What do the leftie swill fear:


Other peoples individual ability

Other peoples individual success

Those they cannot control

Anyone who thinks differently

Anyone above the first step of Maslows heirarchy

Anyone who might get more out of life than them

Anyone with a smile on their face


I like this game

Anyone else want to join in….

Conservatives are:

Those who believe with blind faith in the free market when time and time again history reveals that the free market does not equate with competition in regard to wages, services to consumers and quality of product.

That profit is the only motivator. It is a motivator - but if profit is held above all other factors in a market without some regulation we get exploitation, poverty and a reduction in 'real' services.

Believe in the illusion of competition when under the extremes of capitalism competition does not exist and won't exist because of vested interests. Ask any small businessman in Australia about competition with the larger concerns and the lack of equity on land allocation (think supermarkets). Collusion wins over competition everytime.

That all things are best controlled by the private sector (see above points).

That Governments and hence the people should not collectively own or control anything even if it is in their best interests. (Look what happened to NZ power after privatisation)

Are anti-regulation at all costs (despite evidence that regulation is sometimes needed to control the extremes of capitalism).

This has been an educational experience.

I must admit that I had several prior
misconceptions about this topic.

After scrawling through several websites
I've learned that:

Capitalism does have several drawbacks
that are common to all capitalist systems:

1) Marked social inequality
2) A large and impoverished lower class
3) Repeated cycles of prosperity and recession
4) Employment and unemployment.

And that no capitalist society has yet found
a way out of these dilemmas.

On the other hand, I've learned that the type
of socialism practiced in authoritarian,
communist-ruled societies is very different
from the one practiced in democratic,
pluralist societies. These versions differ
markedly in their degree of centralized control
of the economy, and in the liberties their citizens
enjoy.

What socialists seem to fear is:

1) Social inequality
2) Injustice
3) Discrimination
4) Self-interest

And,the sociologist Ian Robertson confirms,

"Most of the countries of Western Europe have
been moving in a more capitalist direction,
for example by selling off nationalized
industries to private owners once more. Even
several less developed countries elsewhere in
the world, like India, Nigeria, and Argentia, are
also shifting away from a centrally planned economy
toward one driven by free enterprise.

The reason seems to be that, whilst socialist
societies may distribute wealth more evenly than
capitalist ones, they are less efficient in creating
wealth in the first place."

The past century has provided overwhelming evidence
that socialist economies are more bureaucratized
and less productive than capitalist ones.

There are signs however that communist-ruled
societies are embracing aspects of capitalism,
especially through their use of financial incentives.

They are finally confronting the fact that their
system is inherently inefficient.

Economic covergence does appear to be taking place,
but will political convergence also follow?

We'll have to wait and see. It may depend on
whether more liberal economic policies will lead
to democratization in the
Soviet-style economies.

Fractelle,

You say >>” Far from being "seditious" lefties are cool”

So I take it from this piece of nonsense that you are happy to equate leftism with socialism. That all lefties are socialists, is that right? Because Polys question was/is are the Socialist Alternative seditious?

And here is the definition of socialism from the Socialist Party of Australia.

>> “The alternative to capitalism is socialism, a system that uses the potential of human talent to build a truly fair and democratic society. This society would have an economy that is democratically planned to provide for the needs of everyone. http://www.socialistpartyaustralia.org/archives/1438#more-1438

>> “It is only by overthrowing capitalism that we will be able to begin to build a society free from poverty and inequality.”
http://www.socialistpartyaustralia.org/archives/1438#more-1438

So I take it because you are a leftie, which you have taken to mean the same thing as a socialist, that you also believe in the overthrow of capitalism and the rule of the “workers”? Really?

As for your utter stupidity regarding the study of political leaning and loud noises, I would point out to you that the majority of people who put their lives on the line as part of their work are conservative or right leaning. Ie Defence personnel, police etc. Its quite likely that the lefties didn’t react to the unpleasant images because in general lefties run away whenever there is anything tough to do. They simply have NO EXPERIENCE in the real world where some of us have to actually CONFONT things

Pelican,

Your conflation of conservatism and liberalism is so vacuous it is almost funny.

Economic liberalism is not conservative by any means. In fact is is anti-conservative.

Conservatism is a term used to describe political philosophies that favour tradition, where tradition refers to various religious, cultural, or nationally defined beliefs and customs. Some conservatives seek to preserve the status quo or to reform society slowly, while others seek to return to the values of an earlier time, the status quo ante.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservatism

Pelican and Fractelle,

In the spirit of the nonsense you guys have posted I have come up with a list for identifying leftists.

- Cowardice in general – Dressed up as pacifism AKA the Chamberlain complex whereby there’d be no violence if we just gave the terrorists everything they want

- Envy of other success – Small man/woman complex

- Support for any lifestyle except for the one most people choose (conservativism) – straight out Xenophobia except the lefties don’t call it that

- Crippling fear of being seen to be politically incorrect – The new blasphemy

- Unwillingness to take responsibility for their own problems – It’s the "military industrial complex" complex

- Overwhelming fear of catastrophic environmental change without any actual evidence – the “chicken little” effect which actually segues into the “new green religion” where worshippers see original sin in our actual existence on the pristine earth.

- Self Hatred – the “is this all there is” complex

- The loathing of material consumption whilst simultaneously consuming as much as anyone – the “I must have a new pair of Birkenstocks” complex

- A love affair with conspiracy theories – see the “military industrial complex”, complex

- A desire to damage our economic system – this is also part of the small man/woman complex although the “Socialism is cool” complex is also involved

- Support for all manner of totalitarian regimes and dictators – feeds into the “military industrial complex” complex, whereby everyone is really just a victim of “THE MAN” and all actions can be seen as reactions to the excesses of the military industrial complex

Support for "Alternative healing" and crystals - the new "snake oil"

Porl,
Yes but we are all usually very good looking, affable and caring human beings with an ingenious sense of humour, (refer to the best stand up comedians you know) and we don't have bad haircuts (and if we do its for a lark) and if men - do not have microscopic wangers or domineering Thatcher-like mothers – nor do we think John Howard had great ‘sex’ appeal’ This list is by no means comprehensive but I think it will suffice in reminding you ever so subtly of who you are not.