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> Seriously, over the years I've wracked my brain wondering why conservatism has moved so far to the radical fringe to the point where they simply seem to stand

> Seriously, over the years I've wracked my brain wondering why conservatism has moved so far to the radical fringe to the point where they simply seem to stand in opposition to even the most uncontroversial stances on things like global warming, healthcare, vaccines, basic human rights, etc. Has conservatism "moved?" And if it has, has it moved to the right? If we were to time travel three generations ago, would the mainstream liberal culture then be more similar to the present day conservative culture or the present day liberal culture on the issues mentioned? I submit that a present-day conservative would likely be a staunch liberal in those days. The Left has simply moved much further to the left.

bamfly 3y ago
> I submit that a present-day conservative would likely be a staunch liberal in those days. The Left has simply moved much further to the left. ... on social issues. The mainstream left and right, as far as those in power, remain about as similar on economics as they have since the right neoliberal movement took over both parties in the 80s—a position that both parties' extremes strongly disagree with, and that isn't particular popular among their electorate more generally (which is why Trump's just-say-what-R-voters-say platform fell, remarkably, outside that consensus) but which nonetheless drives most of both parties' activity, on that front.
wing-_-nuts 3y ago
Well, disclaimer, I used to consider myself 'conservative', as the conservatives I knew were more likely to take a hard nosed look at the facts and the science than whether or not the truth made someone feel good. As I got older, I eventually started to notice conservatives starting to blatantly ignore the science and facts in a way I had previously only seen from the left. Today, I feel like the situation has completely reversed itself, and the right is more likely to completely ignore reality, fact and science if it clashes with their current beliefs. I do see some of this on the left, but it seems like it's gotten so much worse on the right in the past 20 years.

bamfly 3y ago

> I submit that a present-day conservative would likely be a staunch liberal in those days. The Left has simply moved much further to the left. ... on social issues. The mainstream left and right, as far as those in power, remain about as similar on economics as they have since the right neoliberal movement took over both parties in the 80s—a position that both parties' extremes strongly disagree with, and that isn't particular popular among their electorate more generally (which is why Trump's just-say-what-R-voters-say platform fell, remarkably, outside that consensus) but which nonetheless drives most of both parties' activity, on that front.

wing-_-nuts 3y ago

Well, disclaimer, I used to consider myself 'conservative', as the conservatives I knew were more likely to take a hard nosed look at the facts and the science than whether or not the truth made someone feel good. As I got older, I eventually started to notice conservatives starting to blatantly ignore the science and facts in a way I had previously only seen from the left. Today, I feel like the situation has completely reversed itself, and the right is more likely to completely ignore reality, fact and science if it clashes with their current beliefs. I do see some of this on the left, but it seems like it's gotten so much worse on the right in the past 20 years.