What exactly does "left" or "right" mean to you?

[BeBMan]

Of course in the political sense.

What defines positively those two terms? I still consider myself moderately left, but in reality I don't care that much about those labels. It seems it's easier for many people to say what they do not like, but for what stand "left" and "right" today? Also, it seems that in some political issues the distinction between the two has lost a lot of its previous meaning, for example when you think about the "new middle" of society which is often believed to be the decisive political factor in countries like Germany.

So in short, what do you think counts truly as "left" or "right" on the political stage, and how much does it matter in modern democracy where (theoretically) a good policy should (IMO) not be too ideologically overloaded?

[Kuciwalker]

Left means those dirty, traitorous, anti-American liberals

Right means our infallible, godlike great leader

[BeBMan]

Originally posted by skywalker
Left means those dirty, traitorous, anti-American liberals

Right means our infallible, godlike great leader

Ok, thx. Next

[Al'Kimiya]

There is a reason one direction is called "right".

[BeBMan]

Probably. And?

[chequita guevara]

Left means new, progress. Right means old, anti-progress. All extensions of freedom came because leftists forced rightists to give it up.

La Lucha Continua.

[Shi Huangdi]

The Right is Right and the Left is Wrong.

[Bosh]

As far as ideology "left" and "right" have become so muddled that they don't mean much anymore (hence attempts to claim that fascists are really leftists etc.). However I think that there is a real and meaningful left/right cultural divide that means a good bit more than ideology these days.

[BeBMan]

Originally posted by Boshko
As far as ideology "left" and "right" have become so muddled that they don't mean much anymore (hence attempts to claim that fascists are really leftists etc.). However I think that there is a real and meaningful left/right cultural divide that means a good bit more than ideology these days.

And this divide is defined how?

[Bosh]

its not something you define, its something you feel.

or you can say something like dirty smelly hippies and anal squares

[GePap]

Right and left are too broad a definitions to matter..for example, free marketeers were part of the left when the definitions were created.

[Spiffor]

The right is evil and greedy - the left is generous and great.

Or more seriously, what Che said: it is trollly worded, but it is right

[Arrian]

Hmm...

To me:

"Right" generally means conservative, probably religious (and thus probably anti-abortion and gay marriage), probably pro-military, probably anti-taxes and government spending (other than military) in general.

"Left" generally means liberal/progressive, if religious of the tolerant sort, but possibly even aetheistic, probably not big on the military, probably pro-goverment spending (social welfare spending, education, etc), and happy to tax me for it.

Unfortunately for me, neither Left nor Right are producing leaders that do what I want. The Right will babble on about fiscal conservatism (which I'm all for, though perhaps a bit different than they mean, but in general I want us to at least try to stay within our means) and then go out and blow billions on the military and/or Senator so-and-so's favorite pork project. Not to mention the Right's tendency to pander to the Relgious Right (my personal "most hated" group). The Left... well, they generally say things I agree with on social issues, but there is always the worry that they will go too far with "tax & spend" (the repub criticism of them). It seemed to work alright when we had a Dem president & repub congress (Clinton). On foreign policy, they all pretty much suck.

So I vote 3rd party, in a vain attempt at strengthening parties other than the Repubs & Democrats.

-Arrian

[MrFun]

Originally posted by Boshko
its not something you define, its something you feel.

God -- you sound like some wishy-washy philosopher who can't make up his mind.

[Sava]

I hate the linear political model. I use "left" and "right" primarily for economics... nothing else. People's political beliefs are too complex to divide into two camps.