Labels

Scott brought up a great point in the comments to this post that I think is worth discussing.  We all use labels for things, groups, and even individuals.  My definition of a liberal or a conservative may be (and probably is) different than others - including someone who shares my world view.

I'm reminded of a definition of communication I learned at the TAC NCO Academy many years ago that really stuck with me.  It goes like this:

"Communication is achieved when the message sent is similar to the message received."

Nothing you say, write, or convey in some manner will be received by someone exactly how you intended it.  Only you fully understand the depth of your own emotions and intent.  The rest of us must try to understand your meaning given commonly accepted and learned patterns.  We listen for verbal clues such as tone and speed, or we look for visual clues in your body language, but we can never fully understand the depth and meaning of your words.  Sometimes, the clues are hard to come by.  An example might be if I say:

"Let's go to the park." 

Does that mean that I think we should drop what we are doing and go to the park? You don't know.  I might just be throwing out an idea or I might have already thought about it and I've made up my mind.  Unless I give out some other clues, or you ask me to clarify my intent, you aren't really sure what I mean.  If I'm just tossing out a suggestion and you think I have already made up my mind, it could be a problem.

And so it is with the labels we use, often casually, to catalog everything in our sphere including people and ideas.  On a certain level, it's human nature. We seek a certain order in our lives.  My desk at work is usually cluttered with papers and notes.  My desk at home seems to be a catch-all for half the house.  What matters to me is that I have everything  ordered in my head.  My space around me can be in total chaos, but as long my thoughts are organized, my external space is secondary.  Your definition of organization or need to organize might be totally different and probably is.

So when I use the words liberal or conservative, I have my own definitions.  They might be similar to yours, but not necessarily. Long ago in some forgotten English class, probably in high school or even junior high school (now called middle school in most places - see how labels change), I was taught that your writing should  be adjusted for for your intended audience.  The most obvious example of that is the difference between writing for small children and writing for adults.  Beyond that are the nuances of education level, genre, scope and message. 

Since this little dead end off the information superhighway is geared more toward people who more or less share my worldview, the language is slanted toward that group of people.  Along comes Scott whose views are not exactly quantified by the usual pigeon hole we stuff people in it and it becomes a bit more difficult to paint with the broad brush.

When I use the word liberal, I don't mean it in the Jeffersonian model.  I mean it in the Ted Kennedy, Barack Obama, Nacy Pelosi, Harry Reid model.  In other words, it generally means those who favor a larger centralized roll and involvement of the federal government in most aspects of our lives.  It includes those whose worldview says that government is fairer and that society takes precedence over the individual's desires.

Conservatism (in my definition) takes on a different view in that we see government as our servant, not our master.  We think individuals in general are far better off on their own and will achieve more and produce more if left alone. Government has it's roll and we need a certain amount to maintain civilized society, but by and large, people should be allowed to determine their own destiny.

I admit, they are somewhat vague. It seems almost an impossible task to pin them down to an exact definition that everyone will agree with.  That said, when I speak of liberals, that is mostly the idea I have in mind.  I don't think all liberals are bad, nor do I think all conservatives are good.  I do believe that most entrenched politicians in either party are generally not a good thing for either side.

I hope it "kinda sorta" makes some sense.  If not, then ask specific questions.  Otherwise, I might resort to another 700 plus word essay to try and explain a simple label.

VW

Comments

[John Hampton]

Nicely done, VW. Well said. Let's not stop here. Let's continue. What is a conservative?

[John Hampton]

My point in the above comment I posted is that we have the same difficulty defining political conservative. The word itself has different meanings dependent upon context. Political conservativism has many forms and variations. I think many conservatives struggle with defining themselves politically just as liberals do. It's a constant thing with me as I try to ascertain whether I'm a neoconservative, a paleoconservative, or a moderate this one day or moderate that on another. It changes and swings in one direction or another depending on different factors,circumstances or issues. Flexibiltiy and ability to adjust to changing conditions is a necessary thing. In order to survive and live to fight on, soldiers learn this quickly on the battlefield. I have no doubt that it works the same way on the political battlefield.

Earlier today as I was chatting with my son, who is over in Afghanistan, we began to talk a little about it. I asked him to offer his definition of a liberal. He said, "a political liberal, (in the U.S.), I would say - is one who supports efforts to empower the government and change our way of life in order to make it more dependent on the government - in a more or less socialistic way, as opposed to a conservative, who would (ideally) support the basic tenets of limited government set forth by the founding fathers." I liked his definition. I agree with him.

Liberals wish to grant more liberty to the government and less to the people, while conservatives wish to grant less liberty to the government and more to the people.

[Violence Worker]

But John, I already defined what I believe as a Conservative, long ago. I named it "The Violence Worker Manifesto".

http://www.violenceworker.com/my_weblog/2006/11/the_violence_wo.html

VW

[John Hampton]

I know, I know, VW. And I knew you were probably going to say that after I posted my comments.

[John Hampton]

I'm just an echo.

[BobF]

Liberals, in the way most think of them, have been around for a long time. They go back to Old Testment times in the bible.

Isiah 32:5-8 The vile person shall be no more called liberal, nor the churl said to be bountiful. For the vile person will speak villany, and his heart will work iniquity, to practise hypocrisy, and to utter error against the LORD, to make empty the soul of the hungry, and he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail The instruments also of the churl are evil: he deviseth wicked devices to destroy the poor with lying words, even when the needy speaketh right. But the liberal deviseth liberal things; and by liberal things shall he stand .

Pretty well sums up the modern day liberal.