The Study of Racialism

kpauljohnson

The title of this thread is self-defeating. Whatever distribution of political views we find along whatever left-right continuum we contruct, "the left" is just as much an abstraction as "the right" and "the center." To talk about these dichotomous/trichotomous categories as if they were discrete realities, and then abuse and insult *real people* by assigning them to these abstract categories, is EXTREMELY destructive to discourse in this country.

As a white Southern male over 50, I am far more offended by the abusive generalizations about "the left" and the harm being done by such simplistic thinking than by any generalizations about the "group" to which I belong. In the latter case, I know that there is vast historical evidence behind those misleading generalizations, no matter how unfair they may be. Reason and evidence can be brought to bear on the discussion. But with "the left" or "the right" being blamed/insulted, I know that there is such sloppy, lazy thinking involved that it is not worth pursuing discussion.

erasmusinfinity · Moderator Joined: 07 Dec 2008 {Posts: 409 }

Indeed. It is unreasonable and is not constructive to generalize about "white Southerners as a group." It is also unreasonable and is not constructive to generalize about liberals or the left.