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In the world of politics, an operative principle is “Define, or be defined.” Unfortunately, whether that definition is objectively true or not is quite secondary to other political considerations.
As a result, the labels used to define differing ideologies and political policies do anything BUT define those so labeled. Left, right, centrist, liberal, conservative, democrat, and a whole host of other terms, have come to mean entirely different things to different people at different times.
Which side benefits by this confusion? The Left? Or the Right?
Who gets hurt? And how does the damage manifest itself?
Those are just a few of the questions that needed to be addressed in response to the feedback received on our discussion about the insurmountable divide between the political Left and Right.
In this context, the Left and Right refer not to people, but to the ideologies and political objectives that accrue to each side of the political divide. Whether individuals see themselves or others as being on the left or right depends upon which of those left or right objectives are shared or supported by the individual in question.
But beyond the never-ending battle of definitions, and entirely dependent upon those definitions, is what’s really at stake: the gradual and eventual total loss of individual rights and freedom wherever the collectivist ideologies of the Left begin to take root.
While most still haven’t clued in, the growing realization that the political drift Leftwards is accelerating has been met with everything from denial to shock to complete surprise. Worse, what most people continue to consider the political Right has now disintegrated into a mirror image of the Left, of which it was in truth already a part.
How then, can either a true voice or a true choice for a true Right (freedom, capitalism, democracy) ever emerge from this confusion? This presents a frustrating dilemma for those on the Right seeking to have their “right” ideology fairly understood and thus hopefully politically supported in increasing numbers.
What kind of argument is needed to turn the leftward drift around and point it in the right direction? How does one present a ‘Right’ political option to a resistant public largely oblivious to any political ideologies at all?
How come what’s been tried so far hasn’t worked? What does work? What would be the convincing argument?
In contrast to the philosophy and epistemology we usually offer, our view and advice regarding these questions – when applied directly to the political arena – may surprise you.
To borrow from an oft-quoted political bromide: “Ask not what freedom can do for you, but ask what you can do for freedom.”
For in the asking of that question, one may find that action speaks louder than words, and that words – understood or not – are simply not enough to persuade others to choose what is Just Right.
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