So, I think it's time for people to reconfigure these concepts in their minds because, frankly, we're all a little fucked by inconsistency.
First off, while I don't think they should be nebulous terms, mapping them to a grid and giving them a point system has done jack all for political discourse.
That said, forget multiple axes and academic rhetoric that just compounds the issue.
Put simply, left is the direction towards authority and right is towards freedom.
Seems plainly obvious but when you put this into certain real world contexts, it reveals where we've mischaracterized certain political groups.
For example, fascism is no longer a 'far right' concept. It belongs on the left with socialism and 'real world' communism.
On the far right, actually exists capitalism, with libertarians and anarchists if you go even further.
Also, you can look at political concepts like human rights and environmentalism through both sides, meaning you can be a right wing environmentalist as opposed to the misconception that is exclusively on the left.
First off, while I don't think they should be nebulous terms, mapping them to a grid and giving them a point system has done jack all for political discourse.
That said, forget multiple axes and academic rhetoric that just compounds the issue.
Put simply, left is the direction towards authority and right is towards freedom.
Seems plainly obvious but when you put this into certain real world contexts, it reveals where we've mischaracterized certain political groups.
For example, fascism is no longer a 'far right' concept. It belongs on the left with socialism and 'real world' communism.
On the far right, actually exists capitalism, with libertarians and anarchists if you go even further.
Also, you can look at political concepts like human rights and environmentalism through both sides, meaning you can be a right wing environmentalist as opposed to the misconception that is exclusively on the left.
