Plague face masks.

[FatherSioux]

Originally Posted by Danth [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

It's really the other way around, just politics are so screwed up nowadays that it's all a mess like everything else. Liberals--actual liberals, not communists--believe in free will and liberty and individualism. Conservatives are the folks who're as a rule more apt to follow government guidance and tradition for its own sake. Communists are their own special breed of vermin, faux-liberals who seldom practice what they preach and in actuality tend towards highly conservative behavior in most respects. Do the highly-regimented societies like North Korea or the former USSR look particularly "liberal" to anyone who has eyeballs?

Government-mandated "social distancing" is in flagrant violation of the Bill of Rights and should be opposed by all citizens for that reason alone. Tyrannical governments have long used fear and "for your safety!" arguments as a means of coercing populations into giving up their rights. It is not a new tactic.

Danth

I'm not sure I really agree with your ideas here. Conservatism is based on small gov, Liberalism is based on big gov. I don't think using Facism or Communism to compare the sides is useful because Facism and Communism are quite similar. The Political spectrum is a ring, not a flat plane. Facism and Communism are touching at the top of that ring.

Anyways this book helped me understand the Left and the Right quite well, I suggest it to anyone who will listen.

The Righteous Mind

He has another great book The Coddling of the American Mind, great read for all parents.

[Danth]

It depends on how you're using the word, really. I do not necessarily link "liberal" with "big government." Anarchists were traditionally also regarded as extremist liberals, at least up until the topsy-turvy present. Modern paternal liberalism in the FDR style is big-government, to be sure, but that's not the only way. I use "liberal" as a frame of mind moreso than as a political position.

Danth

[FatherSioux]

Originally Posted by Danth [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

It depends on how you're using the word, really. I do not necessarily link "liberal" with "big government." Anarchists were traditionally also regarded as extremist liberals, at least up until the topsy-turvy present. Modern paternal liberalism in the FDR style is big-government, to be sure, but that's not the only way. I use "liberal" as a frame of mind moreso than as a political position.

Danth

I'm with you in that what I thought Liberals were when I was younger doesn't seem to be a school of thought that is practiced. I think the Liberal ideas that I had in my head when I was young seem like noble and valuable causes. It seems like most of those good ideas has been perverted and contorted to untenable positions for most adults who function in a society.

Example: Homosexuals should be allowed to marry to see the same tax benefits that heterosexuals do. Absolutely, nearly all educated and reasonable people believe this. What happened though is they felt the need to take over the term marriage which is a religious term. That's why people had issues with it. Now we're down the rabbit hole of boys and girls are the same and hormone therapy for 8 year olds is being discussed. There is a direct line from gay marriage being discussed and brought too far.

[Danth]

Originally Posted by FatherSioux [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

I'm with you in that what I thought Liberals were when I was younger doesn't seem to be a school of thought that is practiced. I think the Liberal ideas that I had in my head when I was young seem like noble and valuable causes. It seems like most of those good ideas has been perverted and contorted to untenable positions for most adults who function in a society.

Goes back to the discussion from the other thread about recognizing when the goals are achieved. The lofty goals of even 100 years ago have long since been realized. We live in that era's dream society. An unmarried man and woman can travel or cohabit without everyone assuming the woman's a prostitute. A white man and black man can eat at the same table and nobody cares. Being openly gay is not a death sentence. Communism has been contained. The big world powers are no longer fighting major shooting wars every few years. Too many folks, many of whom have financial stakes, keep fighting the ghosts of the past instead of more rightly focusing on the new problems of today's world.

With respect to today's problems, the wife and I are well-pleased with the schooling option we chose for our daughter this year (a few, individual, wacky science lessons notwithstanding). The regular public school district here has virtually shut down and the children who went there this year are for all intents and purposes receiving no education, certainly none of value. Our daughter is going to be WAY ahead of the curve at this rate.

Danth