Friday, September 18, 2009

Conservative vs. Liberal


Over the years I have thought about the differences between the worldviews of conservatives and liberals. I have held the view for so long I can't recall if I thought of it or heard it long ago and incorporated into my thinking. The difference between the conservative and liberal worldview is that conservatives see the world as it is while liberals see the world as it ought to be. I have had many disagree with this opinion but nothing will ever be settled.

Imagine my surprise when I discovered a defender of my point of view a day or so ago. I was looking for Alinsky's Rules for Radicals. I found this page that contains a quote from Michelle Obama at the DNC convention:
And Barack stood up that day, and he spoke words that have stayed with me ever since. He talked about "the world as it is" and "the world as it should be." And he said that, all too often, we accept the distance between the two, and we settle for the world as it is, even when it doesn't reflect our values and aspirations.

But he reminded us that we also know what the world should like -- look like. He said we know what fairness and justice and opportunity look like. And he urged us to believe in ourselves, to find the strength within ourselves to strive for the world as it should be. And isn't that the great American story?
To this view I have always had one question - who is to determine how the world should be? Now in my worldview that answer is that the world already is as it should be according to He who created it. Sorry it doesn't conform to Man's ideals but it is what it is and perfect it never will be. Yes we should strive to better our condition - that is the dream. But this dream is not the reality. Which worldview then is 'reality-based'. So it is we have these opposing political paradigms. Nothing is ever accomplished in the world of dreams.

Extending this idea I go back to our formative years. Most of us learn very early that life isn't fair, deal with it. This is a lesson that never sunk into a liberal's thoughts.

3 comments:

nanc said...

yet we believe we are mighty enough to change something GOD has made and said, "IT IS GOOD!"

IOpian said...

It is a rather self-deluded arrogance isn't it. They know better than their maker... let's see that sounds familiar.... I believe that was Lucifer's downfall wasn't it? Same person but different faces.

nanc said...

he comes disguised as the angel of light.