Okay so out to the people here, am I a conservative based on the following information?
Things I like:
Free healthcare, pro-choice, strong military, 2SLGBTQ+ rights, properly vetted immigration, freedom of speech/religion/belief SO LONG AS it doesn’t hurt/oppress anyone, free trade, higher taxes on wealthier people irrespective of whether their wealth is cash or assets, SENSIBLE gun control, investment in education/science, capital punishment in very rare circumstances, lower taxes if possible, environmentally conscious decisions, nuclear power.
I have always considered myself a conservative, though I have been voting Liberal. I just can’t stand that little shit stain running the Conservative party in my country.
There is a reason “liberals” are strawmanned as wanting free open borders to let in rapists and drug dealers, and then to actively protect the rapists and drug dealers in lawless sanctuary cities.
It’s often the only thing left for “conservatives” to find viscerally disagreeable.
INB4 someone chimes in saying: “I DO want no borders and no restrictions whatsoever”.
It really depends on which country you are in, and what the local ‘Overton window’ is.
In my country, the supposedly ‘right-wing’ government supports free healthcare, green energy and strict regulation of gun ownership. The supposedly ‘center-left’ main opposition party supports a strong military, thorough vetting of immigrants and free trade. So yeah.
Labels are useless as their meanings keep changing across time and contexts, and as soon as you adapt one for yourself people will either resent you for your choice of label or for not being holy enough (you’re a progressive but you believe people should be allowed to own guns and you honestly think free trade isn’t killing the planet and you believe in death penalty? Blah blah blah).
It’s more useful to think in terms of ideological cleavages. On the scale of authoritarianism to personal freedoms you believe in LGBTQ+ and women’s rights to control their own bodies. Properly vetted immigration could mean many things but is generally indicative of being on the right. Believing in death penalty and emphasizong strong military further pushes you to the right on this scale. Sounds like somewhere centre right on that dimension.
Along the economic dimension you believe in taxing the rich and providing universal welfare, placing you left of centre. “Lower taxes if possible” I guess then goes for low income folks, and is very much in line with taxing the rich in a society like the US - the “if possible” is key, as it seems you’re willing to prioritize the wellbeing of your neighbours. Investment in education and science is also left on this dimension.
Another useful dimension is secular/religious, where you appear to be pretty secular. I guess that explains your opinions about abortion and LGBTQ+ in spite of being more on the authoritarian spectrum, as the religious parts of conservativism seems less important to you.
If the word “conservative” hadn’t been ruined I’d say you’re closer to a conservative than a progressive. But in the political climate of current-day America I guess you’re a dangerous far-left radical.
Screw lazy labels. I differ on two of your points, and another three I would need more details on to be able to say. We think, and therefore our views are nuanced, as they should be. We believe that articulating our views in detail is worth the effort because we know that like it or not, our opinions shape the world for everyone, not just ourselves.
Okay so out to the people here, am I a conservative based on the following information?
Things I like: Free healthcare, pro-choice, strong military, 2SLGBTQ+ rights, properly vetted immigration, freedom of speech/religion/belief SO LONG AS it doesn’t hurt/oppress anyone, free trade, higher taxes on wealthier people irrespective of whether their wealth is cash or assets, SENSIBLE gun control, investment in education/science, capital punishment in very rare circumstances, lower taxes if possible, environmentally conscious decisions, nuclear power.
I have always considered myself a conservative, though I have been voting Liberal. I just can’t stand that little shit stain running the Conservative party in my country.
Why do you consider yourself a conservative if you don’t actually support the goals of the conservative movement?
There is a reason “liberals” are strawmanned as wanting free open borders to let in rapists and drug dealers, and then to actively protect the rapists and drug dealers in lawless sanctuary cities.
It’s often the only thing left for “conservatives” to find viscerally disagreeable.
INB4 someone chimes in saying: “I DO want no borders and no restrictions whatsoever”.
Progressive.
It really depends on which country you are in, and what the local ‘Overton window’ is.
In my country, the supposedly ‘right-wing’ government supports free healthcare, green energy and strict regulation of gun ownership. The supposedly ‘center-left’ main opposition party supports a strong military, thorough vetting of immigrants and free trade. So yeah.
Centrist
Labels are useless as their meanings keep changing across time and contexts, and as soon as you adapt one for yourself people will either resent you for your choice of label or for not being holy enough (you’re a progressive but you believe people should be allowed to own guns and you honestly think free trade isn’t killing the planet and you believe in death penalty? Blah blah blah).
It’s more useful to think in terms of ideological cleavages. On the scale of authoritarianism to personal freedoms you believe in LGBTQ+ and women’s rights to control their own bodies. Properly vetted immigration could mean many things but is generally indicative of being on the right. Believing in death penalty and emphasizong strong military further pushes you to the right on this scale. Sounds like somewhere centre right on that dimension.
Along the economic dimension you believe in taxing the rich and providing universal welfare, placing you left of centre. “Lower taxes if possible” I guess then goes for low income folks, and is very much in line with taxing the rich in a society like the US - the “if possible” is key, as it seems you’re willing to prioritize the wellbeing of your neighbours. Investment in education and science is also left on this dimension.
Another useful dimension is secular/religious, where you appear to be pretty secular. I guess that explains your opinions about abortion and LGBTQ+ in spite of being more on the authoritarian spectrum, as the religious parts of conservativism seems less important to you.
If the word “conservative” hadn’t been ruined I’d say you’re closer to a conservative than a progressive. But in the political climate of current-day America I guess you’re a dangerous far-left radical.
If they have you convinced that’s conservative, they’ve fooled you.
Screw lazy labels. I differ on two of your points, and another three I would need more details on to be able to say. We think, and therefore our views are nuanced, as they should be. We believe that articulating our views in detail is worth the effort because we know that like it or not, our opinions shape the world for everyone, not just ourselves.
Make a reply for each value and let people upvote for progressive and downvote for conservative. Then people will participate.