Am I wrong?

[Labors of Hercules]

Don't you sort of have to be a selfish asshole to be a true conservative?

I brought this up in a conversation playing devil's advocate among a table full of Republicans who were saying they vote Republican because they are "conservatives". But by the end of the night all of them agreed that by calling themselves "conservative", they were actually saying they were selfish and had no compassion.

Given that these are all good people, and have now agreed that they are NOT actually conservative thinkers, there is a real possibility that in our next conversation we may convince them that being wrong about being conservative also means they are wrong about being Republican!! :woohoo:

But am I wrong? IS being conservative REALLY an indication that you are a selfish asshole who lacks compassion? :shrug:

[Deep13]

1. Well, let me put it to you this way...

yes.

[BOSSHOG]

2. You are absolutley right Hercules, May I add "ignorant" as well

Calling them ignorant really pisses them off.

[VP505]

3. Oh NO.

doncha know they are sooooo compassionate.:sarcasm:

[fenriswolf]

4. not really

if you are horribly rich and think that it is correct to let others starve to death and not attempt to help them. but you can be poor, conservative and still not be selfish.

[Virginia Dare]

5. Yes, or a delusional idiot, that would work too...n/t

[The_Casual_Observer]

6. They adopted the view point that anyone can be self-sufficient

or even rich if they put out an effort. So, being poor or whatever is your own fault & not their concern.

[Labors of Hercules]

8. How is it so many poor people call themselves conservative?

Do they have no clue how oxymoronic that is?

[The_Casual_Observer]

9. McCain: "Poor people don't hate rich people, they want to BE rich people"

Michael Moore says the same thing sometimes.

[Labors of Hercules]

10. Great. Let's all get rich.

That's the best way to ensure happiness.

[Rambis]

7. "am I the only one around here that gives a shit about the rules?"

Mark conservatives a zero! Sorr, I couldn't resist and you are not wrong!

[Forrest Greene]

11. It Used To Mean Something Quite Different

Consider the word. "Conserve." Means keeping a little off to the side for emergencies, putting back some of what you have extracted, not killing the goose that lays the golden eggs, not putting all those eggs in one basket. Useful, true ideas, held by often genuinely decent individuals. But that was long ago, & in a different country.

The first step in fixing a broken country, sez Confucius, in to rectify the language. Let words mean again what they really do mean. Transcend the bullshit. Conversely, the first step breaking a country is to screw up the language & mess with the discourse, so that none of us know what we are talking about anymore. In that sense, conservatives of the "true" variety have been as badly-used & screwed-over as have those evil, flaky liberals.

[Igel]

12. Yes.

In my experience--knowing a lot of conservatives in my work life and lots of progressives in my academic life--the amount of assholery is about the same.

I've known conservatives that voted conservative, but were so more progressive in their actions than many progressives, giving their time and money with incredible generosity. One young woman--Asian--spent weekends on Habitat for Humanity projects, tutoring, and various other socially conscious programs. She'd yell at you for pitching an aluminum can in the trash when a recycling bin was just around the corner, and you'd better not have a hint of racism or sexism around you. She was a repub.

Then there was the arch-conservative who loved his guns. He'd go hunting every year, invariably fill his game tag, and yet hated venison. Instead, he'd have the deer or elk butchered and cast about for some family that fell on hard times. He'd pass the meat on to whoever knew the poor family, and ask that they give them the meat--with a card thanking the recipient for taking the meat so the deer or elk didn't die for no reason.

And I've known progressives who I could swear voted liberal just so they'd never have to help anybody or have their beautiful minds seared by seeing indigency.

One said that he could be so much more useful to society as a lawyer, what with suing corporations in affirmative action cases and making money (= paying taxes), than he ever could if he took the time to actually help people. To be specific, his mother. If he helped her financially, he couldn't afford the right suits and condo, and it would hurt his career; and if she ... gasp ... moved in with him, he couldn't date the right women or take the time to advance his career. His idiot conservative sister could have that "burden". His assholery was, of course, progressive in the worst possible way.

Of course, I've known progressives that were socially conscious and showed it, and conservatives that were assholes. But it also works the other way 'round: Take my repub father, who spanked me until I couldn't cry any more when I came home in 3rd grade and used the n-word (not realizing quite what it was), even as my "progressive" mother used the n-word and continues to use it.

[Skittles]

13. yes, you have to be a selfish asshole

absolutely

[Stinky The Clown]

14. Hate to say it, Herc ..... but you're assumption is correct.

It is borne out in life.

It is borne out in politics.

It is borne out everywhere.