Off Topic — HabitableZone

Off Topic » in reply to The terms conservative and liberal have almost lost their meaning

Definitions in context
Robert — (archived)

The way I resolve the nomenclature problem is to distinguish between liberal vs. conservative personality, and liberal vs. conservative politics.

The personality context is more like the stereotypes you describe, with conservative people being those who are uncomfortable with change and the different (i.e., xenophobic); while the liberal personality enjoys novelty, variety, and change.

The political contexts can be fairly well pinned down in the areas of economics and a philosophy of the proper role of government. They can also be fairly well identified by their positions on sufferage: Liberals tend to believe it should be universal, conservatives tend to believe in limiting the right to vote to those who prove themselves "qualified" (how many megawords have Tom and I exchanged on that subject!).

You're right, if I couldn't distinguish the meanings that way, I'd go nuts trying to figure out the modern political landscape. Reactionary environmentalists, revolutionary neocons...it's a world gone mad!

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