Topics Beyond Your Comprehension

Post Reply New Topic

I do not understand how to begin to understand politics, although I can recognize that it is hugely important to begin to do so. Encountering a television segment or an article that involves politics considerably influences my state of mind, it has the ability to completely undo a day of positive experiences. I don't like seeing a person up on a pedestal with their mouth open and their index finger up and pointed in the direction of some implied audience. When a topic of political discussion arises, as it invariably happens, I never have anything to contribute. I do not know if I have a duty to understand the American political system, even on a rudimentary level.
My lack of opinion isn't exclusive to politics, I'm finding it extends to many other topics. It is my belief that this rampant opinionlessness (allow me to use that word, thanks) is rooted in an interest to avoid argument. Is it okay to live in a state of usual complacency with this opinionlessness? This term is not to be confused with ignorance. I will add more to this after, hopefully, a few responses. Trying to get this damn thread going here.

The alternative minimum tax.

Would you mind elaborating? I have enjoyed other posts from you I've read in different threads. Your thoughtfulness comes across easily.

I suffer from rampant opinionlessness as well, and my reason is that I cannot decide which of many different perspectives is the one that I find to be true, so I have to analyze issues obsessively and endlessly to be able to formulate opinions on them. It is not enough to simply feel an opinion and hold it. Also, most political topics are very boring to me, because they are all just primates flinging poop at each other for whatever reason that benefits them personally. I don't really even know what I'm talking about in this post, actually.

It's basically a tax imposed on the working poor and middle class so they don't end up paying too few taxes (ironic, I know, when Warren Buffett only paid 17% of his income or something like that to taxes), but it's ridiculously difficult to determine when one has to pay it, and calculate it. It's so confusing, in fact, that the government is considered doing away with it for that purpose alone.

Or I could be completely wrong. As I said. I can't comprehend it.

I'll take a look at that maybe, when I'm in a more relaxed state. The reason I created this thread is that I'm realizing the topic I look to avoid (politics) is now looking to be unavoidable for my college degree. It was not smart of me to not be considerate of this before beginning the degree. I'm torn between withdrawing or continuing and making it apparent to all how lacking I am in the political department of thought.

FYI (clicky), this is what the AMT is all about.
in a nutshell, it is as its name implies, an Alternative Minimum Tax on upper-income households who managed via deductions and shelters to skate by the taxman entirely with zero net tax obligation. but the fly in the ointment was revealed when the bush tax cuts went into effect without compensatory changes in the AMT schedule, resulting in those with middle incomes being caught in the AMT net. the lower tax liabilities triggered AMT eligibility for many households, eliminating the incentive effect of the tax cuts and subjecting additional lower-income households to the tax. economists have called this the “take-back effect” of the bush tax cuts.

I have opinions on everything. The question I run into is when to share them and when not to. You really have to be careful when you talk politics and who you are talking to or you might end up in a spirited debate and not a casual conversation.

I really like to learn about all sides of issues and who is likely to believe in what. I find it interesting. Also, I think most people truly don't understand how politics works. Some things are just too complex.

And the bigger picture is that our tax code is so complex that nobody can truly comprehend it or so it seems.

hmmmmm..... let's seeee........
i don't comprehend the charms of the tv series "jersey shore" or "survivor" - those people might as well be from mars.
i don't comprehend the charms of dancing or sports.
i don't comprehend the charms of most fashions or styles. new cars are FUGLY to me!
i don't comprehend the charms of sarah palin or that other woman.
i don't comprehend modern life, at least since the last millenium.
i fail utterly at "getting" the social whirl.

I am glad to see I am not the only weird one. I don't "get" sports or fashion either. Apparently this stuff is important to a lot of people, but it has no value to me. Although I am an avid news reader, I never read "entertainment" or "sports" news.

us outliers should stick together more.

Thank you for the clarification. To be honest though, I still don't understand it in any functional sense. As in, I would have no idea to figure it.

I avoided the subject of politics for years because it didn't interest me, so I didn't have much knowledge about it beyond a high school government class level. Through the years I've learned more, but I still allow myself the luxury of not participating in politics because I don't like the contentiousness of it all. I am not even registered to vote, and when people try to engage me on political issues I usually just say "Democracy is a farce."

i can't understand cruelty, sociopathy, blaming other people for one's problems, complacency, space/the universe, the origins of anything, string theory, infinity, racism, sexism... probably more...

I've just been shooting my mouth off about capitalism being hell on earth, so I guess I must comprehend enough about politics to have an opinion. But in my heart of hearts, I know the whole political thing is too big for me or anybody else to get their brain round. All I know is a few nuggets borrowed from other political commentators and a few of my own observations and experiences.

I once read in a psychology book that the only objective attitude about anything political or social is that of suspended judgement, but that nobody actually does it, humans are shot through with ego-feeding prejudices and delusions, and they live and die that way but it does them little harm, in fact without it they'd never get anything done. Personally I'm wary of ego-feeding delusion and I try to avoid it when thinking seriously. I'm more likely to be so open-minded that my brains fall out. I do get things done, but they're often due to a reaction against my usual ways....I'll suddenly think "oh for god's sake let's just do it."

I think ti was Einstein who said that you never really understand an idea, you just get used to it. I felt a lot better about my conprehension skills when I read that.