"In this sticky web that we're all in, behaving decently is no small task." -- Novelist Stacey D'Erasmo

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Are You Liberal or Conservative?

     I found a reference to this subject on minyanville.com, an economics and finance website that I consult periodically. But the idea was based on a survey from a website called hunch blog. The premise is that there is a correlation between your taste in food and your taste in politics.

     What, you don't think so? Remember during the last Presidential campaign when Barack Obama referred to the price of arugula at Whole Foods, while making a campaign stop in Iowa? As hunch blog reminds us, he was roundly ridiculed by conservatives for his effete, liberal, almost un-American preference in lettuce.

     So anyway, what I did was turn the survey around, massage it a bit and make it into a quiz. It was not a scientific poll. It was based on a limited and selected group of people. So please don't hold me to a scientifically sound quiz. Nevertheless, I thought it would be fun . . . and besides, just thinking about it intuitively, it seems there's probably some truth to the whole thing.

Do you eat off the liberal menu?
     With that in mind, all you have to do is answer yes or no to each question. Then, at the bottom, you tote up your score to find out if you're liberal or conservative. It doesn't necessarily mean you're a Democrat or Republican -- presumably there are a few conservative Democrats (remember the Reagan Democrats?) and a few liberal Republicans (like Rockefeller Republicans -- remember them?)

     Anyway, the point is not to argue politics, but to play a little cultural game. So ...

     1)  Do you like meatloaf?
     2)  Do you drink wine?
     3)  Do you like beer?
Or swallow the conservative line?
     4)  Do you like McDonald's French fries?
     5)  Do you eat seafood?
     6)  Do you like fresh fruit?
     7)  Do you like grape jelly?
     8)  How about strawberry jelly?
     9)  Do you grill your burgers?
    10) Do you drink tap water?
    11) Is Chinese your takeout of choice?
    12) Do you like oatmeal cookies?
 

     Okay, figure out your answer. The next election depends on it!

     If you answered "yes" to questions no: 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, then you are a liberal. "Yes" to questions no: 1, 4, 7, 9, 11 and 12, means you're a conservative. Question 10 is a "wash" -- everybody drinks tap water!

     But like I said, don't take the quiz too seriously. I myself said "yes" to Questions no. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10 and 12. So I said "yes" to 3 liberal questions and 3 conservative questions. Which makes me kind of independent ... which is exactly what I am.

     And you know what else? I'm gettin' kinda hungry. Think I'll go make myself some lunch.

11 comments:

Going Like Sixty said...

I consume all that. I guess that makes me a glutton? (Our symbol is Porky Pig.)

Meryl Baer said...

I guess I am a right-leaning liberal. I thought everyone grilled burgers on a hot summer day. Maybe 100% liberals skip the burgers and dogs and grill steaks. And meat loaf...comfort food harking back to the good ole days of childhood.

Retired Syd said...

I don't know, it has been my experience that liberals prefer their burgers grilled while conservatives will also eat them fried. Again, not scientific.

Margie said...

I said yes to them all. Does that make me a Conserberal... or is it Libervative?

Sally Wessely said...

Very cleaver. I thought liberals would not eat meat and are vegetarians or vegans. :)

schmidleysscribblins.wordpress.com said...

I like most of the things on your list so I am an Independent. I vote the person, not the party. Dianne

Banjo Steve said...

Yup, I said "yes" to all of them, being properly omnivorous. Rather than assigning a party to myself, I just like to party..... period!

Robert the Skeptic said...

I got hung up between questions 7 an 8 as I prefer Orange Marmalade. There was no question about Pizza so I am going to peg myself Libertarian except on Social issues (Libertarians have their heads up their asses on THAT one)!

Linda Myers said...

We were traveling in a conservative part of the country last month and I could not find a piece of grilled meat in a restaurant anywhere. It was all fried or "chicken fried".

I live in a more liberal area and we have a grill.

Dick Klade said...

Five-one,five-one. Should have been a question about martinis to break ties. Cheers.

June said...

Meatloaf? What's not to like? 1960 redux!
I don't drink alcohol anymore so those two are a wash for me.
I prefer BurgerKing french fries, but Micky D's are good.
I eat seafood, preferably with lotso butter.
Fresh fruit makes my teeth hurt, so I like it but I don't eat it.
Jelly seems to fall off whatever I put it on, so I rarely eat it. Maybe I put on too much?
If it's warm out I grill my burgers.
I drink tap water. Husband won't; he buys bottled water.
Chinese would be my takeout of choice if I hadn't heard so many first-hand accounts of kitchen inspections.
Oatmeal cookies? Sure. They're oatmeal. Oats are good for you, lower the cholesterol from the seafood meal.

I know you said "yes or no," but there are so many qualifiers...I think I'm either an independent or a nothing. Maybe I'll sign up to GoingLike60's party...