Liberal vs Conservative, one word

[shoelace414]

So I'm thinking about the difference between Conservatives and Liberals. I think the major difference can come down to one word. Empathy.

Gay marriage? I'm never gonna to marry someone of the same sex, so I'll say NO GAY MARRIAGE!

Abortion? I'm a man NO ABORTION!

Universal health care? I have a job and that job gives me insurance NO SOCIALIZED MEDICINE!

the poor? they should get a damn job, just like I did.

education? I'm not a teacher, SCREW THE TEACHERS!

Nuke them. what the hell, I don't know anybody there

[redqueen]

1. Is it empathy

when they wail and moan and gnash their teeth because rich people have to pay more in taxes?

[wtmusic]

2. That's the point

or lack thereof...

If you have to pick one word that's probably a good one

[shoelace414]

3. Taxes

the republicans make sure to pretend YOU are paying the taxes. Since if it's anyone but you, who cares.

"The goverment is going to come after you after you die to pay taxes"

not really.

[ArkDem]

4. Very well put.

[immoderate]

5. About a year ago

I got into a discussion with a conservative friend. Actually my best friend's son in law, who I know for a long time. He's a self professed ditto-head and admits he doesn't read much.

I asked him to express what he thought the difference was. He said, "Liberals like to tear down the top, and conservatives like to build up the bottom."

He really couldn't expound more on it. I suggested that it sounds like you're helping the handicapped to walk by taking away their wheel chairs.

His answer to most, "Well I don't read."

It's sad, because he is a nice guy and does not see his own racism, or his inferiority complex.

--IMM

[disinfo_guy]

7. The GOP Motto: "I Don't Read"

Bush doesn't read either.

[Grown2Hate]

21. Reading is for them damn liberal fancy-pants elitist types...

::sighs:: I just want to start SHAKING people when I hear that attitude portrayed... I just want to SCREAM "READ, YOU MORONS! OPEN A GODDAMN BOOK (without PICTURES) and REEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAADDDDDDDD!". ::deep breath:: Ok, done.

[Nadienne]

12. Conservatives like to build up the bottom?

More like, Conservatives like to steal from the bottom...

[salin]

18. Funny,

I would rather view it that the conservatives like to build up the top, while allowing the bottom (both average folks, and the public infrastructure) to decay.

For a nice graphic pointing this out - http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2004_06/004194.php

For one like the guy to whom you are refering - one should appeal to their logic and ask... what would they expect the long term implications for say a mid size city or small rural town with incomes in terms of spending power declining... wealth going to the few, and public investment (due to tax policies) declining so less goes into roads, sewers/water, schools, police, fire, etc.

For more on the graphic and numbers:
http://www.nathannewman.org/log/archives/001769.shtml#001769

[immoderate]

28. We did plenty of "reasoning"

In most cases I got him to admit that going Republican was against his own interests.

But then he slips back into that ditto-head thing. He cannot let go.

Recently, I asked my friend how his son in law is doing these days. He said he was being reclusive because he's not feeling good about himself lately. Sad, it's ditto as a religious commitment.

--IMM

[KAMouflage]

6. That's what Kerouac said to Steve Allen...

... when Steve Allen asked him to define, "beat." Jack paused, thought a moment and said, "Empathetic."

As I tell my family and friends all the time, it all comes down to Cain, Abel and the question:

"Am I my brother's keeper?"

[Killarney]

8. I agree - selfishness and greed and LACK of empathy.

[LosinIt]

9. I always thought the word was money, but you are probably right

although I contend that money is still their greatest love

[Dees]

10. I like your choice

maybe a close second is compassion and there is nothing conservative about it.

[sadiesworld]

11. Enlightenment. n/t

[TWiley]

13. On topic reprint from "the worst republican ever" thread

Plato was the first republican, and he was definitely the worst. The modern republicans derive their stupid ideas from him. Plato knew that Socrates believed it was most important to follow the rules of the culture (or tribe) that you lived in. From this, Plato wrongly reasoned that since royal people wrote the rules it was they who should always be obeyed.

Plato believed that the best way to govern was with a very small ruling class imposing their needs on a very large peasant class. (sound like today?) Crafty lad that he was, he said that no Greek could ever be enslaved by another unless they derived pleasure from it. Also, that any Greek could enslave any person of a different nationality. State sanctioned discrimination was born, and the peasant Greeks were grateful because they had a leg up on someone else.

Plato also believed that the best way to rule was through the legislation of morality. Especially sex morals that would relieve the wealthy of any social liability at all. You will notice the big bruha over Monica, Marriage rights, and other moral legislative topics today. The end result is to make Royals socially unaccountable.

Republicans also believe that greed is a virtue because it is the vehicle by which wealth is created. Odd how the consider themselves "moral authorities" in what they call a "Christian nation" when Jesus was absolutely NOT a capitalist, nor was he greedy. This is why the average republican is a confused mess.

Aristotle, on the other hand, realized just how stupid Plato was. He correctly reasoned that the best way to govern was through a very large middle class. He reasoned that part would vote with the wealthy and part would vote with the peasants to avoid tyranny from either. Hence the Democratic emphasis on creating a huge middle class.

Also, Aristotle correctly reasoned that the best way to govern was through the legislation on money. Today, this could be seen as attempting to put a humanized face on the raw capitalism the crackpots advocate. Also, the rights of the environment would be weighed against the rights of the greedy under his vision. Aristotle would feel that if a republican became wealthy in a society, that he would have a directly proportional social liability to that society.

The brilliant Aristotle also realized that morality should be the providence of the individual. Tyranny based on fundamentalist morality is the most abusive government of all.

In conclusion,since Plato was the first republi-kkklan he was therefore the WORST. We are still suffering under his bone head ideas.

[FizzFuzz]

22. wow great post!!!

Thank you---dang I love it I learn so much here.

Welcome to DU!
:toast:

[Anarcho-Socialist]

24. Impressive post - Welcome to DU!

:hi:

[TWiley]

29. Thanks for the welcome

Now I am embarassed. eh eh I am SO happy to have found all of you here.

[TN al]

14. I think that empathy is a fine choice, among many...

... and just because I am curious didn't a psychologist determine that what made a person a Nazi was a total lack of empathy? No joke there I think I saw it in the remake of Judgement at Nuremburg. Maybe that part was ficticious but it sure hit the nail on the head about Nazis just like you did about the gop.

[neoteric lefty]

15. for me it is like this....

CONSERVATIVE is all about ME whereas LIBERAL is all about US

that is the difference. Conservatives want what is best for themselves individually and liberals want what is best for everyone. That is the defining trait. Conservative ideology is inherently about individual greed. 'Nuff said.

[TWiley]

16. anti-social vs socially accepting

anti social program is also a small part of my defination

[tjwash]

17. I can tell you what conservatives can not do.

A conservative can not picture any scenario using situational ethics. Everything is black and white, IE the man who goes AWOL to see his mom who is dying in the hospital, is just as guilty as the guy who goes AWOL to get drunk, and snort a bunch of coke.

A conservative can not have a conversation with anyone without using the words "I", "me", "my", or "mine" in every sentence.

A conservative can not help but show their basic intolerance, which permeates every philosophical, political and social issue they set voice to.

A conservative can not live their life, without showing a callous, often violent disregard for anyplace or anyone considered different, often referring to "them" or "those people."

[shoelace414]

19. clap clap n/t

:yourock:

[seasat]

20. GRAY

Liberals realize there are a lot of gray areas that require a more thoughtful response to a problem. Conservatives only see the world in black and white.

One example of that view is war. That is why wars appeal to them. They see a good (us) versus an evil (them). They never consider that the US is capable of being wrong or doing wrong. They never consider that one of the reasons the people in the middle east hate us is that we've spent the past 50 years manipulating their governments and supporting these despots that we are now railing against. Their solution is go over there and blast everything and put in place another US friendly despot. Our solution is to support the moderate elements, build infrastructure, and educate the people so that they can determine for themselves what sort of government they want without desperately putting their faith in one despot.

[FizzFuzz]

23. Self-righteous lack of empathy. Authoritarian mind-set

intolerance of ambiguity; fear-controlled thinking; weak integrative skills; low self-esteem --but yes I agree, it seems to me too that if I had to put it into one word, that would be it.

Something that is fascinating to me (scary as hell too) is that lack of empathy is a major characteristic of psychopathy. Yeeg.

Here's an interesting paper--"Political Conservatism as Motivated Social Cognition"

http://faculty-gsb.stanford.edu/Jost/_private/Political_Conservatism_as_Motivated_Social_Cognition.pdf

[galadrium]

25. inclusiveness.

[clonebot]

26. "privacy"

liberal = "government responsibility to care for citizens and no involvement with personal privacy."

conservative = "government responsibility to monitor personal privacy, and everyone takes care of their own damn selves."

kinda how i see it.

[ArkDem]

27. Nuance

[cybildisobedience]

30. more

conservatives always want more - no matter how much they have.
More power, more money, more opportunity, more control.
It's never enough.

[RichJohnson1976]

31. I dont know.

I'll touch on a couple of them. First off, I know lots of pro life ladies. Secondly, I am in the military and thus have Government controlled health care...It is not so good and it's better than any socialized medical program you're going to get. As for the others, well, I'd just start a war and as I say...I'm trying to be respectful and not get banned. But trust me on government health care...You are better off on your own.