Ever wonder why 'liberal' is an insult?

[Wyatt earp]

I'm quite proud to be liberal.
Nothing makes me more proud of the label than to see how conservatives act.

To label your self a liberal is just feel good girly stuff. I vote republican just for my pocket book and job's/ strong military and I know damn well the welfare state won't go away

 

[Intense]

Being a fan of etymology (orign of words) I thought to check. Seems 'liberal' has been used in centuries past as an insult, but the history of 'conservative' is even more eye-opening:

liberal (adj.) Look up liberal at Dictionary.com
mid-14c., "generous," also, late 14c., "selfless; noble, nobly born; abundant," and, early 15c., in a bad sense "extravagant, unrestrained," from Old French liberal "befitting free men, noble, generous, willing, zealous" (12c.), from Latin liberalis "noble, gracious, munificent, generous," literally "of freedom, pertaining to or befitting a free man," from liber "free, unrestricted, unimpeded; unbridled, unchecked, licentious," from PIE *leudh-ero- (cf. Greek eleutheros "free"), probably originally "belonging to the people" (though the precise semantic development is obscure), and a suffixed form of the base *leudh- "people" (cf. Old Church Slavonic ljudu, Lithuanian liaudis, Old English leod, German Leute "nation, people;" Old High German liut "person, people") but literally "to mount up, to grow."

With the meaning "free from restraint in speech or action," liberal was used 16c.-17c. as a term of reproach. It revived in a positive sense in the Enlightenment, with a meaning "free from prejudice, tolerant," which emerged 1776-88.

In reference to education, explained by Fowler as "the education designed for a gentleman (Latin liber a free man) & ... opposed on the one hand to technical or professional or any special training, & on the other to education that stops short before manhood is reached" (cf. liberal arts). Purely in reference to political opinion, "tending in favor of freedom and democracy" it dates from c.1801, from French libéral, originally applied in English by its opponents (often in French form and with suggestions of foreign lawlessness) to the party favorable to individual political freedoms. But also (especially in U.S. politics) tending to mean "favorable to government action to effect social change," which seems at times to draw more from the religious sense of "free from prejudice in favor of traditional opinions and established institutions" (and thus open to new ideas and plans of reform), which dates from 1823.

Conservative, n. A statesman who is enamored of existing evils, as distinguished from the Liberal, who wishes to replace them with others. [Ambrose Bierce, "Devil's Dictionary," 1911]



conservative (adj.) Look up conservative at Dictionary.com
late 14c., conservatyf, from Middle French conservatif, from Late Latin conservativus, from Latin conservatus, past participle of conservare (see conserve).

As a modern political tradition, conservatism traces to Edmund Burke's opposition to the French Revolution (1790), but the word conservative is not found in his writing. It was coined by his French disciples, (e.g. Chateaubriand, who titled his journal defending clerical and political restoration "Le Conservateur").

Conservative as the name of a British political faction first appeared in an 1830 issue of the "Quarterly Review," in an unsigned article sometimes attributed to John Wilson Croker. It replaced Tory (q.v.) by 1843, reflecting both a change from the pejorative name (in use for 150 years) and repudiation of some reactionary policies. Extended to similar spirits in other parties from 1845.

Strictly speaking, conservatism is not a political system, but rather a way of looking at the civil order. The conservative of Peru ... will differ greatly from those of Australia, for though they may share a preference for things established, the institutions and customs which they desire to preserve are not identical. [Russell Kirk (1918-1994)]


...Ah. So conservatives were against democracy in France and FOR the French aristocracy eh? Didn't we put all their heads on pikes after taking them off with the guillotine? Apparently some got away.

You are confusing Liberalism with Statist Progressivism.

Why not research Classical Liberalism?

Why not research the corruption or hi-jacking of the Liberal mind?

In the progressive worldview, the proper role of government was not to confine itself to regulating a limited range of human activities as the founders had stipulated, but rather to inject itself into whatever realms the times seemed to demand. The progressives reasoned that although America's founders had felt it necessary to limit the power of government because of their experience with King George III, government, as a result of historical evolution, was no longer the menace it once had been; rather, they believed government had become capable of solving an ever-greater array of societal problems -- problems the founders could never have envisioned. Consequently, the progressives called for a more activist government whose regulation of people's lives was properly determined not by the outdated words of an anachronistic Constitution, but by whatever the American people seemed to need at any given time.

This perspective dovetailed with the progressives' notion of an “evolving” or “living” government, which, like all living beings, could rightfully be expected to grow and to adapt to changing circumstances. Similarly, progressives also coined the term “living Constitution,” connoting the idea that the U.S. Constitution is a malleable document with no permanent guiding principles -- a document that must, of necessity, change with the times.

R.J. Pestritto writes that the Progressives “detested the Declaration of Independence, which enshrines the protection of individual natural rights (like property) as the unchangeable purpose of government; and they detested the Constitution, which places permanent limits on the scope of government and is structured in a way that makes the extension of national power beyond its original purpose very difficult.” Given their contempt for those documents, the progressives' mission was to progress, or move beyond, the principles laid out by the founders.

In 1913, the progressive historian Charles Beard published An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States, which offered a Marxist view of history and smeared the captains of industry. It also portrayed America's founding fathers as basically selfish men who had established a form of government that they thought would benefit them, and only them, financially. From Beard's premise, it was a short logical leap to discredit the Constitution itself as “essentially an economic document” unworthy of the lasting reverence of legislators, judges, or ordinary citizens.

Progressivism - Discover the Networks

Borrowed from an old thread. ^^^^^^^

 

[Duped]

It is the "liberal's" fault. That the word has become what it is.

I thought it was Bush's fault

 

[Esmeralda]

Ever wonder why 'liberal' is an insult?

The term 'liberal' is not an insult. The conservatives, because they are so intrinsically mean spirited and love name calling more than any adolescent ever has, have tried to turn the word 'liberal' into an insult, but the only ones who see it as so are themselves.

Liberal means liberal, directly in accordance with the literal dictionary definition. There is no difference. I am not insulted when being considered a liberal. I know I’m a liberal; I can’t imagine any other way of being and don’t want to be anything else. The conservatives try to make it an insult in order to demean people who don’t think as they do. It only proves one thing: they are the antithesis of liberal -- close minded and mean spirited.

 

[Wyatt earp]

Ever wonder why 'liberal' is an insult?

The term 'liberal' is not an insult. The conservatives, because they are so intrinsically mean spirited and love name calling more than any adolescent ever has, have tried to turn the word 'liberal' into an insult, but the only ones who see it as so are themselves.

Liberal means liberal, directly in accordance with the literal dictionary definition. There is no difference. I am not insulted when being considered a liberal. I know I’m a liberal; I can’t imagine any other way of being and don’t want to be anything else. The conservatives try to make it an insult in order to demean people who don’t think as they do. It only proves one thing: they are the antithesis of liberal -- close minded and mean spirited.

Nah .....liberals get insulted because they had to change the name to progressives.

Like global cooling to global warming to climate change.. the tards have to make every word as sterile as possible so they dont get there ass kicked in a debate

 

[jillian]

Modern liberals bear no resemblance to those of the 18th century.

But people figured out that "progressive" basically meant socialist in the early 20th century, so they had to steal another description for themselves to obscure their true statist agenda.

It's all very Orewllean.

perhaps you should deal in actual definitions and not what you pretend the words mean.

liberal isn't a dirty word… reactionary extremists who pretend to be conservative spit the word out as if its poison. so perhaps you're projecting.

 

[Samson]

Modern liberals bear no resemblance to those of the 18th century.

But people figured out that "progressive" basically meant socialist in the early 20th century, so they had to steal another description for themselves to obscure their true statist agenda.

It's all very Orewllean.

perhaps you should deal in actual definitions and not what you pretend the words mean.

liberal isn't a dirty word… reactionary extremists who pretend to be conservative spit the word out as if its poison. so perhaps you're projecting.

But I like my fictionally-constructed-make-believe-internet-message-board world.

 

[Iceweasel]

Liberals project their shortcomings onto conservatives. Their policies don't work so their solution is to do more of the same. Disagree with them and you quickly find out that they are not liberal by dictionary definitions.

 

[Wyatt earp]

Modern liberals bear no resemblance to those of the 18th century.

But people figured out that "progressive" basically meant socialist in the early 20th century, so they had to steal another description for themselves to obscure their true statist agenda.

It's all very Orewllean.

perhaps you should deal in actual definitions and not what you pretend the words mean.

liberal isn't a dirty word… reactionary extremists who pretend to be conservative spit the word out as if its poison. so perhaps you're projecting.

It's not word's that matter much, it is walking the walk and we all know who would rather get a job and work and we all know would rather stay at home and get a check

 

[occupied]

I do like the progressive label because in other places the term "liberalism" is used for the plutocratic anarchy that conservatives seem to think is THE answer to all our problems. Progressive is a far more descriptive term that is a direct antonym to conservative.

 

[Esmeralda]

Ever wonder why 'liberal' is an insult?

The term 'liberal' is not an insult. The conservatives, because they are so intrinsically mean spirited and love name calling more than any adolescent ever has, have tried to turn the word 'liberal' into an insult, but the only ones who see it as so are themselves.

Liberal means liberal, directly in accordance with the literal dictionary definition. There is no difference. I am not insulted when being considered a liberal. I know I’m a liberal; I can’t imagine any other way of being and don’t want to be anything else. The conservatives try to make it an insult in order to demean people who don’t think as they do. It only proves one thing: they are the antithesis of liberal -- close minded and mean spirited.

Nah .....liberals get insulted because they had to change the name to progressives.

Like global cooling to global warming to climate change.. the tards have to make every word as sterile as possible so they dont get there ass kicked in a debate

Completely untrue. A liberal was never insulted by being called a liberal. That is all in your imaginations. Progressive is one facet of being a liberal. If it is used, it is used to expand the understanding of what the vision of a liberal is, not to discard the idea of liberalism.

The bottom line: the idea of the term liberal being an insult is all down to conservatives trying to pretend it is, hoping it is, trying to make it so, but the only ones who see it as a derogatory term are the conservatives themselves, with their warped sense of reality, their own lack of confidence in what they are, which creates a need to demean and insult others, and their own imaginative and wishful thinking that if they call people names it means those people find anything of substance in that name calling; here's a tip -- they don't.

 

[Wyatt earp]

The term 'liberal' is not an insult. The conservatives, because they are so intrinsically mean spirited and love name calling more than any adolescent ever has, have tried to turn the word 'liberal' into an insult, but the only ones who see it as so are themselves.

Liberal means liberal, directly in accordance with the literal dictionary definition. There is no difference. I am not insulted when being considered a liberal. I know I’m a liberal; I can’t imagine any other way of being and don’t want to be anything else. The conservatives try to make it an insult in order to demean people who don’t think as they do. It only proves one thing: they are the antithesis of liberal -- close minded and mean spirited.

Nah .....liberals get insulted because they had to change the name to progressives.

Like global cooling to global warming to climate change.. the tards have to make every word as sterile as possible so they dont get there ass kicked in a debate

Completely untrue. A liberal was never insulted by being called a liberal. That is all in your imaginations. Progressive is one facet of being a liberal. If it is used, it is used to expand the understanding of what the vision of a liberal is, not to discard the idea of liberalism.

The bottom line: the idea of the term liberal being an insult is all down to conservatives trying to pretend it is, hoping it is, trying to make it so, but the only ones who see it as a derogative term are the conservatives and their warped sense of reality.

Yea you were never insulted because you are a girl. ... you get a pass

 

[Wyatt earp]

Oops mean a woman

 

[Esmeralda]

Nah .....liberals get insulted because they had to change the name to progressives.

Like global cooling to global warming to climate change.. the tards have to make every word as sterile as possible so they dont get there ass kicked in a debate

Completely untrue. A liberal was never insulted by being called a liberal. That is all in your imaginations. Progressive is one facet of being a liberal. If it is used, it is used to expand the understanding of what the vision of a liberal is, not to discard the idea of liberalism.

The bottom line: the idea of the term liberal being an insult is all down to conservatives trying to pretend it is, hoping it is, trying to make it so, but the only ones who see it as a derogative term are the conservatives and their warped sense of reality.

Yea you were never insulted because you are a girl. ... you get a pass

You are not even worth engaging in dialogue.

 

[Wyatt earp]

And es I gave you a rep because you seem kind of smart and I love taking to smart folks even tho you vote democrat

 

[Wyatt earp]

Completely untrue. A liberal was never insulted by being called a liberal. That is all in your imaginations. Progressive is one facet of being a liberal. If it is used, it is used to expand the understanding of what the vision of a liberal is, not to discard the idea of liberalism.

The bottom line: the idea of the term liberal being an insult is all down to conservatives trying to pretend it is, hoping it is, trying to make it so, but the only ones who see it as a derogative term are the conservatives and their warped sense of reality.

Yea you were never insulted because you are a girl. ... you get a pass

You are not even worth engaging in dialogue.

So you throwing the white flags as liberals always do?lol

 

[Joe Steel]

I do like the progressive label because in other places the term "liberalism" is used for the plutocratic anarchy that conservatives seem to think is THE answer to all our problems. Progressive is a far more descriptive term that is a direct antonym to conservative.

You're probably right.

The world "conservative" describes a view of public policy issues which reflects low-effort thinking. Conservatives prefer what is easy to believe to what is hard to understand. Progressives, on the other hand, base their views of public policy issues on well-researched and detailed study.

 

[Esmeralda]

Yea you were never insulted because you are a girl. ... you get a pass

You are not even worth engaging in dialogue.

So you throwing the white flags as liberals always do?lol

No, I am choosing not to waste my time, energy and thought on someone whose level of intellectual discourse is that of a middle school age child.

 

[Wyatt earp]

You are not even worth engaging in dialogue.

So you throwing the white flags as liberals always do?lol

No, I am choosing not to waste my time, energy and thought on someone whose level of intellectual discourse is that of a middle school age child.

Its Sunday girl.... and your just mad because I am playing with you.

 

[Iceweasel]

The world "conservative" describes a view of public policy issues which reflects low-effort thinking. Conservatives prefer what is easy to believe to what is hard to understand. Progressives, on the other hand, base their views of public policy issues on well-researched and detailed study.

LOL. Funniest post of the year!