The Hypocrisy of Modern Day Liberalism

By WILLA DUBOIS ‘20

Though many liberals claim that politics should include every voice, their behavior can oftentimes fail to reflect those values. Especially at Milton, liberals often discount conservative perspectives without even considering them. This practice lies in direct contrast of the ideal that all people deserve equal voice. People liberals disagree with are still people, and thus they deserve an equal voice. Not only do liberals dismiss conservative perspectives, but many liberals also generalize and demonize the right wing, which is the very action they claim to condemn. Ultimately, generalization and demonization are never acceptable or humane, and the leftist tendency to claim acceptance but condemn those who disagree demonstrates hypocrisy.

I have observed this most egregious hypocritical behavior in the common liberal jokes. I’ve heard friends and relatives make off-hand comments like, “they must be a Trump supporter” about people they don’t even know: bad drivers, strangely dressed people, and anyone that provokes even mild annoyance. These comments are harmful, destructive, and just plain rude. It’s clear that driving ability and fashion sense are not at all tied to political ideology, save for the odd bumper sticker or campaign shirt, so these comments must stem from the harmful stereotype that everyone who voted for Trump is aggressive and stupid

“Must be a Trump supporter,” is only one example of these under-the-breath comments, and I’m sure anyone who has spent a day at Milton has overheard other degrading one-liners about Trump, conservatism, and the right wing. There is a strange sort of arrogance associated with these comments, spurred simply by distaste. The thought process can go;  I don’t like Trump, and I don’t like her shirt, I’m right about her shirt, and I’m right about Trump, so she’s wrong, so she’s dumb, so she’s a Trump supporter. People cannot claim to oppose stereotyping and still allow themselves to be dictated by biases and laugh at jokes based on the premise that all Republicans are stupid.

Though generalizations based on ideology are arguably less destructive than those based on fixed characteristics, cruel comments based on stereotypes have never been productive. A difference in political ideology is just a difference, and it is not one that redefines someone’s objective worth. Though we may disagree with someone, and have excellent reason too, no one person can “cancel” someone else. There is no inherent superiority of liberals or conservatives that should allow members of either group to discount or write off the other.

Ultimately, different beliefs are the same as any other difference, and there is nothing that justifies discounting someone purely based on perceived difference without even entertaining a conversation. Liberals claim they are superior because they are accepting, but many simply aren’t. Trump jokes are not that funny, and they only serve to alienate and write off people who are different. Discounting conservative voices, or worse, conservative people is not fair, just, or even effective, and it definitely is not worth the cheap laugh.

Milton Paper