"A political theory founded on the natural goodness of humans and the autonomy of the individual and favoring civil and political liberties, government by law with the consent of the governed, and protection from arbitrary authority."- Liberalism, The American Heritage dictionary.
Perhaps one of the most critical qualities of the human creature is the ability to achieve definition. To define is to recognize, and at some level understand concepts, entities and realities, encompassing every single entry in the vast dictionary of the human mind. The limitations perhaps, stem less from our understandings, our definition of things, and more from our limited abilities to communicate those same understandings in our evident need for communal, universal definition.
It is necessary then, in the creation of the universal definitions that make up our languages, to sacrifice a great amount of meaning and substance in the interest of commonality, leaving only the barest bones found to be shared among the infinite ideas that are packaged so neatly under one label. And so, even within the same language, many people may utter the phrases, yet their meanings might be so entirely different that they might drive words to shame.
What is Liberalism? What lies left of the center? What principles and ideological pillars hold up this entity, and what bricks make up its walls? The conventional answers cite fiscal and social policy, ethical principles and so on.
But so much lies filtered through the lens of context. So much of political language is mired intrinsically into the backdrop of the politics of Western society, and how easy it is to forget that principles - applied or otherwise - are universal. Yet within each context, the hue, the intensity, the very validity of any given train of thought takes on sometimes vastly different dimensions.
What is Liberalism then, to those entrenched in the third world? In societies where basic liberties, elsewhere taken for granted, are luxuries rarely enjoyed? What is Liberalism to an apostate Muslim, born and raised under the shade of the social, religious and political fabric of the Middle East?
This, precisely, is the context of from which I have been moulded; ultimately, it is the greater context of this blog. To my perspective, liberty and the core of the leftist agenda (much ridiculed in this day by conservative opponents) is not some vague ideal that is rarely tested enough for it to matter, and is therefore safely discarded as the soulless offerings of 'bleeding heart’ liberals.
In the world in which I and many others live, it is a call that can neither be readily denied nor easily championed. It is a world in which even the staunchest conservative of the West might be deemed too liberal by half.
Looking through this window, one might see conservative values applied in ways that might never be tolerated elsewhere, the ultimate abuse of an ideology, and a story of how terribly wrong such things can go. Such a view might not be so evident from a Salt Lake City window. It is, unfortunately, all too common a scene in places less sheltered from the human storm.
In times of strife are men truly tested, or so it is said. Perhaps that is true also of ideologies.
This blog is an attempt to bridge the gaps of definition and context, to provide a viewpoint that, though readily found in many places, is seldom seen in such light. As an introduction it rates poorly, having ranted too long on the abstracts and not introduced much of anything at all.
To correct that oversight, there will be three or four editorial pieces posted here each month, on topics ranging from politics to economics to society, with a more frequent posting of current affairs as and when I feel I should post them up.
While the majority of topics will deal with issues and viewpoints generally falling into the 'liberal' spectrum, this isn't an exclusive blog. We'll probably be branching out into a lot of things that were never in the pipeline. I also warmly welcome debate and dissent, and I hope that eventually, when and if anyone other than 'The Team' reads/comments, we can create the sort of atmosphere where we can sit down and have a toss around over the contents.
Here then, to the pursuit of Liberty.
Welcome to The Left Wing Raconteur.
It is necessary then, in the creation of the universal definitions that make up our languages, to sacrifice a great amount of meaning and substance in the interest of commonality, leaving only the barest bones found to be shared among the infinite ideas that are packaged so neatly under one label. And so, even within the same language, many people may utter the phrases, yet their meanings might be so entirely different that they might drive words to shame.
What is Liberalism? What lies left of the center? What principles and ideological pillars hold up this entity, and what bricks make up its walls? The conventional answers cite fiscal and social policy, ethical principles and so on.
But so much lies filtered through the lens of context. So much of political language is mired intrinsically into the backdrop of the politics of Western society, and how easy it is to forget that principles - applied or otherwise - are universal. Yet within each context, the hue, the intensity, the very validity of any given train of thought takes on sometimes vastly different dimensions.
What is Liberalism then, to those entrenched in the third world? In societies where basic liberties, elsewhere taken for granted, are luxuries rarely enjoyed? What is Liberalism to an apostate Muslim, born and raised under the shade of the social, religious and political fabric of the Middle East?
This, precisely, is the context of from which I have been moulded; ultimately, it is the greater context of this blog. To my perspective, liberty and the core of the leftist agenda (much ridiculed in this day by conservative opponents) is not some vague ideal that is rarely tested enough for it to matter, and is therefore safely discarded as the soulless offerings of 'bleeding heart’ liberals.
In the world in which I and many others live, it is a call that can neither be readily denied nor easily championed. It is a world in which even the staunchest conservative of the West might be deemed too liberal by half.
Looking through this window, one might see conservative values applied in ways that might never be tolerated elsewhere, the ultimate abuse of an ideology, and a story of how terribly wrong such things can go. Such a view might not be so evident from a Salt Lake City window. It is, unfortunately, all too common a scene in places less sheltered from the human storm.
In times of strife are men truly tested, or so it is said. Perhaps that is true also of ideologies.
This blog is an attempt to bridge the gaps of definition and context, to provide a viewpoint that, though readily found in many places, is seldom seen in such light. As an introduction it rates poorly, having ranted too long on the abstracts and not introduced much of anything at all.
To correct that oversight, there will be three or four editorial pieces posted here each month, on topics ranging from politics to economics to society, with a more frequent posting of current affairs as and when I feel I should post them up.
While the majority of topics will deal with issues and viewpoints generally falling into the 'liberal' spectrum, this isn't an exclusive blog. We'll probably be branching out into a lot of things that were never in the pipeline. I also warmly welcome debate and dissent, and I hope that eventually, when and if anyone other than 'The Team' reads/comments, we can create the sort of atmosphere where we can sit down and have a toss around over the contents.
Here then, to the pursuit of Liberty.
Welcome to The Left Wing Raconteur.
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