• @saltesc
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    272 months ago

    It’s quite clear to me that almost no one in the US—or those “educated” by US politics on social media—has any fucking idea what a “liberal” fundamentally is and always has been. It’s going to become another one of those great terms ruined by a takeover of idiots—not that I’m directly calling your mom an idiot.

    But ffs, when the French gifted that statue, it wasn’t because they were pro-capitalism, burning books, fucking off women’s rights, and bringing the legal system into every facet of society.

    • no bananaOP
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      192 months ago

      I, too, look across the pond and wonder what the Americans are fucking doing

          • @lolrightythen
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            32 months ago

            For real. Buying groceries is increasingly stressful. Folk tend to reach into personal space of others, leave their carts in intersections, and generally not give a damn about the person next to them.

            I take it very slow and skip the aisle I kind of wanted something from if I see a complication I’d rather not deal with.

            We never see ourselves as part of the problem. It isn’t easy, though.

            • @WhiteOakBayou
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              52 months ago

              What I like to remind myself is that we judge ourselves by our intentions and others by their actions.

            • no bananaOP
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              22 months ago

              I have perceived such a development too, but I think it’s just that our minds have been warped by the pandemic. During which we did change a lot of our social norms but many people went back to disregarding personal space while others became very aware of it.

      • @saltesc
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        92 months ago

        Always? The “classical” in your article does not mean what you think it does. Just like post-modernism doesn’t mean “the future”. Capitalism didn’t even exist in the era it’s referencing, rightfully referring to laissez faire instead—something capitalism would eventually arise from.

        One of the strongest criticisms of capitalism by liberals is its failure to achieve a moral and equitable distribution of resources. The violation of social freedoms for sake of a market’s freedom. Markets obv play a vital role in driving economic growth but persistent issues such as corruption and institutional weaknesses prevent social justice.

        Even Adam Smith criticised laissez faire in the end because, surprise surprise, it was yet another great idea on paper that was incompatanle with human nature. The result is the freedom of some encroaching on the freedom of others; i.e. fundamentally anti liberal.

        A liberal will support freedom in a market but never support the exploitation or inequality of individual freedoms, such as the outcomes of pure capitalism. Someone that claims to be a liberal while their ideals strip people’s liberties is a fucking wolf in sheep’s clothing.

  • @Hackworth
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    252 months ago

    /checks comments to confirm they’re all arguing over what liberal really means.

    • @[email protected]
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      92 months ago

      We could stop doing it if there weren’t mother fuckers getting their definitions from the average American. The kind of person that elected Trump twice.

    • no bananaOP
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      72 months ago

      They’re also fans of porn!

    • @Alteon
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      2 months ago

      I can’t think of a single modern day liberal that would…but alright.

      I mean if you went out and interviewed a “liberal” I’d bet money that they would be against the prison Industrial complex and against rampant unregulated capitalism.

      • @Gradually_Adjusting
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        32 months ago

        This is a simple misunderstanding caused by the difference between what the word actually means and what propaganda has made it

        • @Alteon
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          42 months ago

          I mean, am I misunderstanding the word and misapplying it? Or are all self-proclaimed modern liberals incorrect in thinking they are a liberal? What would be the better terminology? Progressives?

          • @Gradually_Adjusting
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            72 months ago

            It’s a historically centre right ideology, e.g. the Aussie RWNJs call themselves liberals. Fox has successfully renamed the progressive left as liberals in America, as part of a larger effort to keep actual leftism out of the overton window.

  • @[email protected]
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    2 months ago

    I think many people are racist, both liberals and conservatives. Liberals just manifest their racism differently. That’s the unfortunate truth.

  • @obre
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    92 months ago

    Plot twist, OP’s Mom is a Maoist-Third Worldist

    • ivanafterall ☑️
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      52 months ago

      The emphasis is supposed to be placed on “liberals,” as in, “Pshhht…wait until you see the racism I can do, mom.”

    • no bananaOP
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      52 months ago

      Fictional American mom is a Trumper 🎺