Can someone explain the novel usage of "liberal" as a slur among the far left.

Sparagmos

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"liberal" means left-leaning, right. Why then does "woke" rose Twitter keep using "liberal" as a slur?
Leftists are quite far to the left of liberals. Leftists are socialists and communists. Liberals are capitalists. The Clintons, Obamas, Corporate Democrats, etc. Leftists, progressives, and liberals are not the same group.
 
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JackRT

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Leftists are quite far to the left of liberals. Leftists are socialists and communists. Liberals are capitalists. The Clintons, Obamas, Corporate Democrats, etc. Leftists, progressives, and liberals are not the same group.

The definitions of these political categories are very vaguely and fluidly defined and categories overlap considerably. Moreover these categories shift with time.
 
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Cis.jd

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"liberal" means left-leaning, right. Why then does "woke" rose Twitter keep using "liberal" as a slur?

because now the term has been tainted by college kids with their victim-aggressive and emotion over facts attitude. Liberal became synonymous with victim-culture and just whining about everything.
 
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mark46

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liberals include Biden, Klobuchar, Buddigieg, the Clintons, Obama, Kerry, and Mondale. Obviously, there are many more. The left want to distinguish themselves from liberals.

BTW, liberals are my reformers by nature. They want to build on the system that we have. The are capitalists and believe in market economies. They started and continued the movements of all the social programs that we have.

In almost every generation we have revolutionaries who want to tear down the status quo, to crash and burn and build again from scratch.

Personally, I've been a liberal since I started supporting Hubert Humphrey in 1960.
 
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bekkilyn

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In modern day usage, "liberal" simply means someone who is "other" than you are. It doesn't matter where on the political spectrum you fall. It's like for those of us in the south part of the U.S., if you're not from here, you're a "northerner". Same idea.
 
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Gene2memE

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"liberal" means left-leaning, right.

In US politics? Sometimes, depending on your political stance.

Left-leaning and 'liberal' in the US politics are nebulous concepts. Particularly if you consider definitions from political science and economic history, as well as usage across the rest of the Western developed world.

Frankly, your 'centre' would be on the right in almost any other OECD nation, and most of your 'left' (Hillary and Obama included) would be centre or centre-right under most political compasses.

Why then does "woke" rose Twitter keep using "liberal" as a slur?

"Woke" emerged around 2013/2014 as a shorthand on the polticial for being aware of what was going on in the world (i.e I am awake/aware of what is happening). In particular, it was strongly affiliated with individuals involved in causes such as Black Lives Matter and those pushing issues related to social progressivism, cultural inclusivity and trans-gender rights and feminism.

However, "woke" very quickly became a moniker for those who exhibited a surface level understanding of certain cultural/social trends (particularly those with pretensions towards social justice movements), without having any real understanding or experience in the area. The sort of person who's listened to someone who has been to a couple of first year lectures on progressivism.

Given the tribalism/silo-ing of information presented to people - particularly those who have strong leanings in one direction politically or very narrow interest - there was a self reinforcing narrative or echo chamber effect. So then those who consider themselves "woke" think they have special knowledge that the rest of people don't have, and are using "liberal" as a pejorative to distance themselves from left leaning people that don't exhibit the same behaviours they do.
 
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Sparagmos

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The definitions of these political categories are very vaguely and fluidly defined and categories overlap considerably. Moreover these categories shift with time.
Sure, and mean different things in different places.
 
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TLK Valentine

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Because it's in the nature of all revolutionaries to eat themselves.

This is true -- the TEA Party quickly faded into irrelevance, didn't they?
 
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TLK Valentine

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I agree. I'm correct that your post made no sense.

You made a statement. I showed my agreement by providing an example of your statement in order to demonstrate its validity.

Where's the problem? did the TEA Party implode so utterly that I'm the only one who even remembers them?
 
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Chesterton

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You made a statement. I showed my agreement by providing an example of your statement in order to demonstrate its validity.

Where's the problem? did the TEA Party implode so utterly that I'm the only one who even remembers them?
First of all, "imploding" and "eating each other" are very different things. Have conservatives threatened to kill other conservatives the way Antifa says "liberals get the bullet too"?

Second, did the tea party implode, or did the newness just wear off and the media stopped covering them, so we don't hear much about them? If they had imploded, I'm pretty sure I would have heard of it.
 
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TLK Valentine

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First of all, "imploding" and "eating each other" are very different things. Have conservatives threatened to kill other conservatives the way Antifa says "liberals get the bullet too"?

Nevertheless, the TEA Party was more of a stated threat to the GOP that spawned it than it ever was to the Left Wing that it was ideologically opposed to... And it has vanished quite conveniently down history's oubliette.

Second, did the tea party implode, or did the newness just wear off and the media stopped covering them, so we don't hear much about them?

Pretty much the definition of "irrelevance."

If they had imploded, I'm pretty sure I would have heard of it.

I'm pretty sure you wouldn't have.
 
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Chesterton

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Nevertheless, the TEA Party was more of a stated threat to the GOP that spawned it than it ever was to the Left Wing that it was ideologically opposed to... And it has vanished quite conveniently down history's oubliette.

Pretty much the definition of "irrelevance."
When you can respond to what I said, get back to me.
I'm pretty sure you wouldn't have.
Here's your chance to let me hear of it. I mean, from some other source than you just saying it.
 
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Albion

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Second, did the tea party implode, or did the newness just wear off and the media stopped covering them, so we don't hear much about them? If they had imploded, I'm pretty sure I would have heard of it.

Nevertheless, the TEA Party was more of a stated threat to the GOP that spawned it than it ever was to the Left Wing that it was ideologically opposed to... And it has vanished quite conveniently down history's oubliette.

The TEA parties always aspired to work within the Republican Party, and that might have been their biggest mistake. The Party responded by co-opting the TEA partiers--urging their members to be precinct delegates, volunteers during campaigns, and attendees at various party functions. The TEA parties sometimes put up their own candidates in the primaries, but seldom were able to unseat liberal Republican incumbents.

As a result, they devolved into being primarily discussion groups. Meanwhile, the media lost interest in the TEA parties because they didn't seem to be threatening to upend the establishment in any way, and this is probably why a lot of people think that the parties must have disbanded.
 
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Hazelelponi

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Liberal used to mean people who were socially liberal.

The definition of liberal is being open to new behavior or opinions and willing to discard traditional values..

Socially and politically that used to simply be making sure that in a free nation everyone had the same freedom. Legalizing same sex civil unions is typical of a traditionally liberal political point, since those in heterosexual marriages do reap financial benefit from the state. Liberal seeks the same civil freedoms for all.

However, you can be fiscally liberal too, it's not just social it's fiscal. The fiscal liberal wants to open the public treasury to fund their pet projects, since they see it as "free" money, and a budget they have no fear in being unable to balance.

Being liberal has turned on its head, when social issues became more similar to a religion than a practice in freedom.

At that point - the point of social justice becoming religious in nature - being liberal (freedom for all) became a stumbling block to those who only wanted freedom for themselves and their ideals, and sought to remove it from those who disagreed with them.

So liberalism which used to be able to couple well with fiscal conservation, turned into socially conservative (their views only allowed) and fiscally liberal (free money yea!) In order to buy the ticket to power (votes for free stuff)

And thus, insults of true social liberalism was born.

I am socially liberal, I believe the freedom I desire for myself should be for every citizen, but I'm so fiscally conservative I can make a penny bleed.

I am the one the "woke" crowds despise. :)

Hope that helps.
 
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