Why Are Republicans So Unlikable?

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Not to generalize excessively, but why do Republicans tend to be somewhat unlikable? Many Republican politicians have a rather tough, disagreeable quality to them. They talk about the need for America to be austere and seem to take an almost puritanical delight in imposing a regime of suffering. They focus on figures, taxes, and debts rather than people. An individual angrily railing against immigrants or gay people would sound like a hateful bigot to me. In politics, Republicans tend to take a hard-line, you're-either-with-us-or-against-us approach, quashing dissent even within their own party.

In general, conservatives seem to put greater emphasis on self-discipline than other people do. Needless to say, someone who is excessively strict and rigid isn't very fun to be around.

I think it's because they don't masturbate enough.

You just answered your own question there. As a right winger, I value self-discipline very highly but I'm pretty easy going as a person so I don't think it necessarily applies to every aspect of someone's personality. I value self-discipline though not self-repression. I believe you must simply channel your impulses in a controlled manner rather than just put yourself on a leash. Then again this thread is about Republicans and not right-wingers in general so I suppose you find social conservatism tight assed rather than right wing ideology in general, though self-discipline and personal responsibility do tend to overlap between social conservatives and right wingers in general. I think the permissiveness has damaged society as much as repression. Well maybe they're not equivalent but they've both done significant damage and it's not one sided at all. Parents these days overprotect and spoil their kids which leaves them ill-prepared for adolescence and adulthood.

We already did something very like this.

For some very strange reason, Republicans tend to be unlikable in the eyes of those who are not Republicans.

Democrats tend to be rather unlikable in the eyes oif those who are not Democrats.

To some of us who are disgusted with politicians and the political polaization of society and the rejection of civilized discourse, Republicans and Democrats both tend to be unlikable.

Long ago I was with a group of peers - back early 60s. These were intelligent people, thinkers, equipped with a sense of humor, not recruited by rabble rousers. The world was less polarized demonized then.

One third were - like me - basically apolitical. One third were serious Young Democrats. One third were serious Young Republicans. In terms of likable - except for the one who turned into an insurance salesman you could not see a difference. The prime Young Democrat and the Prime Young Republican both wound up as lawyers. The Democrat teaching, the Republican practicing.

I hope that helps. I hope somebody will allow for perspective and media prejudice before doing another Why are Conservatives jerks / Why are Liberals swine thread.

If all you want to do is rant,, cant, hiss and diss we could start a RANT HERE thread.

I wouldn't say they're equally unlikeable but they tend to be unlikeable in different ways. Hardcore partisan Democrats come across as self righteous douchebags while hardcore partisan Republicans come across as repressive tight asses. I can't decide on which is worse.

I am amazed at the incisive quality of your insight. You must have a very intimate acquaintance with a good many Republicans

I think hardcore Republicans can also come off as self-righteous douchebags. I mean, you have spendthrift Deadbeat dad Joe Walsh talking about how fiscally irresponsible the President is (which, I can sorta excuse, as we all know there's vast differences between how one should handle a personal account vs a government's public account, the later being governed by more macroeconomic norms) and various Republican "family values" politicians who have been divorced or had extramarital affairs.

They are like the ancient overseers with the whips. That's how they see their role.

Yeah definitely. Not that hardcore partisan Republicans can't be self-righteous douchebags, but they tend to be that way in a repressive tight assed way rather than a smugly politically correct way. Although I believe the family unit is the fabric that holds society together, I don't like how neocons inject politicized religious values into it.

I doubt you can find much of a difference on points. I have dealt almost exclusively with Democrats and beyond, ranging from slimy softtalkers to a macho NDP type. But on the fringes - and in politics the fringes start early - thay can all be hsard to take.

Like I say, the ones iun my circle long back both sides were straight guys.

Can I say that? I know I should not say they were pretty white.

What IS the today way to say upright and not uptight?

Because Epicureans don't like Stoics.

I've never heard them use the word 'austere', and the 'regime of suffering' bit is just plain off.


I think it's more that they focus on general principles and intangibles that they think will make life better for everyone. If your taxes are lower, you have more money and more control over your income, which makes most people happier.


A rabid feminist angrily railing against all men or a rabid atheist railing against anyone who disagreed with them would sound like a hateful bigot to me. Don't tell me your side doesn't have kooks too.

Well it depends. I believe in the co-existence of both economic freedom and social welfare which are much bigger factors to happiness to me than the level of taxation. I'm for reasonably low taxes but taxation isn't my biggest concern as long as we aren't being stretched too thin. I don't see why NH had to rant about focusing on figures taxes and debts though, I'd rather be a pragmatist than a bleeding heart idealist. It wouldn't have been a good idea to have 80 people on a lifeboat that can only fit 50 people during the time the Titanic started sinking. And neither would it have been good if only 50 privileged people were allowed to board them.

When you mow your lawn, do you do parallel stripes with about a two inch overlap, or do you spiral in or out?

Read Swift in Gulliver on the Bigendians and Littleendians.

Read the Butter Battle Book http://www.amazon.com/Butter-Battle-Boo ... 0394865804

Rrad about the personalities and issues in the Wars of the Roses. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wars_of_the_Roses

Then explain again to me why the AXAXAXAX are more unlikable than the XAXAXAXA.

Parallel strips. You can make a full 180 degree turn all at once so their is less overhead associated with turning your mower.

What are you talking about?