But whenever I get downvoted and shouted down for voicing an opinion that aligns with conservatives, or simply isn’t “leftist” enough, it makes me want to distance myself from “leftist” ideology and adds to my disillusionment.
Why does disillusionment with the people involved in a movement influence your opinion on the ideals behind the movement?
Should the idea itself be bigger than the people that espouse it? If empathy and compassion are worthy goals, you don’t just give up on them because other folk don’t display them. If rejecting sexism is a worthy goal, you don’t dial up the sexism because some folk think you don’t go far enough in rejecting it.
It’s more accurate to say that I’m growing disillusioned with the movement as a whole and the people who claim allegiance with it, not its ideals. I support the ideals that I find right and just, and given limited options (votes and such), will support the people who promote those ideals.
Rationally, it shouldn’t; but we’re human, so it does.
There is even a rational viewpoint too – we can synergize if we work together with people who align with us and back a common interest, instead of all independently voicing slightly different political voices. But if other people in that group do something we really dislike, it tempts us to drift away and align with a different and smaller group instead.
Sure, if you fall out with a group, you might end up shifting your views when a new group you join sees things slightly differently. Lots of progressive groups fight and argue with each other over the specifics, and it often gets quite heated. But that’s not the same thing as radically shifting your moral compass to point in another direction altogether.
Why does disillusionment with the people involved in a movement influence your opinion on the ideals behind the movement?
Should the idea itself be bigger than the people that espouse it? If empathy and compassion are worthy goals, you don’t just give up on them because other folk don’t display them. If rejecting sexism is a worthy goal, you don’t dial up the sexism because some folk think you don’t go far enough in rejecting it.
It’s more accurate to say that I’m growing disillusioned with the movement as a whole and the people who claim allegiance with it, not its ideals. I support the ideals that I find right and just, and given limited options (votes and such), will support the people who promote those ideals.
Rationally, it shouldn’t; but we’re human, so it does.
There is even a rational viewpoint too – we can synergize if we work together with people who align with us and back a common interest, instead of all independently voicing slightly different political voices. But if other people in that group do something we really dislike, it tempts us to drift away and align with a different and smaller group instead.
Sure, if you fall out with a group, you might end up shifting your views when a new group you join sees things slightly differently. Lots of progressive groups fight and argue with each other over the specifics, and it often gets quite heated. But that’s not the same thing as radically shifting your moral compass to point in another direction altogether.