You can easily be socially left and ecomically right for example.
That's the thing. You can't.
What you are describing is progressive liberalism and there is a reason why progressive liberals are not considered leftist (by leftist) but entry rightist:
Being socially left means understanding the problematic effect the economical right has SOCIALLY on people. So, when you understand those problems, you simply
can't be economically on the right side.
People who are trying to say that you can be socially left and economically right are wrong, either by design or because of a lack of knowledge. What they are doing is therefore confusing the debate. Which is why I sometimes calls people "confusionnists".
Apolitics or centrist, for example, are often confusionnists, simply because they don't have the knowledge or the hindsight to understand that some value are simply not compatible and its not because they are trying to have the high ground by creating some sort of narrative on the notion of nuance and the fact that there are "good things" on both side, that they are really pertinent politically.
I was like that. In fact to the extreme. At one point I thought that centrism why the only way to be really just. But my vision of the political debate was completely biased by the fact that I considered both side as both valuables. I looked for "good things on the right" and "good things" on the left.
So once I was finished with my complotist phase:
- I became someone fighting hate on the internet, but I believed that you can become powerfull and successfull if you really deserve it and if you work for it
- I was for women's right, but I believed that business owners should have the right to fire people when they want
- I was donating found to help poor people, but I was an antiSJW
- I was for helping poor neighborhood to have a good education, but I had a hate for religions and specifically Islam
- I was for giving more right to LGBT, but I was against taxes
- I was for a society of science, but I wanted the creation of a license to vote
- I was preaching the tolerance of minorities, but I believed that women were sometimes anti men
Etc. Etc.
In my mind.. I thought I was progressive.. and because I had some rightist traits as well, I believe that I had the higher ground and that I was NUANCED and scientific.
But in reality.. I was understanding NOTHING about politics and society.
A real leftist analysing the list above would understand the problem quickly:
my values were completely contradictory, but I didn't notice it, simply because I didn't care to structure my thoughts:
- I was against hate in society, but I had an Islamophobic behavior which is a paradoxe
- I was for women rights, but I believed that women were sometimes anti men
- I wanted to help poor people, but I wanted the creation of a license to vote which could create a system where poor people and people who had access to less education could be literally excluded because of the hegemony of the ruling class
- I was for helping poor neighborhood to have a good education, but I was against taxes that is literally made to create equality
- I was for giving more right to LGBT, but I was against real feminist and people fighting for LGBTQ+ (SJW)
- I was for a society of science, but I believed in merit, which is completely against the conclusion of social sciences
- I was preaching the tolerance of minorities,but I believed in anti-worker reform that would be used against those minorities.
I kept believing contradictory values for years because of I wanted to have the high ground and be nuanced, in short, by ego.
But EVEN when you look at those progressive values you can see - if you are a real leftist - that they are problematic. Because they are all in reality.... rightist.
"Why" you ask ?
Well look closer.. what do all those progressist values have in common ?
Well.. Simple:
They are all LIBERAL values. I mean by that that they are all based on the SURFACE level solution and basic knowledge and not the knowledge of systemic issues.
That's what liberalism is:
The individualization of issues.
How do you help LGBTQ+ ? By making movies about LGBQT+ people
How do you fight sexism ? By explaining to boys that by working on their own sexism, they can change the lives of women (& get girls)
How do you fight poverty ? By explaining that you need to believe in your dream and work hard to succeed
How do you fight hate ? By explaining to people that hating on others is bad.
How do you fight complotism ? By explaining the dangerousity of biases to people
Those are
LIBERAL SOLUTIONS to real societal problem. In other words, those are solution that consider that progress in society can only comes through better individuals.
So... "What is the problem with that ?" You might ask..
Well.. I'll tell you the problem:
Those liberal solutions will change NOTHING. Because liberals are in fact not considering the issues as they are but as they want society to be. In the mind of a liberal, society is meritocratic. This is the society of strong solitary heroic figures. This is a model of society where we, human, are in control of our environment and our destiny.
THIS
IS
A
MYTH !
- Humans are dependant of their environment.
- We can't change society simply be bettering ourself, we must fight the sources of the issues
- A single person can't make society magically better.
- Our journey is conditionned by our capitals
- And most of all.. we don't live in a meritocracy. Capitalism is a SCAM.
Liberal solution can only do one thing: Maintain the status co.
But progress comes from somewhere else. Progress comes from people who fight against liberalism and capitalism. Progress comes from people who understand the inequalities of society and the fact that meritocracy is a myth. Progress really comes when people are fighting capitalism !
In other words:
Real progress comes when we understand the existence of the structures of power and domination and when we fight against them !
Good morning.
This is actually a good idea. In my case:
Economical: Liberalism (almost following Keynes but I believe that state intervention should only be done in the most extreme of circumstances compared with normal Keynesians - basically that the market will naturally fix itself but intervention by powerful monopolies must be compensated by the government body) opposed to protectionism ( the more the state meddles in the economy, more issues appear and more the general populace suffers. Anyone that wants to be a socialist is just a thief that don't care about others)
Society: Meritocracy/Capitalism (The best should be in charge and opportunities should be equal, with those be given for the ones with the best results. The government should give the tools for kids to reach this potential.) opposed to Socialist (People are not equal. Removing incentives to improve leads to suffering in masse. Most socialists are thieves and failures that are unable to survive in normal society and want riches without working for it)
Politics: Neo-Realism ( States act based on power and decisions should be made according. Hierarchies of power determines the actions of states. Note that while I believe in cooperation, this will be a frail construct that will not last in the end without the nations having some power/interest behind) opposed to Neo-liberalism (cooperation is frail in international relations and you will be stabbed by your allies if you turn your back)