Why are "Liberals" and "Conservatives" so pretentious?

Question

I swear I feel like it's watching two annoying little kids fighting and bickering and not being able to stop them. Like children, they don't examine evidence and, like children, they don't use reason.

Sad to think they make up like 80% of the population. Anyone see the problem with a democracy (I.e. majority rule) yet?

They both commit the same amount and type of atrocious logic fallacies that they accuse the other of.

I do not advocate Moderatism either (though it is less prententious . . . generally).

I am a Libertarian/Anarcho-Capitalist and I think out of everyone they have the least amount of pretentiousness, yet funny enough use way more evidence and reason than anyone else.

Even if you disagree with Libertarian policy, I think it is inarguable that they are generally more fact and reason based. Compare any average article or debate by a libertarian against anyone else.

In fact, that is the first thing that got me interested. Not hearing so much BS.

Exactly, the problem with Democracy is that it doesn't base law on principles and our individual rights, but more on the majority's preference. I say we go an-capt, but of course, that's completely unreasonable. We have to have government right? I smell more BS . . .

Answer 1

We should give parliamentary democracy a shot! People vote issues, not personalities and party lines!

Answer 2

It is in the best interest of both the major parties in the U.S. and the U.K. to keep the pot bubbling along and have people argue about insignificant issues like flag burning or welfare mothers because it means we are not keeping our eye on the real problems: the parties themselves.

The function of both the Repugnocrat and Dumbpublican parties is to stay in power. The same with the Tories and the pretend Labour parties in Britain. In fact I am quite convinced that all of the parties would swap their respective party platforms with each other if they believed it would help them stay in power, or come into power.

I do not believe that 80% of the population make up the "liberal" or "conservatives" in the U.S. And, by the way, who makes up the definitions for these terms are the people who
oppose those terms.

For example:
All Repugnocrats are war mongers.
All Dumbpublicans are cowards.
All Libertarians are republicans who smoke dope.
It saves a lot of people from thinking about anything except American Idol.

It's the parties stupid! Jefferson was very wary of political parties and looking at the state of the Union he was probably right.

Answer 3

And you think that "moderates" are never "pretentious" about anything?

Furthermore, like Margaret Thatcher said, "People who stand in the middle of the road have a tendancy to get knocked down by the traffic coming from both directions."

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I really don't have any respect for anyone who posits the theory that Democracy is incompatible with a system of protecting individual rights. And I have never heard before of that quote used below that was attributed to Jefferson.

Judge Learned Hand once gave an absolutely outstanding speech in Central Park, New York City, on the occasion known as the "I Am An American Day," celebration. His speech was called "The Spirit of Liberty" and it was extraordinarily eloquent and moving. Here is an excerpt from that speech.

"What do I mean when I say that we first sought liberty? I sometimes wonder whether we do not rest our hopes too much upon constitutions, upon laws, and upon courts. These are false hopes; believe me, these are false hopes. Liberty lies in the hearts of men and women. When it dies there no constitution, no law, no court can save it. No constitution, no law, no court can even do much to help it. While it lies there it needs no constitution, no law, no court to save it. And what is this liberty which must lie in the hearts of men and women? It is not the ruthless, the unbridled will. It is not the liberty to do as one likes. That is the denial of liberty and leads straight to its overthrow. A society in which men know no check upon their liberty soon becomes a society in which liberty is the possession of only a savage few, as we have learned to our sorrow. And so what is the spirit of liberty? I cannot define it, I can only tell you of my own faith. The spirit of liberty is the spirit which is not too sure that it is right. The spirit of liberty is the spirit which seeks to understand the minds of other men and women. ..."

Answer 4

Oh my God, another centrist. I swear I thought we were a dying breed!
I agree completely. Neither are capable of seeing the entire picture, but only focus on the small aspect the coin-sides with their views.

I still believe in Democracy however, since I really do not like the alternatives. I have always thought that there is another form of government that we have not established because It is pounded in our heads since childhood that only four exist (democracy, theocracy, monarchy, dictatorship) and a few branches from those four. What if there is another way, but we have been reared only to think inside the box and so have lost a better form of government.

Answer 5

Thomas Jefferson once said "A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine." Anyone in the majority would do the same. If another group took control of the government it'd be the same story.

Power corrupts.

Answer 6

I think that people with your views are the pretentious ones.

Standing back and judging everyone else and then casting your vote to the winds.

Answer 7

Well enlighten me,,,,,, i am here to understand, and often sway a tad by the thoughtful answers...... go ahead give us a more perfect view of the world........we bow to such a brilliant individual,,,,,, now answer some questions and teach me something,,,,,,,,,

Answer 8

what do you think politicians should do? something for the country or their own pocketbooks? all they want is your vote. getting that, you're out of it until the next election.

Answer 9

No one is as hopelessly enslaved as one who does not know he is not free.

Answer 10

That really is an idiosyncrasy