The Political Spectrum

[Big Guy]

In this forum, the terms righty or lefty are used as pejorative terms and descriptions, usually by those who do not understand the philosophical difference between the two. I recommend that those who often use these terms to investigate what they really mean:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_spectrum

If​ an individual believes in small government and low taxes and abortion on demand and increased immigration and sanctity of conventional marriage and legalization of marijuana ...

​

Are they left wing, right wing or centrists/moderates?

I suggest that syncretic politics is the more common form in Canada.

[eyeball]

I'd suggest starting with a classical definition of the terms left and right in their political context.

The terms "left" and "right" appeared during the French Revolution of 1789 when members of the National Assembly divided into supporters of the king to the president's right and supporters of the revolution to his left.

Wiki

I think this is still remains the most relevant division to this day - an inherently confrontational oppositional division, as it should be when power is vested and concentrated at the top of society.

[-1=e^ipi]

The set of political positions cannot be reasonably projected onto a single dimension. Thus describing positions as left, right or centrist is inadequate.

@ eyeball - well most of our politicians are monarchists, so that makes them right wing. And most US politicians are anti-monarchist, so that makes them left wing by your definition. I'm an anti-monarchist/republican, so that makes me left wing I guess, along with Gilles Duceppe.

[Guest]

What if you are neither? Split down the middle, not so much in the moderation of all of one's views, but in the fact that the left ones cancel out the right ones.

And vice versa, of course. Wouldn't want to show any bias there...

Edited November 22, 2015 by bcsapper

[eyeball]

The set of political positions cannot be reasonably projected onto a single dimension. Thus describing positions as left, right or centrist is inadequate.

@ eyeball - well most of our politicians are monarchists, so that makes them right wing. And most US politicians are anti-monarchist, so that makes them left wing by your definition. I'm an anti-monarchist/republican, so that makes me left wing I guess, along with Gilles Duceppe.

You're too hung up on the term king. The salient point, the original point, is that right-wingers support authority figures whether its a king or a commissar and left-wingers don't. So that makes Stalin's generals and bosses the right-wingers and the people under their heels the lefties.

The lefties are always the one's under the heel no matter what.

[eyeball]

What if you are neither? Split down the middle, not so much in the moderation of all of one's views, but in the fact that the left ones cancel out the right ones.

And vice versa, of course. Wouldn't want to show any bias there...

Again, if you were a supporter of a centrist authority you would be on it's right-wing. Those who chafe under that and don't support it for that reason are, by default, lefties.

[eyeball]

Just apply the original meaning of the term. Strip away the ideological meanings that have been loaded on since the French revolution and the right and left dynamic is clearly about where and how power is located and applied through a society.

[-1=e^ipi]

You're too hung up on the term king.

No, you just don't support egalitarianism like I do.

To quote Voltaire, "All mortals are equal, it is not birth but virtue that makes the difference."

The monarchy is an immoral concept of birth right that is in opposition to egalitarianism.

right-wingers support authority

Well I guess that means that all the SJWs supporting silencing people, such as people that disagree with feminists on twitter, people that want to discuss men's issues on campus, people that want to discuss abortion on campus, etc. are all right wing.

[Guest]

Again, if you were a supporter of a centrist authority you would be on it's right-wing. Those who chafe under that and don't support it for that reason are, by default, lefties.

I liked the last government, but not this one. I was a right winger, but now I'm a left winger?

Right down the middle, just like I said!

[eyeball]

No, you just don't support egalitarianism like I do.

I'm quite certain we both support that.

To quote Voltaire, "All mortals are equal, it is not birth but virtue that makes the difference."

The monarchy is an immoral concept of birth right that is in opposition to egalitarianism.

Well I guess that means that all the SJWs supporting silencing people, such as people that disagree with feminists on twitter, people that want to discuss men's issues on campus, people that want to discuss abortion on campus, etc. are all right wing.

Exactly.

[Bonam]

The lefties are always the one's under the heel no matter what.

If that was true, why would anyone ever willingly choose to be a "leftie"?

[eyeball]

I liked the last government, but not this one. I was a right winger, but now I'm a left winger?

No, you're a conservative. A completely different animal in the context of the original meaning of left and right.

[-1=e^ipi]

I'm quite certain we both support that.

Do you oppose the monarchy?

Do you oppose the reserve system and the indian act?

Do you oppose affirmative action?

[eyeball]

If that was true, why would anyone ever willingly choose to be a "leftie"?

You're conflating the original 18th century context of the term with people who've chosen to be liberals or progressives in 20th and 21st. Why?

[Guest]

No, you're a conservative. A completely different animal in the context of the original meaning of left and right.

But I supported the centrist authority, and now I don't.

(Unless they give me more money, in which case I'll change my mind)

Seriously though, that would pretty much make all of us right wingers. Not many anarchists on here. I'll let you tell Cybercoma and Black Dog.

Edited November 22, 2015 by bcsapper

[eyeball]

Do you oppose the monarchy?

Do you oppose the reserve system and the indian act?

Do you oppose affirmative action?

Not necessarily

Yes

Maybe

What's your point?

[Bonam]

You're conflating the original 18th century context of the term with people who've chosen to be liberals or progressives in 20th and 21st.

No, I'm just responding to your own statement.

[eyeball]

But I supported the centrist authority, and now I don't.

(Unless they give me more money, in which case I'll change my mind)

Seriously though, that would pretty much make all of us right wingers. Not many anarchists on here. I'll let you tell Cybercoma and Black Dog.

Clearly I'm talking about the terms left and right in their original context and you're not. We'll never get anywhere as a result.

[-1=e^ipi]

You're conflating the original 18th century context of the term with people who've chosen to be liberals or progressives in 20th and 21st. Why?

Because the terms 'liberal' and 'progressive' have been completely corrupted and the usage has become Orwellian in many cases.

[-1=e^ipi]

Not necessarily

Yes

Maybe

What's your point?

My point is you are not an egalitarian. An egalitarian would have responded yes to all 3.

Edit: Your not necessarily answer might be okay but needs context.

Edited November 22, 2015 by -1=e^ipi

[eyeball]

No, I'm just responding to your own statement.

But not the context.

[eyeball]

Because the terms 'liberal' and 'progressive' have been completely corrupted and the usage has become Orwellian in many cases.

So have left and right.

[eyeball]

My point is you are not an egalitarian. An egalitarian would have responded no to all 3.

Edit: Your not necessarily answer might be okay but needs context.

You consider the reserve system and Indian Act to be egalitarian? That's really bizarre.

It's like we're in some post Tower of Babel like period.

[-1=e^ipi]

Woops, I mixed up yes with no.

Edited November 22, 2015 by -1=e^ipi

[eyeball]

Yep, lots of things getting mixed up around here today alright. It could happen to anyone.