How to properly contextualize the left and right

mentalfloss

Prickly Curmudgeon Smiter
Jun 28, 2010
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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.
 

Tecumsehsbones

Hall of Fame Member
Mar 18, 2013
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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.
Horse shit.
 

Danbones

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Sep 23, 2015
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right left right left right left...
 

Cliffy

Standing Member
Nov 19, 2008
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The right wing and left wing belong to the same bird. Repukians and Demonrats are owned by the same "people" (psychopaths?). "The system is rigged to give you the illusion of choice. You have no choice. They own you." - George Carlin
 

Danbones

Hall of Fame Member
Sep 23, 2015
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Alibaba would be the place to find a good sized batch of jello I bet.
 

mentalfloss

Prickly Curmudgeon Smiter
Jun 28, 2010
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It is usually described alongside libertarian Marxism as the libertarian wing (libertarian socialism) of the socialist movement and as having a historical association with anti-capitalism and socialism.


Yes, so we are in agreement that that they are closely associated with libertarians, like I said in the OP.

Now for the twist, is communism far left or far right?

In the real world, communist countries have a centralized, authoritarian government, so they would be categorized as far left.

However, according to the academics, communism is supposed to have no form of government at all. In theory, every person (at least 18 or above I'm assuming lol) is supposed to be a shareholder of the economy. If that is true, then communism (in theory) is closely related to libertarianism, on the right.