Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Help Keep Boards Alive. Support us by going ad free today. See here: https://subscriptions.boards.ie/

Political Insults & Language

  • 05-06-2010 02:52AM
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,591 ✭✭✭


    So if you are a liberal who thinks that people should just live and let live and your point of view is disagreed with you get labelled a 'bleeding heart liberal'

    If you disagree with nuclear weapons, chemical weapons or war in general then you're labelled as 'a hippie'.

    So why is it then if you are a right-wing conservative that there appears to be no derogatory term akin to the above ? Or at least not one that is bandied about as much as the other two terms ? For sure the term 'fascist' comes to mind but it is almost never used as a derogatory term in political discussions IME.

    Is it a media thing ? Are we all just truly sheep who reproduce verbatim the slang that the media give us for other groups whose political ideology we don't agree with ?

    Discuss.


Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,011 ✭✭✭✭Sand


    Generally because if youre not a hippy or a bleeding heart liberal, you are pretty sensible and normal? Whoever heard of trying to label and categorise being sensible and normal?


  • Posts: 12,761 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Right-wing nut job?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,952 ✭✭✭Coillte_Bhoy


    RATM wrote: »

    So why is it then if you are a right-wing conservative that there appears to be no derogatory term akin to the above ?
    Discuss.


    Thatcherirte....thats derogareotary enough for me


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 9,599 ✭✭✭SeanW


    Right wing nutjob, Thatcherite, teabagger ... etc.
    Nothing to see here OP.

    https://u24.gov.ua/
    Join NAFO today:

    Help us in helping Ukraine.



  • Closed Accounts Posts: 18,163 ✭✭✭✭Liam Byrne


    RATM wrote: »
    So if you are a liberal who thinks that people should just live and let live and your point of view is disagreed with you get labelled a 'bleeding heart liberal'

    Personally, I'd save that term for people who go OTT on that concept, making excuses for those whose idea of "live and let live" doesn't respect other people's right to do the same.

    For example, those who appear to excuse crime because of "disadvantage" - the fact that lots of people who are "disadvantaged" don't engage in crime means that it's a tiny factor at most.

    And said crimes don't allow others to "live and let live".

    So if you defend someone's right to "live and let live", you have to balance that with the rights of others to "live and let live".
    RATM wrote: »
    If you disagree with nuclear weapons, chemical weapons or war in general then you're labelled as 'a hippie'.

    Again, speaking personally, I'd use "pacifist".
    RATM wrote: »
    Is it a media thing ? Are we all just truly sheep who reproduce verbatim the slang that the media give us for other groups whose political ideology we don't agree with ?

    Yet again speaking personally, I'd say no.

    I would use derogatory terms for people - let's call them "sheep" ;) - who don't look at the facts and have an informed opinion.

    I guess that includes what the media suggests we should call people. ;)


  • Advertisement
  • Closed Accounts Posts: 171 ✭✭northwest100


    i find it funny to see someone who doesn't agree with handing all your wealth over to banks labelled a 'socialist' or 'leftie'

    'castro lover' is my favorite used by the 'righties' :P


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 6,391 Mod ✭✭✭✭Macha


    socialist and statist: possibly two of the most misused words these days

    museli-eating, sandal-wearing, economy-hating, tree-loving hippie

    neo-con is the usual one for right-wing conservative US politicians, but it's just short for neo-conservative, which I think is an accepted term for that particular political ideology.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 39,019 ✭✭✭✭Permabear


    This post has been deleted.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 39,019 ✭✭✭✭Permabear


    This post has been deleted.


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 6,391 Mod ✭✭✭✭Macha


    This post has been deleted.

    Well, that's up to how the individual means it but in general, there's nothing wrong with the phrase neo-con. If someone considers being right-wing an insult, then they will always attach that meaning to the phrase - it doesn't mean that everyone does. Context is also important.


  • Advertisement
  • Closed Accounts Posts: 39,019 ✭✭✭✭Permabear


    This post has been deleted.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,693 ✭✭✭Laminations


    This post has been deleted.

    If someone has right wing views on some issues that's fine, if someone has left wing views on some issues that's also fine. But when someone adopts an ideology and applies it to all situations then the label of ideologue, lunatic, idiot or crazy is totally appropriate, and they think they are being consistent but they are really being blunt and naive. In fairness I think the term libertarianism conveys a negative connotation in itself, and I've yet to see someone cone up with a derogatory term for my supposedly nebulous moral highground of 'social capitalist'. Like someone said 'statist' and 'socialist' are very misused terms


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 9,599 ✭✭✭SeanW


    This post has been deleted.
    To be fair DF, "neo-conservative" is a very specific ideology, found mostly in the U.S. which advocates big government in the areas of surveillance, torture and foreign wars and occupations. Neocons tend to be unquestioningly supportive of Israel, and of Western (mostly American) blanket unquestioning support of same.

    if the above is your position I would rank it as traditional conservative or right-libertarian. You would do yourself a favour to avoid the "neocon" label at any cost.

    https://u24.gov.ua/
    Join NAFO today:

    Help us in helping Ukraine.



  • Closed Accounts Posts: 20,759 ✭✭✭✭dlofnep


    Generally, any debate that involves around ad hominem attacks is a weak debate. Naturally, there is always the urge to insult someone who you politically disagree with - but when it comes to intentional character assassination - like that used by Bill O'Reilly, then you know the substance of their argument is very weak.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,952 ✭✭✭Coillte_Bhoy


    This post has been deleted.

    Why does that not surprise me. :rolleyes: Hope it stays fine for you


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 39,019 ✭✭✭✭Permabear


    This post has been deleted.


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 6,391 Mod ✭✭✭✭Macha


    This post has been deleted.
    Whatever about a socialist, the definition of statism is very loose and can mean any or all of the following:

    *Specific instances of state intervention in personal, social or economic matters.
    *A form of government or economic system that involves significant state intervention in personal, social or economic matters.
    *The belief that a political group should maintain a monopoly on the use of force in a given geographical area.

    As such, it is clearly a phrase that can basically be applied by anyone who feels that her opponent believes in more government intervention than she does. Some might consider you a statist, donegalfella :)

    As SeanW pointed out, Neo-Conservatism is a very clearly defined ideology and is indeed the only accurate term to use. By contrast, the vagueness of the term statism renders it effectively useless and thus almost always pejorative.

    Yes neo-con is used by some in a pejorative sense - I don't think you've demonstrated that their use of it is necessarily inaccurate and therefore the intent of the user is very much determined by context.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 39,019 ✭✭✭✭Permabear


    This post has been deleted.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 784 ✭✭✭Anonymous1987


    This post has been deleted.
    I'd agree that most of the above do not add anything to an argument although libertarians, like socialists are ideologues are they not and as such that description at least is accurate? Also, on that, aren't there left libertarians also :eek:.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 18,163 ✭✭✭✭Liam Byrne


    This post has been deleted.

    WHAT ?????

    Someone who doesn't want to give a private commercial organisation that broke rules left, right and centre money that they don't deserve in return for absolutely nothing is not a "socialist"!!!!

    They're someone with a brain!

    If anything, it would be a more valid argument to say that someone who wants to give money to the banks is the socialist, because they're giving public money to "useless" people who now have no money, without them having to "earn" it.

    I tell ya, for someone who's so against social welfare (money for nothing, with in return) you've got some odd stances when it comes to other "money for nothing, with nothing in return".


  • Advertisement
  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 6,391 Mod ✭✭✭✭Macha


    This post has been deleted.
    I didn't say they were controversial, I said they were open for debate.

    I'd agree that European governments are statist because they clearly fall within your definition. The issues arise when you start looking at borderline countries. What about the US or Singapore? I stand by my point that they term is pretty much useless.


Advertisement