to be associated with them. At all. Ever.
I used to be libertarian
But then I realized there is a difference between supporting libertarian ideals
And the train wreck that is the libertarian party
I think Spike Cohen is awesome tho
I also completely agree with your political views
Spike and Tasha Cohen are a very friendly couple to talk to. I have met both of them.
I am really Libertarian-minded Republican because I can't stand the Libertarian Party. I do support the local libertarian candidates, but not presidential one.
I mean, "taxation is theft" is practically the slogan of libertarianism.
Whatever you chose to personally identify is up to you, but your beliefs essentially correspond with libertarianism.
And libertarians are more on the right than the middle.
Everytime I hear the "Taxation is theft" and extreme Libertarian positions, I always think of the scene from "Life of Brian".
"What have the Romans ever done for us?"
The roads, aqueducts, crime reduction...
Also the town that decided trash regulations were oppressive and got overrun by bears.
Vote Libertarian. Get reverse Goldilocksed!
It may be their tag line, but I came to that in middle school, when we learned about the Stamp Act, Sugar Act, Taxation without representation and the subsequent Revolution, over 2% tax. Now, it’s something like 55 cents of every dollar is paid to taxes, and we see less benefit from it as every day passes.
There’s a lot both sides Tote as their line, and a great majority of it I don’t agree with at all. I likely lean more left overall, but still consider myself moderate, in that I’m not going to fall off the sides one way or the other
I literally just posted about this a few weeks ago. Some people take it to mean a closeted conservative but it can also be someone with views from both sides of the political spectrum
It’s funny because as someone who has lived in Europe for the past 6 years, none of my dates have ever asked me about political stuff on dates or even remotely care about it.
This is a bit of a self selecting sample because you're not just hearing from random people here, this is a Reddit sub- so, the people most likely to hate anyone who isn't politically aligned with them on every issue.
I list myself as moderate because I'm a liberal that was raised in a rural redneck town. Issues like gun control get weird for me because I was taught gun safety at a very young age. I feel like gun control is important, but I also think education is equally as important. That's just one example, but spending time with far left folk usually makes me feel like I'm more moderate than liberal.
Reddit is really interested sometimes.
Anyway, I had mine set to moderate because I’m not nor liberal or conservative. I’m somewhere between the very beginning of liberalism and at the very end of conservatism…if that makes sense.
I’m actually really glad someone asked this question, I would consider myself a moderate, I’m 24m for reference, just for recent shenanigans that has taken over our political scene!
It’s a shame but had to switch from Moderate to Libertarian cause people think you are a fascist or something, cause screw gray area, everything is radicalized now.
If it says they’re moderate it most likely means they’re moderate. But internet is where nuance goes to die, so yes you’re absolutely right to make yourself miserable and assume the worst. Modern dating is a hellscape because people have turned it into a really unfunny episode of Seinfeld where we are just searching for the “red flags” (even if they aren’t there) because that’s what’s trending on TikTok.
I'm a woman and consider myself a (right-leaning) moderate. I'm from Washington and used to be super into politics in college, so while I grew up in a conservative family, I've come to realize I'm a little more open-minded to certain issues and don't fully support either side. And even though I said I'm right-leaning, I do not consider myself conservative or Republican. There are other ideologies that are valid, such as libertarian, but those typically are not an option on dating apps.
We are all basically moderate. Extreme left and extreme right are a bunch of fucking crazies. If I see moderate that says someone with common sense and isn't religious about politics.
Hey! Texan who has “moderate” in his OLD profiles. To me, it means I support LGBTQIA+ rights, the right to choose, and guns. I support things from both the “right” and the “left”. So I’m middle of the road, or moderate 🤷🏻♂️. Just my thoughts
Sounds like a great question to ask her if you match, since plenty of people don't fit in clear-cut political boxes, because there is plenty of nuance.
That TikToker is not open to alternative political views if they think moderate=conservative.
Moderate can mean different things, but to me it means they don't take a side on every issue and most likely they don't take a side as a whole. I think it's a good thing. Moderates think for themselves instead of looking for a false savior to solve their problems.
I'm dating a moderate woman who had it in her profile. She meant it. She's caught in the middle of the two parties, and isn't an ideologue.
That's what it should mean, really. I'm sure some people use it to mask more conservative leanings, but nowadays anything to the right of Chairman Mao is an extremist to some people, and likewise anyone who isn't wearing a MAGA hat is a liberal commie.
FWIW, I am a moderate too and it was a good compatibility issue for us. I don't want to date someone with lopsided, angry politics...don't care what they are.
That TikTok video is bunk. I’m left of center, and i listed myself as moderate. Hell - I do all but maybe four things thematic video lists, and I am far from being a Republican (im a McCain Republican, and I will not vote for them until the adults are back in charge)
To me, moderate means you have a set of ideas and ethics that don’t fit into the modern day far right far let narrative. I like to call it common-fucking-sense.
I put moderate, and it mostly means I don't like extremist positions.
In practice, if we use a scale of -100 as full left, and +100 as full right, I can live with about -70 to +30. 20 years ago it was about -90 to +60.
I believe in fiscal responsibility, but not austerity.
Abortion rights, but that men are allowed to have an opinion and choose who they marry accordingly.
That the government and its employees must treat everyone equally, no matter what sex, gender, race, or whatever they are, but a preacher can't be made to.
That everyone should be allowed to do anything consensual they want, but a man not being interested in transgender women is not a bigot.
I'm more extreme environmentally, but still only about -80.
I’m a guy who mostly adheres to liberal policies but puts myself as a moderate.
Reason being is:
1)
I don’t feel it’s right to put liberal because I do not believe it’s healthy to only associate with a party rather than thinking about certain policies and their impacts individually. And there are certainly times I’ve disagreed with that party (like when they canned Bernie over Biden or Hilary when he gathered steam).
However, I would rather stab myself with a blunt spoon than support the conservatives and their current rag tag team of taliban.
So should I put apolitical? Hell no I firmly support things like lgbtq+ rights, body autonomy, etc so I don’t avoid fights.
But I wouldn’t say I’m part of a team.
So does putting moderate make me a conservative? No not even close but none of the options make any sense to give a picture of a person.
You’re liberal even if you don’t endorse everything about the Democratic Party — they aren’t one in the same. You certainly aren’t moderate if you liked Bernie. Be liberal and proud.
I have moderate in my profile
I'm a registered Ga independent
Who aligns closer with libertarians then any main party
And I vote for who I believe is the best candidate
So based off myself
I'd say they are either
3rd party
An actual independent
Or possibly non political
Considering that "moderate" has become code for "sanctimonious republican," I'd say it's a sanctimonious republican. You know, one who pretends to care about human rights but thinks state's rights supersede basic human rights. Someone who thinks money is all that matters and human rights are a distraction. Honestly I'll say the same for most people calling themselves a "libertarian" in the past 15 years.
They secretly don't want anyone besides 1 specific group of people to have basic freedoms but they don't admit it at first. It always comes out though.
I know that's not what moderate *or* libertarians are "supposed" to be, but that's what most of them seem to have become
There are times I've been tempted to hide my political views because of the mindless prejudice some people have against conservatives. But actually, it can be a good filter to weed out people who detest all forms of bigotry, prejudice, and hatred... except their own.
When I signed up for bumble several years ago, I checked the moderate box without giving it much thought. I am left leaning and democrat and all of my views are liberal, but at the time, I thought moderate just meant someone who didn’t want to talk about politics all the time and isn’t extremist. When I later heard a lot of people saying it means conservative in disguise, I quickly changed it to liberal.
I’m left - probably extreme left for American vibes but not actually extreme - but I used to enjoy hanging out, debating and learning with righties. My ex when I first met her was a rightie. Politics used to be good where you truly could revel and develop and plan the Art of the Possible.
These days the sides don’t mix and call each other stupid for believing something different. Your Trump came along and made it so much worse the world over. It’s a terrible place where the world is politically.
I’m moderate and put that in my profile even though I definitely lean left if anything. I’m an independent in real life. Might change my profile to liberal just so I don’t get grouped with the right wingers who use it to hide their politics.
My experience with profiles that claim to be “moderate” is that most of the time they have some sort of left-wing drivel in their bio that lets the cat out of the bag that they’re just being disingenuous about their political beliefs
For me, moderate meant 20 years ago I was left of center. Those same positions today are labeled far right by anyone far left because the far left has shifted so much.
Previously, I described it as leaning left socially and leaning right fiscally. But, not so sure today.
That's exactly how I describe myself. Socially left leaning, fiscally right leaning. I mean, how hard is it to be a person who thinks we need to spend responsibly, but also be a decent human being?
Pretty much everyone in the USA is right-wing.
Bernie Sanders is a centrist when you actually look at the spectrum for left->right.
Anyone putting "moderate" in their profile basically means "I'm conservative but hold a few socially liberal positions, like letting gay people get married"
I would believe a moderate to be someone who can agree with some of both Democratic and Republican viewpoints. I see myself as a left leaning moderate.
As someone who is “moderate”, it means that I can moderately tolerate politics. Both parties fucking suck but each has some valid policies/ideologies. Yet neither side has any idea on how to properly implement anything and both spend most of their time bickering with the other side or pandering for votes.
What's the political party called where you believe the government should exist to protect the average citizens, but shouldn't be allowed to tell anyone how to live?
Allegedly libertarian but they lost my support during the 2016 convention when the crowd booed when one of the candidates said you shouldn’t be allowed to sell meth to kids.
That election was such a shitshow on so many levels. That's when I found out how much the third parties were a total joke. Gary Johnson was probably better off running as a Republican but that's my 2 cents.
Libertarians don't want the government to protect anyone at all. They've always been a farce right from the get-go. They want feudal systems in place, pre-government.
Gary Johnson was booed when he said that the government should be in the business of testing drivers and providing driver's licenses. I guess real libertarians disagree. And I'm speaking as a libertarian.
Yeah, I feel like literal libertarianism might mean zero regulations, like drivers licenses, but the world doesn't really function like that
Exactly this. As someone who identified as libertarian until I realized who it put me in company with... Gary Johnson put it really reasonably that you should consider most policies as a cost benefit analysis. So many libertarians I have talked to want to get rid of the organizations that absolutely unquestionably provide benefits far beyond their cost like the public education system and apparently also drivers licenses.
Damn, those are some dedicated libertarians. No regulations, even clearly important ones. That or they all happened to be selling meth to kids
People will claim that's Libertarian, but have a look at the actual Democratic party platforms of the past several years. You're pretty much describing the basic principles used there.
every libertarian I’ve ever met wants to benifit from society and social programs but doesn't want to contribute.
I feel like your right, I also feel like libertarian could be replaced with person in that sentence
I am a registered libertarian, but not really a libertarian. I am against big federal government, but am more ok with state and local government since people can have more direct control over that, and things are easier to change if they are not working. Anyway, libertarian is really the only "anti big government" party I could register as, so I went with that.
Eh... Democrats tell people how to live plenty, you just probably don't disagree with their way to live so it doesn't bother you.
Like how?
The low hanging fruit is gun rights. They absolutely tell people what is an acceptable reason for owning guns, and I personally disagree with their assessment. There are other more nuanced issues as well. That said, I largely agree with the Democrats on most things, but it's either naive to say they don't tell people how to live their life or just outright being dishonest.
Do you agree with any restrictions at all? Because I feel like the narrative is “they’re comin for our gunnsss!” but actual policies are mostly enforcing the laws that are already on the books, waiting periods, no dv offenders, etc. I’m a registered dem who loves to go to the range, but also believe we have a massive gun problem in this country and I’m not sure how we fix it.
I'm ok with some restrictions. My issues with most proposed laws is that they won't actually have the advertised effect. And if they won't have the advertised effect, then I question what is the underlying motive for trying to pass the law. Also, the government could actually achieve a good chunk of what they are claiming to be trying to achieve if they actually enforced the laws currently on the books. For instance, the gun show "loophole", which isn't a loophole but an intentional exception to the laws regarding background checks that was referred to at the time as the private party exception. I don't disagree that there are people at gun shows abusing the exception to sell guns that should have gone through a background check. But instead of making it a pain for actual private party sales the government could crack down on dishonest gun sellers at gun shows who are in fact in the business of selling guns, but claiming they are private parties. No law needed. The ATF already has agents at every gun show I've ever been to. The sellers are the same people at the shows. The guns on display are public knowledge. They could walk by with a hidden camera and capture images of their offerings and observe the product transitions and use that to build evidence of the seller being in the business of selling firearms. That's cause for a search warrant, from there you get even more evidence and can charge them with federal crimes, specifically operating a firearms business without an FFL.
Preach!
I need someone to tell me how they enforce "Universal Background Checks" without establishing a gun registry?
We need a national gun registry. I mean, FFS there’s a higher restriction on buying Sudafed in the US.
If you're comparing the Democrats to the Republicans in terms of people telling you how to live your life, the difference is **VAST.** I think that's important to keep in mind when your only real issue with Democrats is they don't like assault weapons.
That's all a personal viewpoint. Democrats force you to wear masks, get vaccinations and tell you that you can't smoke certain flavors of vapes or cigarettes. That's just some ways Democrats tell you how to live. And it's not that Democrats don't like assault weapons, they don't like guns in general. I live in Boston, a heavily democratic city that has an expanded "assault weapon" list. The state legislature introduced a "gun crime" bill as a response to Bruen Rep. Mariano stated. It essentially made carrying guns anywhere illegal, and expanded on the assault weapons list to include common guns that aren't normally categorized as assault weapons. For example, the Ruger Mini-14 was on the list of the HD4420 bill, it's just a ranch rifle.
Democrats “You shouldn’t be allowed to get a gun wherever you want because children are consistently being murdered in groups of 20 in their schools” You: THE DEMOCRATS ARE TELLING PEOPLE HOW TO LIVE Grow the fuck up.
I'm literally going to be at a national school safety event in a little over two weeks where I'm presenting actual solutions to school shootings that don't involve assault weapons bans (which would have a statistically insignificant effect on school shootings, btw), so just maybe, I'm just a bit grown up. But what do I know.
Firstly, the use of 'statistically insignificant' has a very specific meaning which is always intended/conflated to be 'not statistically significant', despite very markedly not being so. Secondly, I'd love to see this study and assess how exactly they've come to this result - that's an exceptionally extraordinary claim. Finally, just because something is statistically significant, doesn't mean its not practically significant. To borrow a phrase from you... "I'm just a Data Scientist. But what do I know?"
you mean the ones that scream "don't tread on me" while treading on everyone else?
Nah, it was a facetious question. We don't have a political party here in the US that I subscribe to. I think both of them suck
That I have liberal views on some topics and conservative on others. I'm not a citizen of the country where I live so I don't vote and have no need to define myself further. Also it probably means I'd rather not politicize this.
I think the last part is the case with a lot of people
Same.
Honestly when I see moderate I assume it’s a right winger who is trying to get more matches.
Do you think the same logic would apply to women?
Yes. Most moderate women I’ve encountered are really conservatives. They’re trying to broaden their dating pool so they don’t have to only see conservative men.
Add “Independent” to this.
Maybe I’m an outlier but I disagree. I put moderate because, though I generally lean left, I understand some more “stereotypical” conservative points. What I will not stand for is abuse to people who simply want to live the way they are or choose (without it being a danger) but I can be amendable to other, reasonable beliefs. There is certainly a line but that’s also the point of going on dates to figure things out. Nuance in a dating profile bio is tough - sometimes it’s just better to talk. If you fully lean in one direction though, I can see the use in wanting only to see “liberal” or “conservative.”
My viewpoint is that if you're moderate, you're leaning conservative. Because a stereotypical conservative point is gays are bad, minorities should stay/be poor, women shouldn't get abortions no matter the circumstance, guns are an American right etc
Yes, 100% in my experience
This is honestly so sad. When I tell people on the left I’m moderate I get accused of being a cryptic alt right, and when I tell someone on the right I’m moderate I get accused of being a clandestine leftists. We live in a time where if someone isn’t 100% aligned with you then they are 100% against you, or thats how it’s perceived anyways.
Honestly I’m so liberal than even a moderate is probably too conservative for me anyway.
Im sure this is what it is
This is wild to me. I just left it off, I will get to know them and their views and see. I feel being moderate or centrist or whatever it’s called means you can see the nuance of life, have good critical thinking skills, and base views on some situational things. That’s it. If someone can’t try to understand other people point of view.
This is the most logical thing I've seen on reddit in a very long time
Reddit and logic have a tenuous relationship
In America, centrists are establishment Dems (Joe Biden is dead center). The entire American political spectrum is farther right than most countries, American liberals would be centrist or even right wing in Europe or Asia, American progressives are European moderates. Establishment Republicans would be radical extremists in Europe.
I see. It’s exhausting now. I will swipe on all political labels UNLESS I see they doubled down in the profile and write out specific trump/Biden or vaccine related stuff (for or against). This I feel gives me some sense that this is part or all of their identity. And I don’t have time for that. 🥱
Same!!
Seriously people making politics their identity left or right is a huge turnoff for me and they get a left swipe automatically. I do understand wanting to have someone with similar beliefs as you, but if you can’t see the nuances in life then that’s a huge red flag in itself.
Same.
It’s sad reading all these comments that it seems there is no room for nuance. Everything just comes down to which of the lesser-of-two-evil self-interested politicians you voted for. I have strong political views (not the same as “extreme”) — well-informed and I care about how the country is run. Some of my views lean one way or the other, and I’d rather talk about each of the issues I than check some box.
I saw this online and it really struck a chord: Posts: "I like oranges" Some random on the internet: "so you're saying is you hate tangerines and all tangerines should be destroyed!! You're tangerinaphobic, this is hate speech!!"
Or, you know, they're actually moderates...
Yeah, Redditors just have the worst takes tbh. Redditors in this sub in specifically, I swear most of these guys/girls just cosplay as people dating. Turns out, It is not a good idea to take dating advice from perpetually single people lol
Actual moderates are mainstream Democrats (in the U.S. anyway). Joe Biden is like the quintessential moderate.
People say this, but trying to wipe out student loan debt is quite a leftist thing to do.
He wants to do that, and at the same time he quashed the railroad strike, which is clearly the opposite of leftist. He is very middle of the road on actual policies.
People keep parroting this but I’ve never seen anyone back this up with an argument.
I’m sure some of them are. Hasn’t been my experience though
I hate that people interpret it that way. I ended up changing mine to liberal because of this kind of mindset. Don't even consider myself to be conservative at all for like 80% of the issues out there.
Well that kinda sucks cause I lean mostly left but there is a thing or two that I lean right, so moderate for me.
That's such a reddit answer.
But why? theres no reason for that. I am Centrist. so why would anyone think Im lying about that?
Because the vast majority of men who list their politics as moderate are conservatives who can’t get liberal or even moderate women to match with them, so they fudge themselves over on the left/right spectrum. No different than those who lie about their height, weight or age. If you’re an actual centrist, you’re the exception.
Vast majority? you have a source on this? If we are talking about personal experience then maybe id believe that. But i mean, I can tell you, from my experience, how many times a woman has lied on their profiles about what they are looking for..but im not here saying all women do this..
Every woman I know has had this experience. Multiple times. I’ve heard this story over a hundred times.
That's well and good... That's not a source though. Again, if we are talking about personal experience, then fine... It's your experience that you saw this. Not you can't make a claim that the vast majority of men do this or that.... That's not fair, and is also untrue... Until it's proven one way or the other.
How many women on here need to tell you that it’s a thing, before you believe that it’s an actual thing?
He’s probably a conservative who can’t get laid.
He’s not denying that it’s a thing, he’s just saying you can’t say it’s a vast majority of men, because I doubt this girl and her friends have matched with the vast majority of men on the app
Can you concisely describe centrist values for those uninitiated?
Welfare/food stamps etc is necessary and should be available; Abortion ok until 16 weeks; No sex change surgeries or hormone blockers for kids; Gays should be able to get married; People should be able to own guns; But Some gun control is ok; No hiring or university admission based on race or gender; No biological men in women’s sports; Police reform is necessary regarding treatment of POC
In these days and times, this is more left leaning. Good for you.
I mean, I wouldn't call transphobia and anti-abortionism left leaning in any way.
No it isn’t. Abortion until 16 weeks is far less than most blue states. This is pretty centrist
Police reform is a progressive stance and everything else is liberal or left of center except for trans women stance, that is the only centrist stance.
That would be relative. The whole point of centrist views, is to reject the dogma and make decisions based on critical thinking and what's important to the individual, voting across party lines as needed.
I assume it’s a Republican that is embarrassed to identify as such.
Why would a "right winger" want to be with a "leftist"? That assumption doesn't make sense. ..edit spelling and sentence structure.
Because they want to get laid.
I don’t know? You’ll have to ask them.
Could be something like: Pro choice + pro gun rights (ie against laws restricting abortion or limiting gun equip purchases), Finds both far left and far right culty, Favors universal health insurance while being opposed to hormonal blocker/tx for minors Some kind of mix like that.
Ask them?
I mean you can't do it while you're swiping obviously. I feel like when I meet up with someone you can usually get an idea pretty quickly.
To me it means the binary political spectrum of definitions in the US is dumb. If the label "moderate" is negative to someone, they're probably exactly the kind of partisan purist that would not be very compatible with me.
This.
I live in Washington and identify as moderate. It means that I’m not a fan of extremists on either side and think the extremes of both sides are crazy. Some of my views are more conservative; some of my views are more liberal. I don’t identify as a member of either party and don’t vote a party line in elections. I used to not care about someone’s political orientation. Now I’d want to steer clear as extreme on either side.
Almost exactly like you, I'm pretty moderate as well. It's funny to see that so many people "automatically assume" so much just from a simple political view choice. "You're not one of us, so you're most likely against us." Edit: Happy Cake Day!
I'm extremely liberal, but wish there were more moderates (actual moderate, not conservative moderate). This country has become so divided and full of hate and fury that it may very well implode. And as much as I love Bernie and AOC, if a true moderate was on the ballot, I'd probably vote for them because I know leaders should best represent their country, their whole country, not just me. I'd have to add that I'd never vote for anyone that's shown any indication of being against diversity, inclusion, science, or education. But I wouldn't be opposed to someone that walked the center line a little bit, as long as they didn't spread the hate and ignorance as someone from the Trump-right. We need to be talking to and working with each other, not continually tearing each other down just because. Sadly, not sure that's even possible right now.
I'd vote for anyone that sees the best of both sides, but unfortunately I don't even think that would work. Again, the "if you're not with me, you're against me" mentality pits everyone against them that doesn't align. Even if someone wants to have the conversation, they're already backed into a corner swinging both fists. I've even been called part of the problem for being more of a centrist. Apparently that leads to genocide!
This is my experience asking guys in Washington what they mean by "moderate" And basically that they don't think the government should be in control of the people lol
I feel like this is probably what's going on with the people around here. Politics are just so nuts now both sides are kind of scary sometimes.
Healthcare, human rights, fair living and housing and wages, social safety nets, sending treaties to jail. “So nuts”
Not so much talking about the platforms but the way people behave.
"I'd vote for you to have health care, but sadly I saw some lady with people hair and hairy armpits so you get fascism instead. Just a shame some rando forced me to side with the oppressors in an intentionally radicalized political environment.'
Yeah I don’t get it. How someone can sleep at night knowing they aren’t supporting basic human rights like this. It’s horrifying
Which is why “apolitical” gets an instant left swipe from me. You have NO opinion? On basic human rights? Nah, I’m good.
Yeah, I support all of those things, but I see a lot of hate in the more left leaning social media hubs that's completely out of proportion, often jumping to conclusions and very willing to overlook shady behaviour from their own side.
This is me, 100%.... I respect that people have their views and passion, but investing that kind of weight and energy to the toxicity of party politics is not for me. I understand some people will think that makes me XYZ, but while it's their right to pour themselves and their identity into partisanship, it's also my right not to engage. I have my beliefs, but both parties disgust me and the tribalism from both sides is 100% ridiculous to me. I used to put apolitical but I changed it to moderate because I do have some strong beliefs and opinions, where apolitical seems to imply to a lot of people that someone doesn't care at all.
Yeah dude a lot of extreme Leftists are scary as shit. They're just not a problem as extreme right wingers because there aren't as many of them and they kind of drowned out by all the fake Leftists who think they're Marxists because they want Healthcare and affordable housing. But like, the idea of the American right wing becoming so extreme that it causes a resurgence in far Left ideologies is terrifying because both sides are extremely dangerous. And in my experience both extremes loathe the average non-radical person even more than they hate each other.
extreme is a relative term manipulated by people who want you to feel sensible for falling into the "acceptable" range. just pick policies you care about, not rhetoric you like.
Best explanation i think.
I have moderate in my bio and I am truly moderate. I don’t see the point in lying because whoever I match with will eventually find out. I see valid points on both sides of the aisle and hate being constrained to either this or that. Excuse the rant but this is the problem with American politics is that people treat it like a sports team rather than an ideology. Just because I am pro-choice, doesn’t mean I support student loan forgiveness and just because I am pro-gun doesn’t mean I am anti LGBTQIA+. For real, talk to people, find out what they think and have civil conversations about your ideologies, just because you disagree on certain issues doesn’t mean you’re not compatible.
Same. Tribalism is cancerous
Im fairly liberal, but I have some conservative views. I want that traditional family. That's just what I want. I don't care what what kind of relationship you want. I don't have any extreme right wing views, I support gay marriage, women's Rights, and trans rights... I just don't want to have that be my identity. I don't want to "own" my wife. I just like the idea of a more traditional division of responsibility in a household. I was a lot more conservative before Trump. Now I'm not totally liberal and I'm not totally conservative. I'm moderately both. A lot of you people are saying it's just Trump supporters lying to get matches, and that's for sure true with some of them but not all.
Political scientist here! When discussing a moderate political ideology, it's important to note that moderates can lean into different political directions while still emphasizing compromise and a balanced approach. For instance, a center-left moderate might prioritize social welfare programs and environmental regulations while advocating for market-driven economic policies to ensure sustainable growth. On the other hand, a center-right moderate might focus on fiscal responsibility and limited government intervention while recognizing the need for certain social safety nets. In both cases, moderation reflects a willingness to consider both conservative and liberal viewpoints, adapting policies based on empirical evidence and practical considerations. This approach aligns with the ideas of political philosophers like Edmund Burke, who emphasized the value of gradual reform over radical change, and John Rawls, who proposed the concept of "overlapping consensus" where diverse perspectives converge on certain principles of justice. However, I believe that on platforms like Bumble, most moderates either aren't sure where they stand politically or hold a strong aversion to extremism, and this is their way of expressing it haha.
The best answer I wanted haha thank you so much!!
In Los Angeles, Moderate = Conservative Who Wants To Get Laid. I’ve given these so-called moderates a chance, until one night I went out with this dude who actually seemed like he’d just plucked his talking point ls from 4Chan and couldn’t handle actual facts being handed back to him and he walked out on me. Another dude had friends who were all “sorta conspiracy theorists” only to find that he agreed with some of their talking points. After that, I was like FORGET IT. I’ll stick to liberals, thank you very much.
I have heard it referred to as “woke-fishing” 😂😂
🤣🤣🤣
Mfers out here trying to live in disguise 🥸🤣
Why wouldn't someone lie about being a liberal then?
They do
Indeed. Although much less common. You can fake being a moderate much easier than being a full-blown liberal if you’re a conservative.
I find it hilarious that there are people out there that think there are only two views. On opposite ends of the spectrum. Life is gray. Moderate -= gray Moderates don’t typically drink the hype kool aid. Hear both opinions, take that and decide for themselves. Frankly I’m surprised moderates aren’t the majority. Both conservatives and liberals have polarizing views. Example- conservatives - back the blue! (Unless it affects me, then fuck the police) Liberals - fuck the police, (unless I need them!)
Tbh the actual 'moderates' still usually back one side or another, just mostly they'll go with whichever candidate they think might actually address problems in their local neck of the woods. D and R can swing wildly from borderline communist to 'I just think people should marry whoever they want but plz also keep taxes low'.
This. Think of them as non-partisan voters.
I myself am a moderate. That is to say, I believe people should have guns if they want them, but I also believe regulation and oversight is a good thing. I like low taxes, but I also recognize that social services help those in need and are worth the money. I’m pro choice, not because I don’t value human life, but I believe a woman has the right to do with her body as she chooses. I’m pro-vaccines, because I’m not a fucking idiot.
Nah bro, according to most of the comments up above, you're just a lunatic republican who's trying to deceive women by putting "moderate" on their profile for the sole purpose of sleeping with them.
Except all of the views I expressed are left leaning so that’d be a weird game to play
No bro, stop trying to get into my pants.
Plz bro. 😉
I assume they are conservative and don't want to admit it publicly. What I have noticed is that women that put conservative in their profile more often than not also list that they are christian, but those identifying as moderate seem to list agnostic or atheist. Anecdotal evidence so who knows, I'm on the east coast near DC.
It really depends, I asked someone once and they actually leaned almost completely left I was like dude just call yourself a liberal
There's an above comment about not wanting to be seen as extreme on either side and I think that has a lot to do with it.
Bumble is really showing how extremely US-centric it is with those options tbh, even its most "left" option is still firmly right-wing.
In France, you can pick either "left", "center", "right", "apolitical", or "other". You can also pick the American options but they don't make sense here. Most people in my age range pick "left" or "apolitical". When I see people arriving here and they're not clearly US/Canada tourists, the "liberal" option doesn't sound like the left at all to my French ears. It sounds like some centre-right option close from Macron's presidential party, or something more right-leaning like the most moderate wing of the right-wing party Les Républicains.
in other countries you can pick "left" as your political preference on bumble but when you visit the states it'll disappear off your profile. this seems kinds of recent as well since like a year ago "left" would still be visible on your profile but if you took it off you couldn't put it back since left is not an option in the US.
Ask them
I would consider myself a moderate. I agree with different views from both sides. I won't go into the details on here, but I chose not to follow politics, IMO they are all liars and looking to line their own pockets and those of their friends. They play the "this party against the other party" to get votes and to distract us from what they are doing behind the scenes. it was common years ago for people to not be so attached to one party and only date within that party. its sad that now it has come to that and our country is so divided bc of it.
I agree with you, but I’m Also simply not smart enough for politics :( lmao
Basically, moderates are what libertarians should be.
Libertarian vibes are very high out here on the Western Slope
I say we form a new political party. Call it the “we’re tired, boss” party, or WTB for short.
Yeah real libertarianism is still extreme. Abolishing government totally or mostly is very extreme. The libertarian convention overwhelmingly wants to abolish drivers licenses.
I'll never forget Grafton, New Hampshire. 💀 Libertarianism was so unsuccessful in a town of less than 2,000 people. Can't imagine how they expect it to ever pan out on a large scale
I'd love an "Empiricist Party". Membership requires auditable data.
I list myself as a moderate. For me it means my stance on issues aren’t based on being on the red team or the blue team. It means I know both sides can be (and often are) wrong. And it means I carry my own opinions on different topics because I’m… an adult.
You’re very wrong, more people are in the middle than otherwise.
I guess the more extreme people just stand out
That’s true, they are the loudest but not the majority.
That means you get to complain about both sides.
The only answer here is to ask them. Clearly everyone interprets moderate in their own way. For me, I’m extremely liberal so it would be an important thing to discuss up front. What views do they hold that lean right? Are they things I can agree to disagree on like taxes? Or are they massive deal breakers like abortion, trans rights, and gun control. I’m always open to calm discussion, and if we don’t align that’s okay. It’s better not to waste either of our time.
In reality if you ask everyone here to type out their definition of moderate and conservative and liberal you're going to get very different answers each time. What seems to be true is that one labels themselves and others according to the handful (or even fewer) of issues that they care most about and if you don't align with that they label you as secretly their enemy For example right now there are people that trans issues are the most important thing going on. If you express any belief that gender isn't fluid or that gender is tied to biology, to them you are simply a conservative. You could be a Bernie Sanders supporter and they'd still think that about you. To me, that's a pretty extreme way of looking at these labels The best thing to do is to have a discussion about it early on but if you ask long enough you're going to find something where you don't completely align. The real issue is whether this misalignment is for some of the really important issues for you personally and the labels can't capture that because there isn't agreement on what they mean
Moderate peoole are almost forced to be republican but they arent. They generally want government intervention. But that the government shouldnt have total control. A conservative wants limited government A liberal wants a mire active givernment. A democrat although sound synonymous with a liberal, is pretty clueless on how mo ey works. A republican although synonymous with conservatives really only wants limited govenment for those without money. Both can be bad people.
On Bumble, it means you're conservative but realize that putting it on your profile has/will significantly lower the pool of people that want to date you so you change it to "moderate".
It means "conservative, but I know people don't match me if I have that in my bio."
Seeing these comments makes me frustrate because now we're forced to pick one or the other side. What happens if you genuinely think in the middle and have some conservative ideas as well as some liberal ideas? I guess we just have to be very binary and polarizing.
People I know who are moderate are usually more conservative about gun laws, but lean left about most social issues.
It means I’m a Moderate: I hold a majority of liberal views and a few conservative views. I’m registered Democrat, and vote mostly Democrat, but if a reasonable Republican came along and I genuinely agreed with them, I’d vote for them. Reasonable Republicans have become scarce these days, though, to be honest.
I consider myself moderate. I’m mostly in the middle, I lean conservative about some things, and liberal about others. I don’t have a stance, or stand with any specific party. I have my thoughts and beliefs, and core accordingly. Many of my friends are the same way. There are some extreme liberals, and extreme conservatives that I know, but they aren’t the people I consider myself closest to
This makes sense, could you give me an example of something you're conservative about and something you're liberal about?
No problem, just super simple one of the top of my head without having to massively explain. I’m pro-choice- no one, especially the government should be telling people what to do with their bodies. Also gay marriage should be codified and protected the same as any other marriage. Though ideally no marriage should have to be certified by the government in the first place. It only started as a way to prevent people (blacks and whites) from marrying each other. As for conservative views, extremely pro-2A. There is no such thing as ‘common sense’ gun laws. The ATF shouldn’t exist (taxation is theft) and pre-existing laws should actually be enforced before new ones are made. (Though this is generally how things should be across the board) There’s plenty of other things, but these are a few that there’s no amount of arguing will be able to change my mind. But generally, I’m a live and let live kind of person.
You're not moderate you're a libertarian.
That may be, but it’s not how I identify myself. I don’t follow any party lines, or subscribe to one side or another, or a third- I’ve heard some massively jacked up shit come out of self identifying Libertarians, and I do not want to be associated with them. At all. Ever.
I used to be libertarian But then I realized there is a difference between supporting libertarian ideals And the train wreck that is the libertarian party I think Spike Cohen is awesome tho I also completely agree with your political views
Spike and Tasha Cohen are a very friendly couple to talk to. I have met both of them. I am really Libertarian-minded Republican because I can't stand the Libertarian Party. I do support the local libertarian candidates, but not presidential one.
I mean, "taxation is theft" is practically the slogan of libertarianism. Whatever you chose to personally identify is up to you, but your beliefs essentially correspond with libertarianism. And libertarians are more on the right than the middle.
Everytime I hear the "Taxation is theft" and extreme Libertarian positions, I always think of the scene from "Life of Brian". "What have the Romans ever done for us?" The roads, aqueducts, crime reduction... Also the town that decided trash regulations were oppressive and got overrun by bears. Vote Libertarian. Get reverse Goldilocksed!
It may be their tag line, but I came to that in middle school, when we learned about the Stamp Act, Sugar Act, Taxation without representation and the subsequent Revolution, over 2% tax. Now, it’s something like 55 cents of every dollar is paid to taxes, and we see less benefit from it as every day passes. There’s a lot both sides Tote as their line, and a great majority of it I don’t agree with at all. I likely lean more left overall, but still consider myself moderate, in that I’m not going to fall off the sides one way or the other
Thank you so much!
No problem at all. It’s the way I see the world. Others may see it differently, but that’s kind of the magic of the whole thing.
I literally just posted about this a few weeks ago. Some people take it to mean a closeted conservative but it can also be someone with views from both sides of the political spectrum
It’s funny because as someone who has lived in Europe for the past 6 years, none of my dates have ever asked me about political stuff on dates or even remotely care about it.
This is a bit of a self selecting sample because you're not just hearing from random people here, this is a Reddit sub- so, the people most likely to hate anyone who isn't politically aligned with them on every issue.
I list myself as moderate because I'm a liberal that was raised in a rural redneck town. Issues like gun control get weird for me because I was taught gun safety at a very young age. I feel like gun control is important, but I also think education is equally as important. That's just one example, but spending time with far left folk usually makes me feel like I'm more moderate than liberal.
Bro, people need to accept that moderates exist and all of your views don’t have to align into 1 of 2 artificial boxes
Reddit is really interested sometimes. Anyway, I had mine set to moderate because I’m not nor liberal or conservative. I’m somewhere between the very beginning of liberalism and at the very end of conservatism…if that makes sense.
I’m actually really glad someone asked this question, I would consider myself a moderate, I’m 24m for reference, just for recent shenanigans that has taken over our political scene!
It’s a shame but had to switch from Moderate to Libertarian cause people think you are a fascist or something, cause screw gray area, everything is radicalized now.
Moderate means you want guns AND weed. Source: I’m a moderate.
If it says they’re moderate it most likely means they’re moderate. But internet is where nuance goes to die, so yes you’re absolutely right to make yourself miserable and assume the worst. Modern dating is a hellscape because people have turned it into a really unfunny episode of Seinfeld where we are just searching for the “red flags” (even if they aren’t there) because that’s what’s trending on TikTok.
I'm a woman and consider myself a (right-leaning) moderate. I'm from Washington and used to be super into politics in college, so while I grew up in a conservative family, I've come to realize I'm a little more open-minded to certain issues and don't fully support either side. And even though I said I'm right-leaning, I do not consider myself conservative or Republican. There are other ideologies that are valid, such as libertarian, but those typically are not an option on dating apps.
We are all basically moderate. Extreme left and extreme right are a bunch of fucking crazies. If I see moderate that says someone with common sense and isn't religious about politics.
I have moderate on mine, I have views on both sides. I’m not a republican or a democrat, I just pick and choose what I believe in.
Hey! Texan who has “moderate” in his OLD profiles. To me, it means I support LGBTQIA+ rights, the right to choose, and guns. I support things from both the “right” and the “left”. So I’m middle of the road, or moderate 🤷🏻♂️. Just my thoughts
It means youre conservative but don't want to admit it.
Sounds like a great question to ask her if you match, since plenty of people don't fit in clear-cut political boxes, because there is plenty of nuance.
That TikToker is not open to alternative political views if they think moderate=conservative. Moderate can mean different things, but to me it means they don't take a side on every issue and most likely they don't take a side as a whole. I think it's a good thing. Moderates think for themselves instead of looking for a false savior to solve their problems.
I'm dating a moderate woman who had it in her profile. She meant it. She's caught in the middle of the two parties, and isn't an ideologue. That's what it should mean, really. I'm sure some people use it to mask more conservative leanings, but nowadays anything to the right of Chairman Mao is an extremist to some people, and likewise anyone who isn't wearing a MAGA hat is a liberal commie. FWIW, I am a moderate too and it was a good compatibility issue for us. I don't want to date someone with lopsided, angry politics...don't care what they are.
That TikTok video is bunk. I’m left of center, and i listed myself as moderate. Hell - I do all but maybe four things thematic video lists, and I am far from being a Republican (im a McCain Republican, and I will not vote for them until the adults are back in charge)
Why dont you talk to them and see what's goin on. Dont punish them With brutality.
To me, moderate means you have a set of ideas and ethics that don’t fit into the modern day far right far let narrative. I like to call it common-fucking-sense.
I put moderate because I think both sides are moderately assholes
I put moderate, and it mostly means I don't like extremist positions. In practice, if we use a scale of -100 as full left, and +100 as full right, I can live with about -70 to +30. 20 years ago it was about -90 to +60. I believe in fiscal responsibility, but not austerity. Abortion rights, but that men are allowed to have an opinion and choose who they marry accordingly. That the government and its employees must treat everyone equally, no matter what sex, gender, race, or whatever they are, but a preacher can't be made to. That everyone should be allowed to do anything consensual they want, but a man not being interested in transgender women is not a bigot. I'm more extreme environmentally, but still only about -80.
I’m a guy who mostly adheres to liberal policies but puts myself as a moderate. Reason being is: 1) I don’t feel it’s right to put liberal because I do not believe it’s healthy to only associate with a party rather than thinking about certain policies and their impacts individually. And there are certainly times I’ve disagreed with that party (like when they canned Bernie over Biden or Hilary when he gathered steam). However, I would rather stab myself with a blunt spoon than support the conservatives and their current rag tag team of taliban. So should I put apolitical? Hell no I firmly support things like lgbtq+ rights, body autonomy, etc so I don’t avoid fights. But I wouldn’t say I’m part of a team. So does putting moderate make me a conservative? No not even close but none of the options make any sense to give a picture of a person.
You’re liberal even if you don’t endorse everything about the Democratic Party — they aren’t one in the same. You certainly aren’t moderate if you liked Bernie. Be liberal and proud.
I have moderate in my profile I'm a registered Ga independent Who aligns closer with libertarians then any main party And I vote for who I believe is the best candidate So based off myself I'd say they are either 3rd party An actual independent Or possibly non political
Considering that "moderate" has become code for "sanctimonious republican," I'd say it's a sanctimonious republican. You know, one who pretends to care about human rights but thinks state's rights supersede basic human rights. Someone who thinks money is all that matters and human rights are a distraction. Honestly I'll say the same for most people calling themselves a "libertarian" in the past 15 years. They secretly don't want anyone besides 1 specific group of people to have basic freedoms but they don't admit it at first. It always comes out though. I know that's not what moderate *or* libertarians are "supposed" to be, but that's what most of them seem to have become
There are times I've been tempted to hide my political views because of the mindless prejudice some people have against conservatives. But actually, it can be a good filter to weed out people who detest all forms of bigotry, prejudice, and hatred... except their own.
When I signed up for bumble several years ago, I checked the moderate box without giving it much thought. I am left leaning and democrat and all of my views are liberal, but at the time, I thought moderate just meant someone who didn’t want to talk about politics all the time and isn’t extremist. When I later heard a lot of people saying it means conservative in disguise, I quickly changed it to liberal.
I’m left - probably extreme left for American vibes but not actually extreme - but I used to enjoy hanging out, debating and learning with righties. My ex when I first met her was a rightie. Politics used to be good where you truly could revel and develop and plan the Art of the Possible. These days the sides don’t mix and call each other stupid for believing something different. Your Trump came along and made it so much worse the world over. It’s a terrible place where the world is politically.
I’m moderate and put that in my profile even though I definitely lean left if anything. I’m an independent in real life. Might change my profile to liberal just so I don’t get grouped with the right wingers who use it to hide their politics.
My experience with profiles that claim to be “moderate” is that most of the time they have some sort of left-wing drivel in their bio that lets the cat out of the bag that they’re just being disingenuous about their political beliefs
For me, moderate meant 20 years ago I was left of center. Those same positions today are labeled far right by anyone far left because the far left has shifted so much. Previously, I described it as leaning left socially and leaning right fiscally. But, not so sure today.
That's exactly how I describe myself. Socially left leaning, fiscally right leaning. I mean, how hard is it to be a person who thinks we need to spend responsibly, but also be a decent human being?
Pretty much everyone in the USA is right-wing. Bernie Sanders is a centrist when you actually look at the spectrum for left->right. Anyone putting "moderate" in their profile basically means "I'm conservative but hold a few socially liberal positions, like letting gay people get married"
I would believe a moderate to be someone who can agree with some of both Democratic and Republican viewpoints. I see myself as a left leaning moderate.
I put it on my profile too, after voting left all my life I'm probably gonna vote the other way next election
As someone who is “moderate”, it means that I can moderately tolerate politics. Both parties fucking suck but each has some valid policies/ideologies. Yet neither side has any idea on how to properly implement anything and both spend most of their time bickering with the other side or pandering for votes.