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Knee-jerk reaction to leftism in media, movies?

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abott1776

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I've noticed that I have this knee-jerk reaction to anything that is "claimed" by leftists, for example the women's suffrage movement as portrayed in movies and television series. I will automatically be critical, take things with a grain of salt, and at least entertain the other side's arguments within a historical context. That doesn't really happen with things that people say are "claimed" by rightists, partly, I suppose, because the media/entertainment industry doesn't claim anything that was good for the Right. Everything in history that was "progressive" is claimed by the Left, for example the Right was against civil rights, women's rights, getting out of Vietnam, etc.  

 

As an Objectivist I know I am not an advocate per se of the political Right, but when I view or read things about history or current events I have this automatic reaction to defend the Right. For example, when Obama and the democrats attack Republicans for trying to defund Obamacare or even for something as stupid as just trying to tweak national spending, I get this urge to just scream at the T.V. (I end up nagging my sister and mom about it).

 

Is this reaction normal? There are a lot of stupid things the Right does, that are completely condemnable like anti-abortion, pushing religion, just war theory, but I don't get that same reaction. Is there something born out of trying to understand Objectivism that leaves you with a leniency for the Right, but nothing for the Left?

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I have the same negative reaction to the right's social agenda and religion as to the left's economic agenda and multiculturalism.

It shows up less in popular entertainment (mainly because the political right isn't very good at producing entertainment, so no one watches their products), but when it does show up (on FoxNews.com for instance, which is one of my main sources for news) it's just as revoltingly stupid.

Edited by Nicky
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I have the same negative reaction to the right's social agenda and religion as to the left's economic agenda and multiculturalism.

It shows up less in popular entertainment (mainly because the political right isn't very good at producing entertainment, so no one watches their products), but when it does show up (on FoxNews.com for instance, which is one of my main sources for news) it's just as revoltingly stupid.

 

It's not the same for me, I will get agitated with the right, but I won't become pissed off. I think it follows from my perception of each sides motives. The left see's everything it does as sticking up for the "weak" as against the strong. It fundamentally regards the not so able (for whatever reasons) as morally better than the able. The right's mistakes stem from, well, mistakes. They see supporting religion (religion in schools, public ground) as defending individuals from forced secularism, they see anti-abortion as sticking up for the individual right of the fetus to life.

 

Overall the Left is fundamentally different in terms of actually practicing altruism than the Right. The Right pays lip service.

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I've noticed that I have this knee-jerk reaction to anything that is "claimed" by leftists, for example the women's suffrage movement as portrayed in movies and television series. I will automatically be critical, take things with a grain of salt, and at least entertain the other side's arguments within a historical context. That doesn't really happen with things that people say are "claimed" by rightists, partly, I suppose, because the media/entertainment industry doesn't claim anything that was good for the Right. Everything in history that was "progressive" is claimed by the Left, for example the Right was against civil rights, women's rights, getting out of Vietnam, etc.  

 

As an Objectivist I know I am not an advocate per se of the political Right, but when I view or read things about history or current events I have this automatic reaction to defend the Right. For example, when Obama and the democrats attack Republicans for trying to defund Obamacare or even for something as stupid as just trying to tweak national spending, I get this urge to just scream at the T.V. (I end up nagging my sister and mom about it).

 

Is this reaction normal? There are a lot of stupid things the Right does, that are completely condemnable like anti-abortion, pushing religion, just war theory, but I don't get that same reaction. Is there something born out of trying to understand Objectivism that leaves you with a leniency for the Right, but nothing for the Left?

Of course there is a more conservative sort of Rand, but there is also a more leftist strain in Rand. I think the reason why Rand gets interpreted as a phenomenon of the right and not the left is because of rhetoric. The modern left uses humanitarian sounding rhetoric to support the state. This rhetoric can often be interpreted by Objectivists to have an altruistic tone, though that need not be the case in fact. The modern right however, uses libertarian-sounding rhetoric to support the state. So I think many Objectivists fall into the rhetorical trap of the right.

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Of course there is a more conservative sort of Rand, but there is also a more leftist strain in Rand. I think the reason why Rand gets interpreted as a phenomenon of the right and not the left is because of rhetoric. The modern left uses humanitarian sounding rhetoric to support the state. This rhetoric can often be interpreted by Objectivists to have an altruistic tone, though that need not be the case in fact. The modern right however, uses libertarian-sounding rhetoric to support the state. So I think many Objectivists fall into the rhetorical trap of the right.

 

I think you are saying the exact same thing as my last post. The left and right see their actions and motives differently and thus put different language into justifying them.

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Nicki hit the nail - The biggest problem is that "leftist" spin, such as it is different than "right" spin, is easier to have it shoved in your face since it is more dominant in the media.  Sometimes I get up and some asinine statement on Good Morning America makes want to scream at the TV.  It puts you into the position of appearing to defend the right since you are blasting the left.  Bu the fact is I got in the car the other day and Rush was saying something just as embarrassingly stupid.  As opposing ends of the same axis the so-called right and left are just brothers by a different mother. 

 

Don’t fall for the trap my man, the right has been on the vanguard of violating rights far more often the left.  The left is just more consistent (read honest) and better organized when doing it. 

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