Whats with the leftwing bent of Wrongplanet?

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oscuria
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01 May 2008, 12:21 pm

Awesomelyglorious wrote:
oscuria wrote:
We have to understand what is meant by LEFTIST and if it is applicable. I would say that society then was conservative with libertarian ideals, and liberal to the idea of rights. :| :? :shrug:

We aren't liberal to the idea of rights. We are libertarian to the idea of rights. If we were liberal then we'd have a lot more social insurance. Frankly, libertarians and leftists are both socially liberal and both have socially liberal aspects of their conceptions of rights, however, the former sees economic rights from an individualist standpoint and the latter sees them from a more communal standpoint and our system does hold to both, but compared to the rest of the world it is more libertarian and compared to the history of ideas it seems more libertarian.


I seemed to have forgotten what sarcasm is. Let me go look it up.



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01 May 2008, 1:04 pm

oscuria wrote:

I seemed to have forgotten what sarcasm is. Let me go look it up.

Oh, here: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sarcasm

sar·casm
Pronunciation: \ˈsär-ˌka-zəm\
Function: noun
Etymology:
French or Late Latin; French sarcasme, from Late Latin sarcasmos, from Greek sarkasmos, from sarkazein to tear flesh, bite the lips in rage, sneer, from sark-, sarx flesh; probably akin to Avestan thwarəs- to cut
Date: 1550

1: a sharp and often satirical or ironic utterance designed to cut or give pain
2 a: a mode of satirical wit depending for its effect on bitter, caustic, and often ironic language that is usually directed against an individual b: the use or language of sarcasm
synonyms see wit



oscuria
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01 May 2008, 1:24 pm

Awesomelyglorious wrote:
oscuria wrote:

I seemed to have forgotten what sarcasm is. Let me go look it up.

Oh, here: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sarcasm

sar·casm
Pronunciation: \ˈsär-ˌka-zəm\
Function: noun
Etymology:
French or Late Latin; French sarcasme, from Late Latin sarcasmos, from Greek sarkasmos, from sarkazein to tear flesh, bite the lips in rage, sneer, from sark-, sarx flesh; probably akin to Avestan thwarəs- to cut
Date: 1550

1: a sharp and often satirical or ironic utterance designed to cut or give pain
2 a: a mode of satirical wit depending for its effect on bitter, caustic, and often ironic language that is usually directed against an individual b: the use or language of sarcasm
synonyms see wit


You'd make a mighty fine comedian.

Maybe.



Awesomelyglorious
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01 May 2008, 1:56 pm

oscuria wrote:
You'd make a mighty fine comedian.

Maybe.

Comedian, oh no good sir, I am way way too serious for comedy. Have no sense of humor whatsoever. None. Zero. Don't even try to get me to laugh. I said don't try! Stop! STOP!! ! HA HA HA HA HA!! !! :lol:

Oh wait, that isn't comedian, that is madman, sorry.



NOBS
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01 May 2008, 3:50 pm

Hi All;

Many thanks to all those who rose to my defense. Much as I would love to, I shant jump into this debate. It just fails "cost benifit analisys".

Oh, and Grif, I OWN a history library, twit.

Regards,



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01 May 2008, 4:57 pm

Griff wrote:
NOBS wrote:
I am fairly right wing, with a hell bent libertarian streak. Mostly, I am a realist! Not unlike the founding fathers.
The founders of the country were liberals, you illiterate twit. Government "by the people, for the people" was a radically leftist idea for their time. The philosophers responsible for their ideas would be liberal even by modern standards. For example, many of the more educated elite of the day would not have objected to polygamous marriages if some arrangement could be made for them and they were in great enough number to constitute a legitimate minority population. If I recall correctly, there were at least a few who actually said so. The right-wing of their time were monarchists who were loyal to the King. The King's Men were flag-waving "patriots" who were happy to murder their own countrymen in the name of their distant ruler. They were also called "tories," which would be a much more fitting term for modern conservatives. Conservatives don't have any business in this country. They've fought against it since the get-go, and it mystifies me that we even put up with them.

Oh, but libertarians are a different story. They're deluded, but they have good intentions. I think. Just try to remember the leftist roots of your philosophy. Libertarianism is rooted deeply in liberal philosophy, and it always has been. I don't know why many people seem to think it's "right-winged." They're outright wrong, really. Even Adam Smith, the original libertarian, was a liberal philosopher, and most people either don't know or won't tell you that he was one of the earliest advocates of progressive taxation. Even today, his views would be seen as very liberal.

Of course you don't believe it. You're historically illiterate. It's easy to argue from a position of ignorance, you know. It's how Creationists can convince so many people of their stupid rubbish. They aren't constrained by facts, so they're free to make the truth up as they go along. Before you make another post, I suggest you do some actual reading on history. Actually check out a few books from a library, and act like you're really serious about enlightening yourself before you come back on here to spout your ill-researched opinions. If you don't, count on this: you WILL be ridiculed.


Adam Smith would be horrified by modern day Corporate Capitalism and it's inherent tendency towards monopolies and cartels, and would be further horrified because corporate crony apologists invoke him when they are criticized.


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Awesomelyglorious
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01 May 2008, 7:14 pm

Odin wrote:
Adam Smith would be horrified by modern day Corporate Capitalism and it's inherent tendency towards monopolies and cartels, and would be further horrified because corporate crony apologists invoke him when they are criticized.

Adam Smith would probably be taken more off guard by the massive increase in our welfare that has occurred since he lived, and I would bet that this impressedness would overtake any dislike he may have of our system. Heck, I would bet that Karl Marx would be impressed by the accomplishments of our system for promoting the common welfare. Both might question the dynamics of our system, but I doubt that either would be so horrified as you seem to proclaim.



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02 May 2008, 7:04 am

What leftwing bent? Besides myself, there are probably less than 20 posters I've seen here that I would consider leftist. The rest are all rightists or centrists, be they Liberal or Conservative.


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nominalist
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02 May 2008, 8:50 am

Awesomelyglorious wrote:
Ah, and I was assuming we were sticking to the American usage of the term libertarian. Really though, given that the basic defining feature of libertarianism is its dislike of government, I would say that it tends to be somewhat inconsistent. I mean, a left-libertarian who accepted that the status quo was to stay I suppose could compromise on this issue, but they typically dislike this system.


In many countries, outside of the U.S., libertarianism is practically a synonym for anarchism. However, the term "left libertarianism" is commonly used in the U.S., at least among American political theorists.

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Right, I would only include Ron Paul as left-libertarianism is along the same lines as most anarchism and I don't see Ralph Nader advancing such a view very much, but perhaps I am not very familiar with his work.


Ralph Nader is a left libertarian, but he is not an anarchist. However, anarchism can, in a sense, be seen as a category of left libertarianism.


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02 May 2008, 3:31 pm

nominalist wrote:
In many countries, outside of the U.S., libertarianism is practically a synonym for anarchism. However, the term "left libertarianism" is commonly used in the U.S., at least among American political theorists.

Well, I know. Libertarian was originally a term used by anarchists, it was appropriated by US libertarians because FDR and such had taken the term "liberal" from the US libertarians. Frankly, given that US libertarians are better known in the US than left-libertarians or anarchists, the necessity of extra clarification is clear.

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Ralph Nader is a left libertarian, but he is not an anarchist. However, anarchism can, in a sense, be seen as a category of left libertarianism.

Well, I know anarchism can be seen as a category of left-libertarian, I just was not aware that Ralph Nader was much of a left-libertarian, much of his work has advanced progressivism more so than left-libertarianism from my perspective, such as work he has done to promote regulation of the auto industries and such.



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02 May 2008, 5:45 pm

Awesomelyglorious wrote:
FDR and such had taken the term "liberal" from the US libertarians. Frankly, given that US libertarians are better known in the US than left-libertarians or anarchists, the necessity of extra clarification is clear.


I generally just say right libertarians and left libertarians. The term "liberal" is mercurial. Economic liberalism still refers to the ideas of Adam Smith (invisible hand), David Ricardo (percolate down), etc. FDR's usage of liberalism, which has become a pejorative in much common American usage (due to right-wing talk radio, Fox News Channel, etc.), has been rapidly morphing into progressivism.

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Well, I know anarchism can be seen as a category of left-libertarian, I just was not aware that Ralph Nader was much of a left-libertarian, much of his work has advanced progressivism more so than left-libertarianism from my perspective, such as work he has done to promote regulation of the auto industries and such.


Nader has repeatedly run for president against "liberals." His anti-corporate left libertarianism (including opposing the capitalist globalization which is favored by both Clinton and Obama) is a middle position between FDR liberalism and the far left.


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Awesomelyglorious
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02 May 2008, 8:16 pm

nominalist wrote:
I generally just say right libertarians and left libertarians. The term "liberal" is mercurial. Economic liberalism still refers to the ideas of Adam Smith (invisible hand), David Ricardo (percolate down), etc. FDR's usage of liberalism, which has become a pejorative in much common American usage (due to right-wing talk radio, Fox News Channel, etc.), has been rapidly morphing into progressivism.

I tend to think that libertarian has become popular enough of a usage and left-libertarians are typically rare enough that I can get away without qualifying in many situations. In some cases I don't qualify intentionally because I will still lump right and left libertarians in together to a small extent. Frankly, I have stopped using "liberal" because of that issue, I still slip into it when I say something like "liberal" markets and then have to spend a few minutes explaining myself.

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Nader has repeatedly run for president against "liberals." His anti-corporate left libertarianism (including opposing the capitalist globalization which is favored by both Clinton and Obama) is a middle position between FDR liberalism and the far left.

Well, I know that he is further left than Clinton or Obama, however left-libertarianism isn't just a left-wing belief but a certain left-wing belief. I will admit that the green party will sort of lean that direction, but it does not seem to really be there as it still does rely on the state as a regulator more than left-libertarianism would, as the latter would emphasize getting rid of the state and getting rid of property rights claims rather than going around creating government programs and messing around with tax laws. Perhaps I don't know left-libertarianism as well as you do though. I do know that right-libertarians have dismissed Nader as a statist, but that could just be the antipathy between the two groups.



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02 May 2008, 10:32 pm

Awesomelyglorious wrote:
Well, I know that he is further left than Clinton or Obama, however left-libertarianism isn't just a left-wing belief but a certain left-wing belief. I will admit that the green party will sort of lean that direction, but it does not seem to really be there as it still does rely on the state as a regulator more than left-libertarianism would, as the latter would emphasize getting rid of the state and getting rid of property rights claims rather than going around creating government programs and messing around with tax laws. Perhaps I don't know left-libertarianism as well as you do though. I do know that right-libertarians have dismissed Nader as a statist, but that could just be the antipathy between the two groups.


Nader ran on the Green Party ticket in 2000. However, he has never been an environmentalist per se. He actually started out as a consumer advocate. As the years went on, he became increasingly anti-corporate. Yes, he is a statist, as is Kucinich, whose views also come somewhat close to a left libertarianism.


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24 Jul 2008, 12:24 am

I regard *right-wing*/conservative Aspies as being the equivalent of Black Uncle Toms. :wink:



skafather84
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24 Jul 2008, 12:42 am

Haliphron wrote:
I regard *right-wing*/conservative Aspies as being the equivalent of Black Uncle Toms. :wink:



i wouldn't say conservatives so much as the ones who tout the neo-con ideology.


neo-conservatism is more of a threat today to the country and to the freedoms we used to have than communism ever was in the 1950s.



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24 Jul 2008, 7:31 am

Haliphron wrote:
I regard *right-wing*/conservative Aspies as being the equivalent of Black Uncle Toms. :wink:

They probably regard AS's relation with the current schema differently than you do, and see a less enforced difference than you do. Really though, I do not see why they would be considered so. I mean, there is no reason that an aspie should be against a market economy necessarily, one of the more famous aspies is actually a Nobel Laureate economist and supporter of the market. As for social issues, we have had a number of fierce Christian conservatives on the boards as well, and I do not see a reason why an aspie cannot be a Christian, or why they can't support the social agenda of conservative Christians. Finally, I do not see why they cannot support a right-wing foreign policy, perhaps they really like Kissinger or Machiavelli, and want a very realist foreign policy outlook, or perhaps they are a fan of Kristol and Fukuyama and look towards TR's aggressive stances as good. I dunno, you might have to clarify which of the right wing stances are the problem ones.