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Recognition of "our need to depend on one another." is not the end goal of the average left-leaning person (or at least those I know), the end goal is for nobod

Recognition of "our need to depend on one another." is not the end goal of the average left-leaning person (or at least those I know), the end goal is for nobody to suffer through poverty/neglect. The average right-leaning person would also like nobody to suffer through poverty/neglect. The right just believes that government intervention won't help poverty, and that it destroys family and community bonds via the government stepping in to fulfil the roles previously played by family and community. The left believes government intervention is needed to fight poverty, and to fix the failures in family and government. I'm sure if you offered the average leftist the chance to live in a world where nobody lived in poverty, albeit one without "a recognition of our need to depend on one another" (whatever that means), they'd happily accept.

specialist 8y ago
Our local political organizations are (legally) reformed every two years. We Democrats have a ritual where we introduce ourselves and say why we're a Democrat. Most people say something like "I believe in the greater good." Which I suppose could be warped into whatever you just described. My answer has been "To help people help themselves and to help those who can't." TLDR: You should probably meet some lefties, in person, before you claim to speak for them. Try meeting some righties too.
aabeshou 8y ago
you misread my point. I was saying that the policy disagreement comes from that fundamental attitude difference with regard to vulnerability/dependence. It is not an explicit policy goal for all leftists to have kumbaya circles. My point is we cannot eradicate poverty and other economic injustice without recognizing the need for mutual dependence. I challenge you to come up with a plan for eradicating poverty and injustice that does not involve human codependency. But those who would say the only acceptable plan is basically everyone lifting themselves up by bootstraps do not respect or acknowledge the truth of our fundamental vulnerability and dependence on one-another on this earth.

specialist 8y ago

Our local political organizations are (legally) reformed every two years. We Democrats have a ritual where we introduce ourselves and say why we're a Democrat. Most people say something like "I believe in the greater good." Which I suppose could be warped into whatever you just described. My answer has been "To help people help themselves and to help those who can't." TLDR: You should probably meet some lefties, in person, before you claim to speak for them. Try meeting some righties too.

aabeshou 8y ago

you misread my point. I was saying that the policy disagreement comes from that fundamental attitude difference with regard to vulnerability/dependence. It is not an explicit policy goal for all leftists to have kumbaya circles. My point is we cannot eradicate poverty and other economic injustice without recognizing the need for mutual dependence. I challenge you to come up with a plan for eradicating poverty and injustice that does not involve human codependency. But those who would say the only acceptable plan is basically everyone lifting themselves up by bootstraps do not respect or acknowledge the truth of our fundamental vulnerability and dependence on one-another on this earth.