You know what one of the things that is so tiring about these "liberal vs. conservative" debates is? The fundamental ignorance of so many who spout off ideas they think they have created, are new and different and exist in a new context. Their ignorance of history, logic, philosophy and more is apparent, frustrating and so counterproductive.
Because of the liberal coup of the educational establishment in the sixties, many people of liberal and conservative persuasion display the ignorance discussed above. Educators spend most of their students' time on indoctrination (what to think, not how), discussions of feelings, and their obsession with novelty. Consequently logic, history, etc., the traditional and valuable elements of education, are not exercised.
- Logic is one of the tools essential for effective thought and communication.
- A knowledge of history allows us to build and try to improve upon ideas and events of the past. Absence of that knowledge creates the oft-predicted doom. For example, politicians, church members and artists should be able to see the workings-out of the Enlightenment that went on in the twentieth century and are going on in the twenty-first century. The dead ends that were inevitable should have been obvious. Now to some extent, those vectors of culture had to be explored, but by so many, who should have used their talents in far more productive ways?
- Philosophy is the exploration of ideas about existence and its attributes. Logic and history are entwined with it. To not be aware of ideas or ways of thinking that have been explored centuries ago is to waste your and your society's time recreating the wheel.
So today, we have a large segment of our U.S. population who think "If it feels good, do it" is a workable, new, transcendently meaningful, comprehensive world view/philosophy/religion/way of being, instead of the re-hashed, selfish, anarchistic, destructive, short-sighted, infantile set of disparate feelings and ideas that it actually is. And these people are adults - and in power! Frightening, for the future of our country.
Liberals' New Dictionary
- Notably missing from the Liberals' Dictionary: Ex-gay: Liberals refuse to accept the fact that this is the actual experience and state of many individuals. Logic: Discussed elsewhere. The liberal education system eliminated this antiquated tool for clear thinking, analysis and communication long ago (oh, roughly beginning in the late 1960's). It is telling that liberals so often censor these words and others (e.g., conservative ideas in educational environments) when they are so quick to accuse conservatives of censorship. But remember that is yet another situation where those nasty concepts of facts and logic tend to mess up your setup.
- Liberals are redefining words. This may be because they believe the words they are redefining seem to describe obvious good or bad characteristics and, therefore, can be used instead of logic and reason. It may also be related to their relativist notion of reality. "That's YOUR truth, not mine." (By the way, this is not an attempt to create a clever joke. These words are actually used by adult, supposedly educated people to mean what is described below.)
- Diversity
- Hate. New meaning: conservative disapproval of behaviors of, or conservative disagreement with ideas expressed by liberals. "Your anti-abortion stance reveals your hatred of women." Actual meaning: To dislike intensely. Quote translation: "Rather than debate you on the topic of abortion, I'll issue a groundless negative accusation of you."
- Homophobic. New meaning: thinking, saying or doing anything that could be considered, by a liberal, to be negative in regard to homosexual behavior. "Opposing teaching first graders that homosexual behavior is normal and morally equivalent to heterosexuality shows you are homophobic." Actual meaning: Fear or intense dislike of those engaged in homosexual activity. Quote translation: "I don't have any associated facts and it is much easier to parrot what I hear in the (liberal, of course) media and entertainment venues concerning the normalization of homosexual behavior rather than think, investigate or listen to reasoned, compassionate, conservative viewpoints. It is also easier just to call you a name, however inapplicable or untrue. You probably deserve it because you must be like the only conservative I have ever heard on this topic, thanks again to the media: that hateful guy from some church that is composed of only a few of his family members."
- Pornographic. New meanings: 1. none. Some liberals have completely eliminated this word from their lexicon. They have no idea about and cannot relate to the concept. "Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia is a great play." In this context, the word pornographic would never be used, even though many would say it should almost always appear in the same sentence with the title. 2. violating a liberal tenet, such as socialism or proto-anarchy or why can't we just get along by eliminating all objection to all liberal causes; particularly in regard to conservative ideas or mass/widespread events. "You want to know what's pornographic? I'll tell you what's pornographic: global warming and "too much" profit by oil companies." Interestingly, in regard to the second example, oil company profits can be pornographic, but entertainment industry or personal injury law firm profits are never pornographic. Actual meaning: relating to sexually explicit material intended to cause sexual arousal.
- Safe or safety. Usually used in school contexts. New meaning: The intellectual and attitudinal environment (as manifested in the words and actions of the students, faculty and administrators, and the content of the teaching) in a school that allows only liberal ideas. Yes, it is curious that this seems to in conflict with "diversity" (which see). "Your comment that transgenderism is a disorder will make so and so feel unsafe." Actual meaning: Secure from danger, harm or evil (isn't that ironic). Quote translation: "Because feelings are the new arbiter of ethical, moral, economic, social, and political (is anything exempt?) disputes, and because there is a chance a liberal person may feel badly because of your comment, or just knowing that you might think such a thing, you have harmed so and so."
- Tolerance. New meaning: openness to and ultimate acceptance and encouragement of ideas to the left of the liberal speaker. "We are adding these texts to the third grade curriculum in order to encourage tolerance." Actual meaning: Willingness or ability to tolerate (= allow the existence or occurrence of without authoritative interference); forbearance (= patient self-control). Quote translation: "We are adding these texts to the third grade curriculum to try to make the kids believe transgenderism (etc.) reflects normal behavior."
- Victim. New meaning: In any circumstance where anything negative can be said about me, that negative element is not my fault. "I had to divorce her. I was a constant victim of her complaining. She was the problem, not me" Actual meaning: One who is harmed or killed by another. Quote translation: "It might hurt my self-esteem and quality of life to examine my own actions and words. I might feel bad and feeling bad means something wrong has been done against me." Sad note: this new meaning is also used by conservatives.