Are you feeling more right wing?

Question

When New Labour were voted in, the majority of us were sick of right wing politics.

When half of the country objected to the Iraq war, those people were thought of as 'liberal'.

Now, when you read answers to questions about terrorists in this country (like the thread on todays foiled beheading plot, see below for a link), most of the answers are less than liberal in tone, in fact they're downright angry and fed up with the situation concerning immigrants. Meanwhile, people were ready to lynch Jade Goody for her (semi?) apparent racism. It's really easy to generalise over this, but I'm thinking of trends in both our cultural ideology and individual attitudes. Are we subtly shifting towards facism? How can we balance the need to be tolerant with the current political reality? How can human nature overcome the problems we face today?

http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AiCfLQDeJKJjf6RebQZAGqzsy6IX?qid=20070131035854AAfwhy5&show=7#profile-info-dFiL9vcHaa

Answer 1

I was thinking about this earlier, funnily enough, and did a google search for "shift to the right". It throws up a lot of stuff. The first page, titled "Global shift to the right?" is interesting, and though it was written way back in 2002, the trends still continue.

I would generally characterise left wing as progressive and expansive and right wing as conservative and protectionist. I do think that the existence of any radical right wing group in the world tends to polarise their opposition to the right. The Islamic fundamentalist movement, with their conservatism based on adhering to the Qu'ran, threatens the existence of other states (as it seeks to become absolute). So, in reaction, other states start asserting themselves too - which is where the tension about Britishness, racism and multiculturalism come in. It's postcolonialism in reverse, as our (British) culture is now inextricably bound with the other cultures that have come here since the end of the British empire, many from old colonies.

In general, this is essentially what Marxist dialectical materialism is about, how society moves forwards by people protecting their own interests, i.e. the socio-economic status that they have grown used to. Due to population growth, migration and other economic factors to do with resources, there comes a point where in order to protect what they have grown used to, a group will have to fight to protect its interests. This was, in Marx's point of view, how history moved on, eventually ending, he optimistically contended, in a classless society.

I think it's a tough one. I, personally, am feeling more 'right wing' - but extremely cautiously so. I do recognise that we are going to have to protect ourselves from some things that threaten our way of life, with the radicalisation of Islam and climate change the major things I can think of, but at the same time I recognise that these things we need to protect are for the common good rather than the advantage of the elite. However, at the same time I think that the general public is becoming coarser in some ways, and I think that wise people need to come forward, give guidance and leadership, and be viewed with respect. If we can't be led anymore and insist on a sort of dogmatically pluralist 'you can't judge me I'll do what I want' sort of conservatism, then we won't be able to pull together and work together in overcoming the problems we face. I don't think politicians, celebrities or big businessmen are right for this, but unfortunately they have most of the power and do most of the leading. I would like the poets to lead.

So I am becoming a bit more of a traditionalist. It's fascinating watching my attitudes shift, and I do wonder sometimes if it's not the result of some ingenious manipulation on the part of the power nexus.

But I don't think it is. Really it's about asking questions and broadening the idea of the political spectrum. The questions I am asking of myself are - what do you value? What do you want to keep? What is the good? Where is the power in terms of how it is focused throughout the different functions of society? Where do you want the power to lie? What would you give more to, if you had the power to give? I don't view the two dimensional 'left-right-centre' spectrum as useful anymore. Why can't we have a three dimensional spectrum, a matrix in which power flows and operates - a completely new political model?

Answer 2

Some good questions here. Have a look at the way Fascists states manage an economy. Capital remains in the hands of corporations/individuals (like capitalism) but is directed or managed by government. New Labour's 3rd way is a pretty close.
Don't confuse bigotry with right wing it is just ignorance and is neither left or right. However it may be that a previous PM by declaring that there was no such thing as society introduced the me first concept that is so prevelent now. Whether it is a right wing concept or not i do not know (I just think it is nasty and selfish).

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Answer 3

The problem is that left wing influence has overidden mother nature.

Scrotebags who want to loaf about and get paid, the stupid and those who have no idea how to communicate with other members of the species are pandered to and allowed - even encouraged - to breed.

I'm not sure Blair's "New Labour" could ever have been mistaken for left wing politics, though... new monkey, same old antics.
Those of us with a modicum of intelligence and a few leftover shreds of decency are choosing not to breed (or at least not quiteso rampantly) and therefore our numbers are waning.

So those who would normally die out through natural selection are being proliferated through a system to which they either do not contribute, or believe should not tax them to help "darkies", "queers" and the like.

It's a catch22 really. Sensible liberal types would actually benefit from a good dose of fascist style eugenics programme to redress the balance thus removing the idiot brigade. Problem is, that's not a rational, caring, liberal way to think....

Answer 4

The tabloid media and sensationalist news reports have a lot to answer for. But the problem is, a lot of people for whatever reason seem to get hooked to these sensational big headline grabbing articles that tend to overplay certain aspects and slant towards the right wing and respond with their own opinions based on these slanted reports/views.

And when you get people with the same interpretations of half facts and slanted views together, there's inevitably the echo chamber effect and everyone gets wound up with the same sentiments.

One point that people have to remember everytime they read or hear the news (particularly if it's from tabloid papers), is to always question what they read as it's more likely to be tainted with the author's and editor's agendas, misgivings and prejudices.

Answer 5

I don't think Pronger's attitude would mesh well with the Wings. I don't think he'd be that big a difference maker for the money it would likely take to get him here, so I'd have to say I wouldn't approve the move. And regardless of him being a good blueliner, I'm extatic about having Stuart back. I think Lidstrom, Rafalski, Stuart, and Kronwall are darn near the ideal top 4 defenseman to have on a team like ours.

Answer 6

I feel right wing until I read some of the nonsense generated by the BNP'ers on here.

We must maintain the balance between fairness and security at all costs. Lurching to either extreme is the cause of countless problems and is often the cause of compensatory political swings in the opposite direction.

Answer 7

New Labour was never really left wing at all - it's certainly more right wing that the Edward Heath government of the 70s. "Blairism" is just a tamed form of Thatcherism.

Personally, I'm more and more convinced of the need for socialism, but I'm equally convinced that the country has generally become more right wing.

Answer 8

Most citizens of the United States are ill advised (by our media) and apathetic. They mostly are selfish and can care less about anything outside of this country. In my opinion, these fools should not be allowed to vote, that way we can overcome the problems we face today.

Answer 9

I have always been what they call left wing & still am.

Answer 10

No