How come liberals dont hate conservatives the way conservatives hate liberals

I constantly see angry mobs of people decrying “woke”, “critical race theory”, ““grooming””, and whatever other nonsense they made up this week. They march around with guns, constantly appending lib as a prefix to any word they can use to denigrate. They actively plot violence and spew hatred in the open.

You never see the inverse. There is no ConservativesofTiktok getting churches harassed into shutting down for the day or calling in threats. You don’t see cringey boomer memes on the left. And whenever I openly express those feelings, try to create that sentiment; I get shut down. Noone agrees, I’m often shamed and muted. I just don’t understand why that parity exists, it’s extremely isolating to feel so alone in this

pjwestin, (edited )

Because conservatism is no longer a set of political beliefs. In the modern conservative movement (basically starting in the 80s, liberals and conservatives were much different before that) conservatives had social beliefs, like preserving cultural norms, promoting religion, and maintaining the nuclear family, as well as fiscal beliefs, like limited government, individual liberty, fiscal responsibility, free markets, and a whole lot of other bullshit that basically boiled down to, “we don’t want to pay taxes.”

Now, conservatism is really only about establishing an in-group and othering their opponents. Oppositions to trans rights may seem like an attempt to preserve cultural norms, but it’s real goal is to create outrage and panic over trans, “groomers.” Objections go CRT and DEI serve a similar role in othering people of color. “Wokeness,” is just a meaningless catch-all for, “enemies.” Similarly, fiscal policy is meaningless, and can be picked up and discarded whenever convenient; corporations can be deregulated and given tax breaks in service of the free market, but subsidized or bailed out whenever needed.

This is because modern conservatism isn’t a political ideology, it’s a fascist movement. I mean that literally, and while the meaning fascism is notoriously hard to pin down, I use Umberto Eco’s 14 properties of fascism. And, to bring this back around to your original question, fascists hate liberals because hating a group is very important to a fascist movement. The modern conservative hate for liberals is especially clear in Eco’s 4th, 5th, and 7th properties of fascism (disagreement as treason, fear of differences, and obsession with plots, respectively).

So, tl;dr: the one-sided hate that conservatives have for liberals is because conservatism is no longer a coherent political ideology, it’s a fascist movement.

anomoly_,

Do you have any preferred sources for learning more about Umberto eco’s 14 points of fascism?

pjwestin, (edited )

Well, the essay is a pretty breezy read, it’s only 10 pages. It’s called Ur-Fascism, here’s the full text. If you’re looking for something lighter (and lighter is an extremely relative term here), Cody Johnston is a comedian and video essayist that delves into right-wing extremism on his show Some More News. These two videos are older, but they do a great job putting Trump and conservatives in context using Eco’s definition of fascism.

Edit: Whoops, forgot the video links: youtu.be/CcklYVR5I-I?feature=sharedyoutu.be/fIN8oxnw__I?feature=shared

HubertManne,
HubertManne avatar

I mean I would say it evolved from the thing starting in the 80's. Especially that nothing mattered but lowering taxes on the wealthy (since sometimes they push for "flat" taxes and a lot of what they do just moves the tax burden lower down). Pre 80's conservative ideology was not my cup of tea but had some merit. they used to be against deficits.

pjwestin,

Yes, it certainly developed over time from Regan-era conservatism. Conservative family values are inherently a rejection of modernity (Eco’s second property of fascism), and the party was already othering people of color and the queer community. The Bush era also did a lot of work priming conservatives for fascism with war propaganda, xenophobia, and equating dissent with treason. Trump brought the party into full-fledged fascism, but it had been stewing for a while before he arrived.

HubertManne,
HubertManne avatar

yeah they did not really outright embrace it till trump. what he says is terrifying.

someguy3,

The right wing has a long history of real repression. Think slavery, segregation, Jim Crow (simply saying it doesn’t do it justice), voter suppression, KKK, mob violence, etc. As much as I hate to realize it, they were fundamentally built on violence and hate. It’s never left them. Especially the mentality, which is “my way or violence”.

This is also why they project the left is violent. Because they are, so they assume everyone else is too. So they try to portray left groups as violent. Same with having an agenda. They have one, so they assume everyone else has one too. It’s all projection.

Ginkko117,
Ginkko117 avatar

I honestly don't think there's much of a difference between these groups. Both have lots of people hating the guts of another group. And both are substantially radical in views. This all is just crazy

FiniteBanjo, (edited )

This is the broadest stroke I can make of it:

Conservatives decisions are based on instincts and lower brain functions like fear and hatred.

Liberals decisions are based on marginal benefit and rational decision making based on a combination of large and small scale unbiased data and historical outcomes.

There are tons of outliers and vocal minorities that break the rule, but basically a conservative thinks a liberal should face eternal punishment, while a liberal thinks they’re not fit to judge a conservative.

afraid_of_zombies,

Because we have elderly people in our life that we care about and they weren’t monsters when we were young. Think of how much effort it would take you to objectively look at ideas your grandparents held/hold and what it says about them. I know I can’t do it. I can’t see my grandfather as a person who used to refer to homosexuals with a word I won’t repeat. The man who took me on so many hikes and fishing trips? No way.

Now extend it. Do you really want to go through your life thinking everyone passed a certain age is a terrible person? So evil becomes misguided.

The reverse of course isn’t true. No one gives a shit about a 30 year old. They ain’t cute and they are starting to run stuff.

IzzyJ,

You’re letting your heart get in the way of the mind. I got to enjoy knowing my grandparents abused my parents. My maternal side in particular revelled in spewing hate at demographics including myself and abandoning all the values they claimed to hold dear for their pentacostal magat cult. Needless to say I do not have the same issue.

Regardless. If you really care about defending people’s rights, you need to be able to look people like your grandparents in the eye and say “No, you’re wrong, and should suffer for it”.

And old people arent cute, not sure where you got that

afraid_of_zombies,

Well a. Mind are dead b. If they were alive I wouldn’t do that c. I don’t got to do anything

FreakinSteve,

If it makes you feel any better I’m on your side and I get the same whiny milquetoast doormat bullshit from liberals. They think they can get power to abdicate itself by begging, and they think violence is barbaric despite it being the only way things have ever progressed anywhere.

IzzyJ,

Cold confort knowing we’re a minorty and Ill very possibly have to seek asylum by new years

Vendetta9076,
@Vendetta9076@sh.itjust.works avatar

You and I are on different parts of the internet it seems. As a non American, your guys’ politics frighten and confuse me. The amount of hatred seems pretty damn comparable on both sides. Also neither of your partied are actually very different. Just different flavours of authoritarian.

afraid_of_zombies,

Too late at night for lolitarianism

Vendetta9076,
@Vendetta9076@sh.itjust.works avatar

Huh?

afraid_of_zombies,

It is too late in the evening in the time zone I am in right now to hear libertarian ideas being taken seriously.

You know how when you had a long day and someone wants to explain to you whatever conspiracy crap they buy into but you can’t? You just have no energy left to even pretend there is something of value there.

Go watch V for Vendetta and read some Rothbard if you feel you need to.

Vendetta9076,
@Vendetta9076@sh.itjust.works avatar

Oh you’re one of those kinds of people. Gotcha. Well sorry me reminding you that governments like power makes you exhausted.

afraid_of_zombies,

Yes I am one of those people who thinks welfare programs and environmental regulations are a small price to pay for the benefits we as a whole get from them. But hey why not just move to the many countries in the world that don’t bother with them?

Vendetta9076,
@Vendetta9076@sh.itjust.works avatar

Brother when did I ever say anything about any sort of social safety net. I think you’re arguing with the wrong person.

set_secret,

It’s the classic good vs evil.

Evil hates everyone and good is displeased with evil.

FleeingReddit,

Because we’re better? :)

FreakinSteve,

No.

Drivebyhaiku,

Gunna take this as Liberal/Conservative as party brand names rather than strict social ideology and you’re talking about “the left” more generally.

I think the short answer is empathy. When you dig down to the bottom a lot of the discussion on the left talks about different forms of human needs. A need to feel accepted and loved, desires to exist publicly without fear… It is a radical form of empathy that asks you to put yourself in multiple pairs of shoes and see the world through perspectives you aren’t naturally born into. The ultimate aim is to achieve a picture of humanity which is inclusive of the widest possible range of understanding.

In that way “Conservatives” are also people. It is not impossible to empathize with their issues. It takes a lot cognitively to internalize this new data and a lot of the rejection from the right comes not from outright cruelty but a desire for things to be and remain simple and easy. They don’t want to stretch themselves and are scared of a world where that is something they are forced to do. The issue is a lot of the people selling the pitchforks on that side are doing it because it benefits them. That desire to understand encompasses the motives of individual Conservatives and splits them apart. A lot of the issues Conservatives have is that the left is “preachy” that we act like we’re better than them and that does come from somewhere. Some leftists do just want to be the smartest most correct person in the room but others are just waiting for the Conservatives they know to be more understanding of other people who they learned about so they stop being mean. The person who pitties the school bully is often their target because that empathy seems to the bully like condescension.

IzzyJ,

After a certain point, you have to realize your bully is either incapable or unwilling to engage in that empty. At which point, your option is beat or get beat

Woozythebear,

Liberals hate leftists like conservatives hate liberals.

Liberals are a hop and a skip away from being conservatives.

johannesvanderwhales,

Liberals like to live in reality, leftists like to live in “well both parties are the same so it’s okay if Trump gets elected” land.

Glytch,

“Having principles is bad guys, you gotta fall in line 6 months before the election and just accept whatever shit the DNC scoops into your mouth or Democracy’s gonna die!” - the brain worms in your head

FreakinSteve,

No leftist thinks that.

Jafoo,

“I constantly see angry mobs of people decrying “woke…”

There’s nothing remotely liberal about Wokeness

antidote101,

For starters, Liberals are less violent, desire stability and an uplifting progression in social values, and tend to be fairly comfortable in themselves.

Other than that - when Liberals go far enough left, they become Socialists, and start to hate Liberals for their Capitalist elements and “economic liberalism”/neoliberalism.

When conservatives go far right, they turn into fascist conservatives… Conservatives, just more staunch, violent, and unreasonable.

GiddyGap,

I think there’s an equal amount of anger on both sides. Unfortunately.

There’s no longer room for actual, mature debate. Just mud-slinging and slurs. The fact is that most people are somewhere in the center politically, but the extremists are louder and get the attention because it’s entertaining and the media uses it to sell content. It sucks.

Fedizen,

conservatives especially hate people pretending to be above the fray

Cybermonk_Taiji,

Conservatism is the idea that people are basically bad and need to be controlled, liberalism is the Idea that people are basically good and deserve to be helped.

Woozythebear,

That’s not what liberals are at all… they don’t want to help anyone if it means doing anything that may hurt capitalism.

Vanix,

Thank you for sharing this comment. I know I’m stupid but it always brings me joy when other people make me think maybe I’m not the MOST stupid person alive today

Woozythebear,

Found the neo lib

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