conservatism vs. liberalism--existential question?

Question

Where do our politial ideologies come from?
Does it come exclusively from our interpretation of the news events that flash across our television screens or is it based on our beliefs as the result of a deeper philosophical examination we have conducted into the nature of man?
Do we simply disagree with the arguments of our political rivals or is there an accompanying strong moral sense of revulsion that we feel beyond their arguments?
Is this what leads to such deep division and heated debates among the various participants?
If this is so, perhaps a more philosophical discussion could help clarify the issues and would be instrumental in bringing the two sides together.

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/existentialism/

Answer 1

Judging by some of the answers you've received, I seriously doubt if a conservative could even listen to a liberal viewpoint. Besides all other differences, conservatives seem to always look into the future with fear. Liberals, on the other hand, always look into the future with great anticipation.
The differences between the two go deeper than just political philosophies. It's in the very nature of their souls. Conservatives cannot free themselves of fear. Fear of God, fear of an enemy, fear of some guy walking down the street, and fear that liberals are going to change all that is there lot in life. How in the world can you convince people like that there is a better way?

Answer 2

This is the most intelligent political question. The answer yes! On many issues, we just need to change the heart of Americans. Arguing all these petty issues only causes division, and discord.
I believe a political view that should be a minority which is Marxism is being taught in our universities, and broadcast on our Televisions. This mindset in turn is moving the center further to the left. The essence of leftism is that religion is evil, and needs to be eliminated. Efforts to abolish religion are being made under our noses to circumvent our 1st Amement right to express and share our religioius/philosophical views.
Right now if you polled Americans they probably would say that G.W. Bush is a far right wing Conservative. This is not true. He is only conservative because the political spectrum has shifted to the left. There is no center. You either are a socialist, or you are not. If you don't "tow the line", you are blasted by the media as being a far right wing brainwashed bigot. The philosophy, and ideology is behind all this. There are no morals behind it, because the means support the end result. The end result is a Marxist government, the means are morally neutral, anything goes to get to that point. Professors are pressuring people to follow thier Marxist views filling thier heads with propaganda, and ridiculing anyone that has any other views. There can be no political spectrum if eveyone is coerced into following thier views.
If you go to Stanford, I challenge you to pick a Professor that is outspoken about politics, then think of some political view that you believe that is not a far left wing view, then challenge that Professor with that view. You will see what happens. For that matter argue with any person that is staunch Democrat, or a socialist, or Marxist (they all are Marxists, but they don't know it, I'm not name calling, if it sounds like one it is one.).
You will be ridiculed, they will call you names, call you narrow minded. Whenever they don't have a good rebuttal, they resort to some tactic. There should be a list of tactics. Try playing the devil's advocate once in awhile and you will see how it feels to be a conservative. The ideology and philosophy is behind all this, there is no real search for truth.

Answer 3

"Liberal" and "conservative" are just stupid labels. The reason there is such a great division is that (in America anyway) people are taught that there are only 2 ideologies. Here in Britain it's not as bad, but there are still never more than 4 or 5 different parties in the Commons. The reson that debate become so heated is that, rather than concentrate on things which actually matter, the parties focus on stirring people up with "hot-button" issues like abortion and terrorism. If people would just start to think for themselves and tell the government what THEY want, rather than blindly following party policy, then there would be no more need for competition.

Answer 4

Political ideologies come from or are based on our beliefs as a result of a deeper philosophical examination of the nature of men/women. (as you so aptly described)
For more information read Kirkegearde, Pascal, Descartes,Kant Nieztche, Jung, Marx & Hegel, John Stuart Mill, Adams, Galbraith & Milton Friedman.
We agree or disagree with our politicians according to our own interpretation of these ideologies.
Philosophical discussion would be good but not many of have the time any more. Politice is driven by money.

Answer 5

People have their own ideas and way of looking at life and the world. I believe we have to stand up for what we believe in and that's where political differences come from. We filter events that happen in the world through these beliefs, our personal standards, and morals and make our conclusions based on these. I think liberals are socialist and they are more worried about being politically correct and liked by the rest of the world and would give away everything this country has worked so hard for than to stand up for what is right.

Answer 6

I was a conservative when I was a kid. Its all nice and simple, you accept slogans and that is the total of the thought required. It wasn't until I went to college and studied economics that I understood that the economy is interrelated, it is an integrated system and the wealthy depend on a vibrant, successful, prosperous middle class as much as the middle class itself. So liberal ideas like investing in people make sense. Keeping the environment healthy keeps medical costs down and allows people to contribute to their maximum potential, rather than to be sick and require expensive care. Liberal economic ideas proved themselves very well with over 70 years of historically stable growth, while conservative laissez faire economics had over 100 years of boom bust cycles to prove that it was a flop. Hopefully the Middle Class will quit listening to conservative talk radio, quit voting Republican, quit voting itself out of existence. The greed exhibited by the ruling elite currently running the Republican party and parasitizing the economy is astoundingly short sighted, the kind of selfish policies that destroy empires.

Answer 7

Political ideologies come from a belief in a particular course of action to solve a given problem or set of problems, the most important things are seeing a problem clearly and objectively and more importantly, and the thing that is lacking in today's political arena is compromise. You're always going to have people in office from different parties and they need to compromise.

Answer 8

These two ideals are part of a universal balance: change vs. stability.

Which we lean towards depends on what we are trying to accomplish, and how we best feel we can achieve those goals.

As with any other belief or goal, part comes from our conscious choices, part from our upbringing, and part from the environment and circumstances we find ourselves within.

The danger is in adopting one view or belief to the exclusion of all others, because that leads only to imbalance and ultimately failure.

{EDIT to MarkC} While I believe you are correct, some of us still have hope in the eventual return-to-rationality of the species.

Answer 9

specific. extremely than working at the same time to repair our united states to its former glory, American politicians of the two components of the spectrum in basic terms shop on with the extremes of their respective ideologies. Neither section desires to agree that the different section has solid ideas. Take social themes as an occasion. Conservatives have a solid theory in professional-existence; liberals have a solid theory in gay marriage. Neither will deliberate to the different. the enormous difficulty right now is economics, and financial ideologies. Conservatives want to allure to close as far to the perfect as obtainable; they want each little thing to be completely laissez-faire. Liberals, on the different hand, have become further and further socialist. the two structures have their united statesand downs, and that's painfully glaring to absolutely everyone who's placed any attempt into reading the two ideologies, that that's ultimate to combine the two, so as that each and each different's experts cancel out one yet another's cons. yet, neither portion of the political spectrum desires to admit this; all human beings might lots extremely draw close to to their ideologies, extremely than think of of tangible-international recommendations. Politicians are the recent philosophers, sitting of their Ivory Towers, thoroughly oblivious of the particular international.

Answer 10

I believe MY political beliefs are based on what my parents taught me. My father has always been my moral compass, and has never failed me. We have disagreed on some points, however my basic political philosophy were instilled at a young age.