(no subject)
Last night I had an interesting revelation while doing homework, prompted by a completely inaccurate sentence in one of my textbooks (and not a polysci book, but I made it relate to politics for obvious reasons):
"Conservatism is the process of trying to protect ideas and practices people think are valuable. It is attempts to protect and maintain traditional ways of doing things people think are worth keeping. Liberalism is the opposite, trying to liberate people from conventions, practices, and ways of doing things that are oppressive and undesirable."
Can you find the inaccuracy of this statement?
Well, by their very definitions these two are not opposites. A true opposite of this definition of Conservatism would be an attempt to destroy ways of doing things people think are worth keeping. That would actually be the opposite of this definition of Conservatism. Likewise, the actual opposite of this definition of Liberalism would actually be trying to uphold practices and conventions that are oppressive and undesirable. They are not actually opposites....the true opposites, everyone would agree, are rather ridiculous.
This, as I'm sure you're shocked to hear, got me thinking about our two-party system. Undeniable, Liberals and Conservative are at odds. The are opposing teams, warring against each other to some extent. However, it is inaccurate to see them as opposites. Both teams are striving to determine the best government for our society. Both sides want to (in theory, of course) do what is best for the people. They just see the ways of doing this differently. They support different means to accomplishing the same goal. They may have opposite stances on issues, but they stem from the same desire to do what is best. It was an interesting way to look at it. I suppose I have, to some extent, viewed the Liberals as (in a way...kinda, but not really...I love you Clara!:P) as an enemy, to an extent, although never personally, of course, but merely their stances. But this/..revelation I suppose you could call it, has led to a greater degree of understanding within my mind of the fact that the opposing views are united in the sense that they have the same goals. It shouldn't necessarily be all-out warfare in politics when it's in regards to the opposite party. They just have a different view of looking at the best ways to improve the country. And I suppose I've always known this to a certain extent, but thinking on it has brought it further into active conscious thought. And that makes me happy. : )
"Conservatism is the process of trying to protect ideas and practices people think are valuable. It is attempts to protect and maintain traditional ways of doing things people think are worth keeping. Liberalism is the opposite, trying to liberate people from conventions, practices, and ways of doing things that are oppressive and undesirable."
Can you find the inaccuracy of this statement?
Well, by their very definitions these two are not opposites. A true opposite of this definition of Conservatism would be an attempt to destroy ways of doing things people think are worth keeping. That would actually be the opposite of this definition of Conservatism. Likewise, the actual opposite of this definition of Liberalism would actually be trying to uphold practices and conventions that are oppressive and undesirable. They are not actually opposites....the true opposites, everyone would agree, are rather ridiculous.
This, as I'm sure you're shocked to hear, got me thinking about our two-party system. Undeniable, Liberals and Conservative are at odds. The are opposing teams, warring against each other to some extent. However, it is inaccurate to see them as opposites. Both teams are striving to determine the best government for our society. Both sides want to (in theory, of course) do what is best for the people. They just see the ways of doing this differently. They support different means to accomplishing the same goal. They may have opposite stances on issues, but they stem from the same desire to do what is best. It was an interesting way to look at it. I suppose I have, to some extent, viewed the Liberals as (in a way...kinda, but not really...I love you Clara!:P) as an enemy, to an extent, although never personally, of course, but merely their stances. But this/..revelation I suppose you could call it, has led to a greater degree of understanding within my mind of the fact that the opposing views are united in the sense that they have the same goals. It shouldn't necessarily be all-out warfare in politics when it's in regards to the opposite party. They just have a different view of looking at the best ways to improve the country. And I suppose I've always known this to a certain extent, but thinking on it has brought it further into active conscious thought. And that makes me happy. : )