[quote=@SleepingSilence] [@Vilageidiotx] Though the party system could be argued to literally be a cancer destroying politics. And labels aren't always going to mean all individuals under that banner are the same. But I don't think the opposite ever means that they know any more...usually it means they don't follow politics so they simply are ignorant to it's effects to the world and their every day life. Basically what I'm saying, call yourself a democrat or conservative. You at least know what you are in general. (though you could argue people DON'T even know that. And you'd be right.) But my main point is, being politically active and voting and being under a political label is still more legit than being proud of your eye color. Or you being 1/16 wiccan. When you likely know absolutely nothing of that culture or have ever been there or experience any of it. (I am sort of a hypocrite in that regard, as I say I'm Irish/Polish and never actually been there either.) But I say it non-seriously, some people take their culture they know very little of, a little too seriously. imo. :/ [/quote] I agree, I agree completely. But I don't think we can avoid it. There is a part of us that takes serious comfort from belonging to a group. Even those of us who don't like it are actively identifying with some group somewhere, even if we don't think about it like that. If it isn't politics or race, it'll be religion or career-type or economic class or social group or region or even just sports team. All of these things benefit nothing from a single person joining them, but despite their irrelevance any single person in the group will identify proudly with the accomplishments and history of the entirety. Perhaps when it comes down to it, most people aren't ever going to accomplish much more than maybe having a kid, or perhaps being able to say it was them that found the fried chicken place they and their friends all go to now. Our lives a unimpressive individually, but when added up to groups we get long lists of accomplishments. Vilageidiotx as an individual can proudly claim to have never shat his pants as an adult. Vilageidiotx as an American can claim an entire history starting up in 1776. The former might be my accomplishment, but the latter feels better to claim.