Why I Am No Longer A Conservative.
I believe that Republicans vote more selfishly than Democrats ? or, more specifically, conservatives? vote more selfishly than liberals, as Democrat and Republican as partisan labels intended to categorize ones social-political views. That aside, Republicanism generally typifies a capitalistic, anti-socially progressive (i.e.: conservative; unchanging; obstinate), ceaseless instigation of social conflagration; a war against the bourgeois (in a completely semantic, non-Marxist sense), although the pro-ruling and upper class ? capital ? proclivities are starkly juxtaposed against the archetypal rural-dwelling religious right which will, in practice and ideally, vote conservative.
Therefore, a Democrat, the quintessential liberal, if stereotypes serve correct ? or ideals and classifications ? typifies a socialistic, Marxist (in the most ambiguous and general possible incarnation of the word) political inclination, coupled with progressive, humanistic, philanthropic, avant-garde, social policies ? an allowance for new and previously unacceptable practices and the defense of the expansion of rights of previously oppressed social groups; a benevolence which attempts to destroy the oppressive societal beliefs and praxes of the past. Liberalism concerns the expansion of civil liberties; philanthropy, contrasted with conservatisms misanthropic philosophy, mirroring Hobbes?s concept of humanity and the state of nature ? but conservatism expands upon Hobbes?s philosophies, integrating religion, or the social restriction through religious morality, with the secular absolutist philosophies. However, contrasting the social restrictions of conservatism, the political restrictions of liberalism attempt freedom ? a nihilistic freedom: by entrusting the government with efficiently and effectively managing their economic prosperity and medical and socialistic institutions, e.g. Medicare, welfare. A significant setback, if pessimistic ? but the optimist (or rational thinker) realizes that although marred by bureaucracy (conservatism being, stereotypically, a plutocracy) and human greed and fallibility, a socialistic economic platform concentrates on providing for the people; hopefully, an equal distribution of goods and services meant to improve society; altruism.
A conservative places themselves in the past; they concern themselves with previous or ideal morality, attempting to recreate a perceived utopian time period when society was morally constricted ? constrained to a Judeo-Christian morality ? more constrained. Conservatism, in attempting the recreation of these morals, directly or indirectly infringes upon the natural and American rights of the pursuit of happiness, dependant upon ones frame of reference. A conservative reality is limited and narrow; it encompasses nothing, and acknowledges nothing, the individual exempted, and resultantly, passes judgment upon opposing or additional views: anything which doesn?t confine itself to their concept of morality and reality. Therefore, conservatives exclude anything which doesn?t fit snugly within a set, socially restrictive metaphysic.
Liberalism also seeks to suppress; a paradoxical suppression: suppression of the old to benefit society ? but it doesn?t attempt destruction. It attempts expansion, and expansion may require some semblance of suppression, and relative to liberalism, the suppression is of the conservative mindset. A liberal looks to the future ? they attempt to create a socio-political environment based upon what will become. A liberal sees the problems of a society, and in contradistinction to a conservative, who will attempt to recreate reveries of Christian American and Europe, they look to an open future, where all is possible, and all has been attained; where true equality and acceptance, not tolerance, is widely-practiced. Obviously, this idealistic future is both impractical and humanly impossible, but it proves and reference for which a better, less bitter, more philanthropic, more amiable and accepting society can flourish. This practice is noble. Noble insofar as it rejects intolerance (un-accepting) and accepts a worldview, an objective view, an all-encompassing concept of humanity, and the wished resultant being the betterment of humanity; liberalism diverts its focus from capitalism and greed, leaving that to the bureaucracy, to allow people the right to better humanity, for all, not for one specific group. A liberal answers, ideally, enforces no God or deity-given morality upon the people, instead allowing the people to decide what would better them. And therefore: liberalism is noble. (However, it should be noted that liberalism is relative, and a liberal society could, if wished by the populace, become an objective-conservative society, but allow room for expansion.)
--
Maybe it's rambling, maybe it's not - This is a short response (I only spent 12-15 minutes writing it; and it's "stream of consciousness," so not of top quality or completion (comprehensiveness).) to a comment I overheard today in school: that "conservatives are morally superior" to liberals. That is the quote, verbatim, and following that, I began to ponder why, exactly, I consider myself liberal. Although a Christian, I have rationalized to myself the theories of evolution, which I previously denounced (the Organized Debates), abortion, and gay marriage. I find myself supporting issues such as these, as well; I subscribe to a more socialistic economic platform (obviously not pure socialism, but a balanced socialism taking into account capitalistic practices). I also wanted to rationalize to myself liberalism, as previously, I had never considered why I side with liberals, and so despise (paradoxically) the church's practices and stance of a singular morality; because the church has no concept of wrong but what opposes their "right"; God cannot be proven to exist. So, crudely, I outlined why, and revoke much of what I had previously said on the Asylum regarding (a) my pro-life stance on abortion (b) my anti-gay marriage stance (c) my support of (pure) creationism, although I will not deny the possibility that God may have taken (some) part in it.
Also, I wondered how a conservative would respond.
Disregard it if you may. I felt like posting it.
--------------------------------------------------------
"Abortion clinics are like expressways to heaven."
(Edited by cfb on 11-10-2004 08:42)
(Edited by cfb on 11-10-2004 08:43)
posted 11-10-2004 08:41
