The current political divide in the US is insane. Progressives think everything conservatives say is a lie and vice versa. Things were not yet this bad back in the late 1990s, when people of different political persuasions could still be friends, which is still true in East Asia.
I'm an anarchist and identify as neither, so I see a clear pattern. To make a generalization, progressives want to leverage State power to cure social ills, whereas conservatives are wary of State power because ambitious social programs can go awry with unintended consequences.
Both camps tend to think they're right about everything, but no one is—that's a given. I don't like conservatism, but they make some good points and understand bureaucracy better than progressives do. To their credit, they're actually closer to American traditions about liberty.
Among progressives, however, liberty has almost become a dirty word—a red herring weaponized by conservatives. It seems to me that they would rather sacrifice some liberty in exchange of "nice things", but the less liberty you have, the more power the State wields over you.
For example, shrinks are granted by the State the power to lock up anyone upon the flimsiest evidence that they are a "danger to self/others". Actually, no evidence is needed most of the time because all the shrink has to do is write some vague statement that won't be verified.
Conservatives tend to have an easier time grasping what's downright evil about this "involuntary civil commitment" thing—for it is clearly an abuse of State power. Progressives, OTOH, tend to scratch their heads, thinking "But isn't it for their own good?"—until they get 5150'd.
What we're dealing with are really 2 incompatible political philosophies on top of the Culture War. Libertarianism can be a valid 3rd way, but with the 2-party system deeply entrenched, I doubt if they will ever make a dent in national politics unless 1 of the big 2 collapsed.
That's why I'm an anarchist, as I'm culturally libertarian and don't believe in State power. And I'm apathetic to partisan politics because partisanship can make one myopic, unable comprehend anything your adversaries have to say—even if they have a valid point. Not my thing.
@threadreaderapp unroll
