Left or Right winged?

Question

Im just curious who is Left and who is Right-Winged. :)
And could you explain what the main reason is why?

Answer 1

It is not about left or right wing it is about freedom vs totalitarianism.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/2/16/135644/137
Daily Kos: Remember Where You Heard It First

The real left has always been about Freedom, and making life better for everyone, If you doubt it just look at the countries above and to the Left in this Graph of UN data here.
http://bp2.blogger.com/_3K9pXj9nEFY/RpMNIYPgjqI/AAAAAAAAAFQ/XVqFthn3HOc/s1600-h/healthlifechart3.jpg
There is more about that graph here
http://freedemocrat.blogspot.com/

There are those who thought to hide their totalitarian ideas by calling Communist extreme Leftist, but not only did it fail miserably, unlike actual leftist governments, but more tellingly those very people did not become different leftists but became like David Horowitz the same sort of totalitarian fascists they always were.

What is more, those who gravitate to totalitarian thinking, be they , Islamists, Bushies, Moonies, Kahanists, Neocons, or any of the other Theocratic sorts, you find a well studied pathology refered to as Right Wing Authoritarianism (RWA)
Extensive research has shown that RWA's

* Make many incorrect inferences from evidence.
* Hold contradictory ideas
* Uncritically accept that many problems are ‘our most serious problem.’
* Uncritically accept insufficient evidence that supports their beliefs.
* Uncritically trust people who tell them what they want to hear.
* Use many double standards in their thinking and judgements
* Be dogmatic.
* Be zealots.
* Be hypocrites.
* Be absolutists
* Be bullies when they have power over others.
* Help cause and inflame intergroup conflict.
* Seek dominance over others by being competitive and destructive in situations requiring cooperation.
* Believe they have no personal failings.
* Avoid learning about their personal failings.
* Be highly self-righteous.
* Use religion to erase guilt over their acts and to maintain their self-righteousness.
There is a longer list here
http://patternsthatconnect.blogspot.com/2006/03/rightwing-authoritarianism-and.html

Trauma, often in childhood seems to be a common cause of this afliction.

There is a longer discussion here http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/4/17/02119/8186
Daily Kos: The Generation of Monsters

One of the points noted was that in the Netherlands those who supported the Nazis in WW2 had troubled childhoods, while those who were at the other extreme of hiding Jews in their houses had much kinder upbringings..

There is often confusion and illogic to peoples perception of what is left or right, often deliberately created by propaganda, but George Lakoff has also studied it and arrived at two views of the family, that informs Left and Right Wing thinking.

In the case of the Right is the Strong Father Image, that easily becomes the abusive or drunken father. The Father Rules and is the sole source of protection and discipline, and cannot be questioned or dethroned as he will always be the father, and it is only right that he be followed no matter what.
The focus and benefits go to the Father first, everyone is out for themselves, so it is tooth and nail fighting to get ahead personally.

The case of the Left, is the Nurturing Parent Model, that it is about the support and expansion of possibilities for the children. The Parents are responsible for the protection and welfare of the children, beyond themselves and teach their children that everyone is responsible to everyone else, and that in making the lives of other better they make life better for everyone else. The children are taught that cooperation will get more for everyone than just grabbing for yourself.

Lakoff explains it much better here
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3114412735990235786&q=George+Lakoff+on+Moral+Politics%3A&hl=en
George Lakoff on Moral Politics: How Liberals and Conservatives Think -

Answer 2

I lean more to the conservative view point on many issues but I do agree with many left winged values as well. So I will say that I am independent. The more educated I become in the political arena the more I see it is the most sensible of the choices.

Answer 3

I am Left wing since I am member of the British Labour Party, however, I respect most political ideologies except Fascism.

Answer 4

Last time I checked I didn't have any wings at all.
I am a Democrat because it seems Republicans are for Big Business and only Big Business.

Answer 5

There is little difference between Left and Right in the US. The Democrats are more for the people whereas the Republicans are for Big Business.

Answer 6

I am considered to be a right winger (although I am more center right) because:


I believe in protecting our nation directly or indirectly from foreign aggressors.

I don’t believe in taxing the people to support the poor. That should be a choice, not a government enforced charity (that’s Marxism).

I do believe the government should help those who are truly incapable of helping themselves.

I don’t believe in killing innocent babies and calling it choice.

I believe in the execution of violent murderers.

I believe that regardless of it’s past transgressions America is the greatest most noble nation in the world. We give more to other countries to help them than most countries combined.

I don’t believe in giving junkies $60,000 per year of my earned money to pay for new drug needles.

I recognize that radical Islam is a threat to our civilization.

I recognize that secularism is a threat to Christians and our society.

I recognize that insane, radical adherents to Christianity could be a threat to civilization.



Rick V – gives misinformation.

It is statistically proven that conservatives give far more to charity than left wing liberals.

Republicans/conservatives believe in freedom i.e. you can give to help the poor if you like. I believe we should help the jobless but, only for a limited amount of time. If you can’t find a job in 6 months you are S.O.L.

Democrats/liberals/progressives believe the government should rape the rich to support the poor regardless of the circumstances.


Far left = communist, socialist, fascist.

Answer 7

Neither! And the reason is that I am not a radical! If you are right or left wing you are flying sideways.

Answer 8

I lean to the left because I want more freedoms for Americans. Don't let these radical rightys try to confuse the issues on this board. They try to say that liberals are communists and they want a socialist society...that is the farthest from the truth...radical conservatives support huge government programs like Homeland Security and try to take away freedoms like free speech, abortion and stem cell research...

Answer 9

I'm neither. I like to stay centered. I believe if you follow one group then you lose track of what's going on in front of you. It's about common sense. It shouldn't be about left or right winged. It should be about right and wrong.

Answer 10

Funny how responder, dismayedamerican, above, can believe in contradictory concepts. Far left and loving freedom? She apparently has never studied the far left's bible--The Communist Manifesto of Karl Marx. The far left is anything but about letting people be free. It is totalitarianism...always. Or perhaps she's never read any history of the far left: Russia, China, Cambodia, Cuba, and on and on, and how many millions of souls these far left governments have murdered to effect their Utopian world.

She also hates big business. I guess then, in order not to be a hypocrite and supporting big business, she does not:
own a cell phone
own or drive a car
use any electricity, burning home-made candles instead
heat her home with gas, oil or electricity in the winter
cool her home with electricity in the summer
use any landline telephone
own a TV
watch any TV program
go to see any movie
use any deodorant or cleaning products
wear any clothes
eat any food unless she grew it herself
take vacations staying in hotels, renting cars, flying
purchase and read any books
use the computer on the Internet (whoops...she does!)

You see, all of the above we have to enjoy because of big business. Perhaps dismayedamerican is not intentionally a hypocrite. Perhaps she, like most young lefties, has not got a clue about how much big business capitalism they do enjoy using, even when they are wearing T-shirts with Che Guevara's picture on them, advocating a violent revolution for their idea of Utopia...a Utopia in which she and her ilk have destroyed the big business that they hate, gladly giving up their lifestyles as enriched by the the things listed above, brought to them by big business.

After reading Dragon's Daily Kos link...calling the far left delusional is an insult to delusional people.