Partisan
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The meaning of the word "partisan" has changed over time.
Originally, in the 16th century, it referred to a particular type of pike, having long spear blade as a head with a pair of curved lobes at the base.[1] Over time it gave its name to the people who continued to use it, often as an improvised weapon, instead of moving on to more "advanced" lumps of metal such as the halberd.[1]
These days, the word has come to mean one who takes a certain point of view and promotes it, often with slim regard for the truth or reality. Many partisans have accomplished good things in the world due to their single-minded perspective (although it's really luck of belief). However, many have also enabled terrible things.
In the Eastern Bloc, "partisan" is the term used for guerrila fighters operating in enemy-occupied territory, especially during World War II. Most of these fought against Nazi Germany, but in some countries there were partisan groups fighting against occupying Soviet troops.
Let's Focus Here!
In this article we will refer to the Political Partisan: One who allies themselves with a party, and tends to favour their cause, sometimes even without considering other evidence. This is typically reasonable, say, if you chair a party,[2] but on the extreme end it removes room for you to be scrutinised properly. In blunt terms, hardcore partisans don't give a fucking shit about the other side, even if they have a valid point of view. A brilliant example of when this kind of attitude goes horribly wrong can be found anywhere, but we can lock in one; part of the Democratic Party in the 1850s refusing to compromise on slavery, leading ultimately to a conflict so bloody that the US hasn't topped it since. Refusing to compromise on a position is inherently dangerous, as, even when you think you are correct, you may not consider a vital argument that means your point is invalid. Another name for a hardline partisan is a Cheerleader as partisans bounce off eachother and validate through asserting the ideas of like-minded people.
On the other side, the act of Bipartisanship is where one reaches across the political isle to properly listen and appeal to the other side, not however immediately discarding loyalty for your cause. This is, of course, generally a good idea. Say one is governing in minority, to get any legislation passed, they must appeal to members of other factions or parties, else they will never get a majority required. Promoting bipartisanship generally knocks down ideologues, which only makes the need for it stronger, and even on a social level, one should be meta-analysing news sources anyway for a proper perspective. Inevitably, you will possess some degree of partisanship allying with any political party, but that also means one must remember their own personal positions, as well as potentially notable alternatives. Civil discourse requires bipartisanship.
Infamous extreme partisans
Here is a list of some ridiculously partisan people you can look at in all their glory:
See also
- Groupthink
- Partisan Coffee House
, a left-wing hangout in '60s Soho