Monday, March 1, 2010

The Nolan Chart

image There is a quiz called the Nolan Chart.  I’m not particularly fond of it.  Libertarians use it at rallies to attempt to recruit members.  In that, I would say it is rather successful.  If you can get people to take it.  I’ve taken it two or three times and it always tells me I’m Libertarian.  Interestingly, the first time I took it, I leaned liberal, now I am leaning conservative.  I suspect it’s because of the current party in power.  I always lean away from power.

Libertarians have a “small government” approach that I’m very fond of.  I believe that people should take care of themselves.  The only time you need government is in doing things that individuals can’t do for themselves.

Anyway, I almost got off topic.  The Nolan Chart phrases its answers in such a way that you’d feel foolish (at times) to pick the wrong one.  Or maybe that’s just me.  As an experiment, I’d like all my various politically affiliated readers to take the test and let me know where you sit in the political jungle (it’s also interesting for people not living in the USA).

Even if you don’t want to let me know where you stand or what you scored, take the test anyway.  One thing it does do is make you think.  What is the government’s role?

If all else fails, at least take the time to look at the graph above and note that Libertarian does not equal liberal.

8 comments:

  1. DurangoMarch 1, 2010 at 12:32 PM

    Your libertarian test nonsense website doesn't work. But taking the Nerd test does. Apparently I am not a nerd.

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  2. GarMarch 1, 2010 at 12:57 PM

    It works. it's just really really slow.
    The fact that you say it doesn't work indicates a huge lack of patience.
    I don't know which party that would affiliate you with. Perhaps the Texicans.

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  3. DurangoMarch 2, 2010 at 5:38 PM

    Garbo---
    When it didn't work it instantly generated a network connection terminated message. This time it worked and I am appalled to tell you that I am a Libertarian leaning towards the liberal side of things.

    I also took the NERD TEST and was shocked to learn I am way less a NERD than you.

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  4. GarMarch 2, 2010 at 9:07 PM

    I am not surprised you were appalled. I am surprised you were shocked. Even my children make fun of my nerdiness.

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  5. JenMarch 3, 2010 at 3:22 AM

    The Nolan Chart tells me I'm centrist towards the libertarian.
    well..p.s. I'm not American. :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. EdCutrellMarch 4, 2010 at 3:24 PM

    So, not surprisingly, your little chart describes me as liberal. Nevertheless, I found the quiz to be pretty ridiculous. The phrasing of the selections are incredibly loaded (i.e., plurium interrogationum - how's that for some pretension?). "Have you stopped beating your wife?"

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  7. GarMarch 4, 2010 at 4:47 PM

    With the phrasing of the answers I'm actually fairly impressed that we have a centrist and a liberal. I was convinced that the test made it mathematically impossible.

    I also agree with Ed about the loadedness of the answers.

    "Have you stopped beating your wife?" is a question. What are my choices?
    libertarian) Of course silly boy
    conservative) I've limited it to weekends
    statist) No
    liberal) Only if she makes enough money.

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  8. Dr RalphMarch 4, 2010 at 9:16 PM

    There's a short version of this quiz too (our mutual friend, the Whited Sepulchre has a fairly recent post about it).

    The short version answers are even more loaded, and I managed to score Liberal. The long version I was a borderline Centrist.

    Go fig.

    ReplyDelete