What is the difference between conservative and liberal ways of thinking?

Question

I'm not looking for a BS partisanship answer; especially if it means making derogaroty comments about either mind set. I'm looking for real thought in the answer. The way I see it is both mindsets are purely and truly American. Where is the common ground?

Answer 1

conservatives want to solve all the problems by looking to the past and tradition... rooted often in religion and morals

liberals want to use science, technology and modern thought to solve problems... rooted often in science and equality

the common ground is they both want America to last forever... they just have very different ideas about what they want America to be...

Answer 2

If you're serious about this question, you might check out this article that appeared in Psychological Bulletin:

http://www.sulloway.org/PoliticalConservatism(2003).pdf

I know that it is thick reading, so a bit more "user-friendly" treatment of basically the same material is presented in these sources:

http://www.tompaine.com/articles/2006/07/12/its_the_conservatism_stupid.php

http://www.inthesetimes.com/site/main/firststone/conservatives_deconstructed/


Of course the fact that this was published drove Cons absolutely bonkers (quite predictable given what we know about them). So in response, the likes of Sean Hannity and Michael Savage (Michael Weiner) have since written works branding liberalism a mental disorder. But these guys would have their grandmothers strip for dollar bills if they though that they could have a cut, and of course their work has undergone zero scientific scrutiny or peer review. It is pap intended for their true-believer Conservobot followers.

Anyway, I concur with the characterizations made in the sources that I provided. All of my family members and many of my friends are Cons, and these sources describe them to a tee.

P.S. One of the answers above so richly illustrates what is asserted in my sources. The poster states authoritatively that liberalism has been determined to be a mental disorder. Of course, no such evidence exists in any serious, peer-reviewed academic journal. It is some Conservobot parrotting the slander that the likes of Hannity/Savage-Weiner vomit up on a daily basis. Their conviction, though, is a perfect and poignant example of the Con pathology ... part amazing, part disgusting, part frightening.

Answer 3

Conservative and Liberal can refer to several aspects of society.

1. Size and role of government
Conservative: less government involvement or spending
Liberal: more use of government resources to improve all and potentially to "level the playing field" for the poor

2. Social issues:
Conservative: more attracted to traditional values
Liberal: is not as affected by tradition

3. Constitutional issues:
Conservative: stick to what is written the constitution
Liberal: Constitution should be open to interpretation

4. Religion:
Conservatives: Monotheism
Liberals: Environmentalism (global warming)

5. In general:
Conservative: Generally sees issues in "black and white:
Liberal: Prefers to see things in shades of gray

6. Final Authority:
Conservative: US/Supreme Court
Liberal: UN/World Court

Common ground: very little for those who are truly liberal or conservative

Answer 4

The common ground between these two is that they are both progressive. Conservatives swing to the right and usually have "traditional" values. That's why they are called the Grand Ol' Party (GOP). Conservatives think of the Elite to manage the rest and Liberals think of the common man. The most liberal you can get is to be a socialist. The most conservative you can get is to be a dictator.

Answer 5

Well, conservatives want to conserve stuff, while liberals want to support individual rights. That's the political philosophy answer.

Now, if you had capitalized those 2, I'd say the difference is that Conservatives (Republicans) believe in personal responsibility while Liberals (Democrats) believe in positive rights.

Conservatives see positive rights as stifling to the economy or as outright theft because they involve taking something from one person and giving it to another. Liberals see personal responsibility as a way to blame the poor for their unfortunate circumstances.

Answer 6

Conservative means moderate.

It is in the center, between the extreme left wing centrally planned economy and the extreme right wing fascism where business is controlled by government via a business government partnership. Both the extreme left and right are likely to be dictatorships, because voters would not be likely to support either.

Conservatives favor a regulated free market, with the belief that impersonal market forces are better ways to regulate the economy than central planners, with consistant regulation to try to alleviate some of the imperfections of totally free markets. Central planners are easily overwhelmed with the volume of market signals. The wrong type of people tend to be attracted to central planning postions, and it tends to lead to corruption.

Conservatives support social programs for those who cannot possibly produce enough of what others value to be able to sustain themselves, and for a variety of government funded programs that our society values.

Liberals just do what is convenient, sounds trendy, and gets them back into power. What ever the cost!
.

Answer 7

i like to see other peoples characterization of the two parties. My understanding of the definition of the actual terms is thus. Conservatives wish to maintain things the way they are. They are conservative in nature and wish to do things in the proper time honored way. Generally content and doing well in society. Their motivation for supporting the status qou.

Liberals want change, the young innovators. Often called malcontent cause often they are. They seek change and betterment of themselves.

People have all manner of meanings these days i'm unsure.

Answer 8

As anyone can see the difference between conservatives and democrats is like apples and oranges. Then you have the Neocons, they are just like the gentlemen above. They are the followers of fashion and an easy buck. They do what the group does and are incapable of free thought and thinking. Without their following they are penniless and without money and lots of it they find it hard to exist because they are so despised everyone takes advantage of them, because they are such scum bags. Some people just won't be social, they only think about their next buck, who cares where it came from nor why! Seig Heil the American Neocon, Seig Heil ! Lets think about moral standards, and keep God out of it, is it right to attack innocent countries and murder their citizens in the name of Democracy, I think not, and if you do, you are just as sick as the brainless above. Moral Values, let's talk about Moral Values, Pleeeze !

Answer 9

in actuality we are all conservative or liberal at different times in our lives........as a baby we are liberal waiting for others to take care of us......as a toddler pretty much the same......as a 5 yr. old we wanna help--a liberal doing conservative things.......at 10 - 12 we are asserting ourselves --at this point we tend to want independence---quarrelsome independent---( liberal ) we want our say but expect others to take care of us.........16 to 20----maybe we would prefer to be completely independent---conservative--( working ) or WE'D LIKE TO APPEAR INDEPENDENT BUT IN REALITY AS LONG AS SOMEONE WILL PAY THE WAY---BY GOD I ENJOY BEING LIBERAL----- & so it goes thru life ---some want others to think for them & provide special benefits for life -----still others want to think for themselves --- & secure their own future to the best of their ability by & for themselves.............

Answer 10

Conservative thinking has to do with sensibility and conserving values, whereas liberalism has now been determined as an actual mental disorder, similar to schizophrenia.

The liberal condition is characterized by departure from reality, entry into a mode of extreme denial and delusional episodes of various degrees.

It is treatable by Electroshock Therapy, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation and psychiatric drugs. The prognosis is related to the individual's willingness to emerge from denial and accept reality.