General Discussion

WarGamer

(15,762 posts)

5. A College professor once lectured to me and others...

Wed Dec 11, 2024, 12:07 PM

Dec 11

Political Ideology is like a belt...

Somewhere around the buckle is the political center... where moderation and compromise thrive.

Work your way one direction or the other to the front pocket area and you see the strong ideological positions emerge

Continue to the hip area and you have the most divergent positions you'll see...

For example, no-limits abortion or a complete ban on abortion.

HOWEVER, continue PAST the hip area, towards the back of the belt and ideologies start to become more similar as they become more authoritarian and anti-Liberty.

The classic example is Hitler-era fascism vs Stalin-era Communism... a distinction without a difference.

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Highlight:

what the hell is the "Far Left"? [View all] onethatcares Dec 11 OP

Fascist construct. The Unmitigated Gall Dec 11 #1

Agree, MAGAts don't like being called the "Far Right"... AntiFascist Dec 11 #18

This!!! ThePartyThatListens Dec 11 #45

I've asked people to define what the "far left" is. Initech Dec 11 #2

The "far left" in the US is what, in almost any European country, Bettie Dec 11 #38

Here's my fave LearnedHand Dec 11 #56

That is a very good one Bettie Dec 11 #58

Heh LearnedHand Dec 11 #61

That's not the Far Left Dorian Gray Dec 11 #79

That is what the media means Bettie Dec 12 #84

And "woke" Cherrycheeks Dec 11 #65

"Good jobs at good wages" Jack Valentino Dec 12 #85

It's a made up derogatory term. Propaganda is absorbed better if it's distilled down to as few words as possible and/or surfered Dec 11 #3

"Propaganda is absorbed better if it's distilled down to as few words as possible" The Wandering Harper Dec 11 #20

Emmanuel Goldstein Basso8vb Dec 11 #4

Wasn't He A DUer at One Time? MineralMan Dec 11 #16

We meet at 3 H2O Man Dec 11 #22

A College professor once lectured to me and others... WarGamer Dec 11 #5

Brings to mind an image of the Worm Ouroboros. MineralMan Dec 11 #17

Right now, the "buckle" is Bettie Dec 11 #39

The "far left" is... -misanthroptimist Dec 11 #6

I would add: returnee Dec 12 #89

Folks that believe some should go to prison without trial Kaleva Dec 11 #7

Those illustrate authoritarian positions, NOT far left ones. marybourg Dec 11 #8

You are talking about leftists positions Kaleva Dec 11 #34

A few centuries back in a certain country virtually everyone was a leftist. GreenWave Dec 11 #9

Almost anything anti-corporate advantaged. Passages Dec 11 #10

If Dem4life1234 Dec 11 #11

People who think this country should keep improving itself. Oneironaut Dec 11 #12

Is your premise that it doesn't exist? BannonsLiver Dec 11 #13

Do they think that WE are the far left? John Farmer Dec 11 #14

they think that we are commie socialists. rampartd Dec 11 #24

There is a difference between reality and how the term is used. Renew Deal Dec 11 #15

Politically it's the people that support policies which have overwhelming public support on a multitude of issues which Uncle Joe Dec 11 #19

Well said Bettie Dec 11 #41

Well said. But also... Brenda Dec 11 #50

Like most labels defining the "Left" is like going to a green grocer and finding the Vegetables. Ping Tung Dec 11 #21

unreliable tankies who hate Dems and echo Putin? thebigidea Dec 11 #23

It seems if you go far right or far left enough... C_U_L8R Dec 11 #25

There is no one definition. H2O Man Dec 11 #26

A make believe enemy designed to scare people to stop thinking DBoon Dec 11 #27

From my understanding far left centrist. nt Gore1FL Dec 11 #28

The ultimate Straw Man. nt eppur_se_muova Dec 11 #29

His name is Goldstein lame54 Dec 11 #31

"I think Trump may have done something bad once." lame54 Dec 11 #30

Ask Bill Maher KT2000 Dec 11 #32

I'm actually a socialist. I suppose I qualify in this country as ultra far left. nt. Voltaire2 Dec 11 #33

So you think the govt owning the means of production is a goal? EX500rider Dec 11 #40

No I think workers ought to own 'the means of production', not the government, not oligarchs. Voltaire2 Dec 11 #48

That only works in vary small scale EX500rider Dec 11 #51

Mondragon Cooperative employs 75,000 people. Voltaire2 Dec 11 #54

Which is Marxist theory soandso Dec 11 #68

The actual far left is historically not anywhere close to a monolithic group of totalitarian ideologies. Wolver Dec 12 #86

There is a balance that needs to be maintained... AntiFascist Dec 11 #75

tech-bro libertarianism has morphed into tech-bro fascism. There never was much difference. Voltaire2 Dec 12 #87

That's the far right fascists projecting, of course. canuckledragger Dec 11 #35

Point out to the MSM the US Constitution protects the far left. RedWhiteBlueIsRacist Dec 11 #36

historically the constitution has not protected the left in this country. nt. Voltaire2 Dec 11 #55

It's looking like the Founders were a bit shortsighted RedWhiteBlueIsRacist Dec 11 #73

The ostensibly oppressed who seek to become oppressors Sympthsical Dec 11 #37

Don't shoot the messenger. YMMV Wolver Dec 11 #42

I think the Bill Maher "worm" is infecting peoples brains SunImp Dec 11 #44

I find it all kind of sad and pathetic, and I'm not "well educated or intelligent" Wolver Dec 11 #47

The extremists are on the right, not the left. Jeebo Dec 11 #43

Would you agree that the far left favors censorship? Kaleva Dec 11 #49

Where does this notion come from? LearnedHand Dec 11 #59

From posts here at DU Kaleva Dec 11 #66

Gotcha thx. But I don't think that applies to the far left in general. LearnedHand Dec 11 #67

Strawman liberal Johonny Dec 11 #46

What would you label those who favor censorship? Kaleva Dec 11 #52

What would you label those who favor unrelenting admonishment of fellow DU members? Ilikepurple Dec 11 #70

That isn't an answer to the question I asked the other member Kaleva Dec 12 #83

I would label them fascists - TBF Dec 11 #74

DuckDuckGo AI Chat says... Bonx Dec 11 #53

Count me the hell in to the "far left," then LearnedHand Dec 11 #60

As I have often said . . . markpkessinger Dec 11 #57

Nowadays, it's FDR and the New Deal. no_hypocrisy Dec 11 #62

According to the Political Compass, I'm FAR LEFT in the Libertarian quadrant LearnedHand Dec 11 #63

IMO the far left is Dem Socialist types who don't consistently support Dems and who often promote Russian propaganda LymphocyteLover Dec 11 #64

Barry Goldwater. Turbineguy Dec 11 #69

Tolerant, thoughtful, compassionate people, sometimes overbearing, who seem to want to help others. Jit423 Dec 11 #71

Anyone who is left of a centrist, Emile Dec 11 #72

The far left are those who are VERY serious about... Think. Again. Dec 11 #76

Wanting healthcare and a living wage. Clean air and water. onecaliberal Dec 11 #77

Far left are the people Dorian Gray Dec 11 #78

with the far left we might get healthcare for all Skittles Dec 11 #80

THIS if the "far left" DBoon Dec 11 #81

In NYC there are Dorian Gray Dec 12 #88

The Far Left LogDog75 Dec 11 #82