Who's more optimistic about human nature, conservatives or liberals? Can you explain why?

Question

In my opinion a liberal has to be more optimistic because you are relying on others to do the right thing with all the freedoms you bestow upon them. Conservatives in my opinion believe that human nature dictates that we don't trust people with that kind of responsibility.

My example, it's wrong to burn the flag. I don't think either liberals or conservatives want that to happen. However, I think conservatives believe that human nature dictates it will happen so it must be outlawed. Liberals believe that if people are given their freedoms, they won't have a reason to burn the flag, therefore no need for the law.

What do you say?

Five-O: I believe that unrestrained and without education, mankind would degrade into a state of chaos, not anarchy.

"Anarchists are those who believe that all people are imbued with a sort of commonality, common sense, that would allow for people to, in the absence of the government, come together in agreement to form a functional existence. Morality falls in line with functionality, and its forms differ. Anarchy does not reject ethics, or principles, but rather imposed morality."

That definition is very idealistic, even by my standards. But the key is education. The more we educate people, the better off we will all be.

In short, I believe with better education there is less need for laws. Without enlightening people, there will always be a need for laws.

Answer 1

It is not a matter of opinion; it is a matter of fact that Liberalism is more optimistic about human nature. Liberalism is a synthesis of several 19th-century scientific, political, moral, and economic philosophies. At its core, liberalism assumes humans are good, and hopes that we can be turned into angels; for it is the goal of liberalism to achieve the perfect human society, utopia.

There are aspects of liberalism that stress and emphasize individualism, political freedom, and allow for a free society; these qualities of liberalism come from its moral and political roots. However, there is also a very dark potential to liberalism, and that is, at its worse it can tear apart society at every level in its dogmatic mission to change the very nature of humanity. You see, liberalism’s scientific opinion about human nature comes from a branch of science called behaviorism. The lessons liberalism has chosen to learn from behaviorism, is that to change an individual human, or for that matter the entire race of man, all you must do is create the right environment. Liberalism rejects most genetic explanations of human behavior, and instead opts to believe we are highly malleable.

Thus, the dark side of liberalism will seek to take control of society, to force on all people its vision; they will make laws telling us what we can and can not do, they will not violate our political freedoms, but they will dominate and control our everyday environment and behaviors. They think they are right and that their quest is noble. This belief can become almost like a religious idea, and as such will blind them to the truth, that they may in fact be wrong. This potential dark side to liberalism can cause great harm to society if unchecked by conservatives.

Moving On:

Conservatives do not make a positive or negative assumption about human nature. Their concern and purpose, is to limit and balance the cost and benefits of change in society. Their purpose is generally to keep society the way it is, not to change man’s nature like liberals want to.

Your example about flag burning comes to the wrong conclusion about conservatives mainly because you do not understand them. Conservatives don’t want people burning the flag because the flag represents everything they want to preserve. It is an insult to burn the flag to a conservative because they deeply love this country. Conservatives want to outlaw flag burning because they are repulsed by it and have no other way to stop it, not because it is a reflection on human nature.

In the end liberals will stress change, conservatives will stress preservation; from these two conflicting positions comes balance and moderation.

Answer 2

Platoofa, I think your answer is outstanding. That is the way I see most of the neocons, especially the ones running the country right now! Not just the ones in the limelight, but even more so, the ones who are really running things behind the scenes. These people make 1984 look like Disneyland, and they are working hard at dumbing us down and eliminating any resistance to their taking over the whole world. These are scary, dangerous , and evil people, and they want to enslave us all.

Answer 3

Check it!!! As a simple question with obvious opinions that very. I totally agree with your observation of the flag burning analogy. From the answers from Republicans anger and resentment fuels their opinion of wanting to be in control of other peoples lives. I appreciate Bills comment too especially when the results of the Republicans are glaring making them just as you stated with your research. Normal people don't act this way, or anyone that I know for that matter. I think we must have a collective mind working on this page.....LOL

Answer 4

Education is the key if the civilian is un restrained from receiving the benefits of the education. Neocons persist in creating their own methods of restraints to promote their own agendas that have nothing to do with Democracy. I too liked Bills response as others have noted.

Answer 5

C onservatives caer about no one but themselves. That is why I find it so REPULSIVE that these transparently self centered cowards pretend to care about the Iraqi people. These neo-cons dont even care about thier own neighbors. Disgusting scurge of America.

Answer 6

Dear Heathen: It is obvious from your screen name that you are a not a believer in a higher being, namely God, and therefore are likely a liberal. That's fine, I have no issues with that. I would have to say that I agree with your reasoning...for the most part. You are on the mark by observing that liberals tend toward an optimistic view of human behavior and that they believe people will "do the right thing", as you say. Conversely, conservatives, who for the most part have a Christian view of the world, believe that human behavior is motivated by sin, or the inclination to do the wrong thing, at least from a moral perspective. Consequently, laws are required to restrain this tendency of people to make the wrong choices and harm themselves, as well as others.

I have to say that I am truly fascinated by your apparent assertion , and belief I would presume, that freedom from the law would result in an environment where people would not have a "reason" to inflict pain, suffering, or harm upon others. Do you actually believe that an anarchistic society would not devolve into a world where "anything goes", and therefore some would chose to take whatever they could get, regardless of the rights of others?

The conservative knows the need to restrain human behavior with law, as our history indicates. If what you apparently believe is true, wouldn't we be moving toward a world of fewer laws, instead of more?

Answer 7

I don't really think that you can say one side is optimistis and another isn't. Optimism is mainly a personal choice. If you look at the war in Iraq it seems like Bush and his supporters are the optimist and the people against it are the pessimist.

Answer 8

Traditionally, conservatives have tended to believe in things like original sin, the virtue of religion and tradition in keeping people in check, respecting one's betters, etc.

Liberals and the Left have promoted the idea that ignorance, not nature, is why people behave in counter-productive ways. So reason, science, and social programs can improve human nature and the human condition.

Answer 9

I do not think being optimistic about human nature is in anyway a political issue.

LIB

Answer 10

Republicans are cynical by nature, that's why you can't trust them. I too like Bill's comment.