Where did the Liberal Moral/Intellectual Superiority Complex Come From?

Liberals - as a whole, and in general - consistently attempt to smear prominent Conservatives (even many who are labeled as such, but aren't - like Dubya) - as stupid.

There really is no equivalent reciprocation from Conservatives. We like to tar and feather people like Pelousy and Reid and Obama, but claiming that they're stupid is not generally part of the repertoire.

This tactic is noticed; constant - and intentional.

I think that's evidence enough.

 

OTOH, conservatives throw out terms like "liberal elite," "effete,"intellectual elite" to imply some sort of real world cluelessness. Same diff. The idea is to trash your enemies, not their arguments. The base of both parties lap up this stuff. It's much easier than thinking. The same thing happens on this board, incidentally.

 

Agreed, some are more prone to lean than others. Yet, as to the OP, its within the walls of academia where one finds most intellectual elitists, those who really are only superior within their own narrow world.
But please note, as I pointed out before, many of those who schlep between work and home every day are just as likely to have narrow views.
It always pays to look beyond one's horizon.
BTW, even my Math prof was liberal, elitist, and proud of it, but that's ok.

 

What if he's just not able to articulate his beliefs?

I don't think I would categorize status symbols as a liberal problem. Fancy cars, especially.

 

I do not believe that elite = clueless, so I guess I reject your premise. Doubtless, you're reacting this way because you do not appreciate the tone or tenor of those who claim such things (including me; I would tend to use a description like that at times).

There is a "liberal elite". They tend to be the "do as I say; not as I do" crowd.

A good example is Barack and Michelle claiming that we should all eat well, while scarfing hot dogs and throwing lavish parties with foods which contradict their admonitions.

Another, is John Kerry bloviating about the rich not paying enough in taxes, while mooring his boat out of state to avoid 500K in taxes.

These are examples of liberal elitism.

 

Did you read the OP?

 

I agree with you. I'm not religious at all, but I can see the bennefits to society of religion. However, I believe that the rights of an individual stop when those rights interfere with someone elses rights. There are a lot of people that try to force their beliefs on to others. Some Atheist try to ban any religious activities in school. I think that is stupid. As long as no one is forced to participate, their should be no problem with it. Christians try to force their religious beliefs into the laws of the United States. That's just as bad as the Atheist who try to abolish religious activities in schools. Again, freedom to participate or freedom to not participate are all I care about. Radical Islamist are trying to convert the entire world, or kill anyone that does't convert, the same as the Christians did 400 years ago. People need to respect others choices and beliefs. Forcing any ideology of religion on anyone is wrong.

The other problem is when religion competes with scientific theory. Science has specific rules that are required and findings are tested and reviewd to confirm that the results of testing are repeatable. Science is not a religion and therefore things like the theory of Evolution, have every right to be taught in school, while creationism has no place to be taught in school.

 

Perhaps so. But I think Michelle's "eat well" campaign is really no different than Laura Bush's reading campaign, Lady Bird beautification campaign, or Betty Ford's substance abuse campaign. Each First Lady has a pet cause. It's expected of them. It's not as though Michelle's incorrect in terms of substance. It's just that the food one eats is a personal choice and being preached to about it is discomforting.

As for Kerry, he, like lots of Americans of all stripes, is (was) a tax-avoider. That's not a liberal trait. It's a human trait.

 

Yes. So?

 

Then you do not like Michelle's liberal elitism, I take it? Because that's exactly what she's doing.

In the larger picture, are you being accidently or intentionally obtuse? It isn't about whether anyone has a "pet cause": it's about whether they actually live as they suggest others live.

Again: it's about whether someone is a public voice announcing (proudly and with aloofness - and there are few better at pulling off aloofness than Kerry) a belief that directly contradicts their own actions.

Liberals are great at this, which is why the term "liberal elite" exists.

 

I had a teacher that was very conservative and even used a textbook that was slanted right. I had a liberal professor who said "I lean left and then proceeded to argue points from the right to play devils advocate." I had a poli-sci teacher that didn't identify himself and argued points from both sides and I never new what his political philosophy was. The most partisan teacher I had that pushed an agenda was the conservative one. Most teachers strive to teach critical thinking above all else. I know there are teachers who exclusively argue from the left, just as my conservative teacher allways argued from the right. But to classify all teachers and universities as brainwashing from an elitist leftist view is just not true.

The conservative teacher was an English teacher, and the liberal teacher was a communications teacher.

 

LOL well I didn't have to scroll down very far, to find a post that disproves the OP assertion that the behavior described is limited to the Liberals!
I've seen it on both sides. There is one noticeable difference. Tell a Lib Obama sucks and he may call you an idiot or whatever. Tell a Conserv that Obama sucks but he has done one thing right, or he did inherit a mess or anything that disagrees with the Extreme Right, and they will call you an idiot AND a liberal. So if you stance on the issue is Conservative , you're still a Liberal for having dared disagree with the Conserv. Of course I'm not referring to all Conservs but there are a lot of Whackjobs in the mix, nowadays.

 

I definitely see your point, but don't really get worked up about it. I eat what I want.

As for Kerry, mooring one's boat in RI rather than MA seems doesn't seem like a big transgression. It's not lying or cheating on taxes. It's the same reason that people retire to low tax states. If I could save $500K by mooring my boat a half hour away from where I otherwise would, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

I guess by your measure I'm a liberal elite because I drink good wine and eat good food while eschewing McD's and KFC. Guilty as charged.

 

I think you're missing the core of what makes Kerry's behaviour elitist: he condones the notion of high taxes on people in a state, and then skirts the behaviour that he suggests others should adhere to.

Do you understand?

No, you're definitely misunderstanding. You don't publicly announce that people shouldn't do as you do. You're welcome to your pursuit of happiness and liberty!

 

Yes. It is as if you were asking..."would academia studying if 2+2 does in fact equal 4" if they were not all leftist to begin with.

Trust me, not all those that enter academia are predisposed to liberal ideology. It is simply the natural course that follows studying the issues.

I know. It probably sucks to be as wrong as you are.

 

Hypocritical, perhaps, but to me "elitist" is a squirrelly word. It's just the Conservative's label for the type of rich people who they deem it's OK to hate.

 

This is not true. Colleges are predisposed to liberalism, as is the media, including Hollywood.

There is ample evidence in all three of prejudicial practices in terms of hiring and opportunity, but much of it is simply people gravitating to others of like mind.

Moreover, becoming more liberal does not mean becoming more intelligent.

 

What other definition would do?

e·lit·ism or é·lit·ism (-ltzm, -l-)
n.
1. The belief that certain persons or members of certain classes or groups deserve favored treatment by virtue of their perceived superiority, as in intellect, social status, or financial resources.
2.
a. The sense of entitlement enjoyed by such a group or class.
b. Control, rule, or domination by such a group or class.

Don't recoil from my characterization of elitism; it's accurate - even if it makes you uncomfortable. In fact: condemn examples of it when you see it (that's the best way to make it go away).

 

I understand this full well. I guess my point is that this is just the flipside of the Dems criticizing the "rich" of the GOP. The message spinners on both sides are trying to foster resentment in the working class of their respective bases against the leaders of the other. I choose not to get sucked into it.

I just ignore preachy people (political or religious). Paying attention just encourages them. I'll take your point, however, about slinging ridicule at hypocritical public figures where it's due. If one does it too much, it just seems reflexive rather than insightful, however.

 

I understand where it comes from, and why it has gone on for some time...and why it is coming to an end.

While liberalism obviously has historically been vital to a society in a classic liberal sense, it shifted over the years, to victim mentality status and shifting values repeatedly, so that nothing really matters to a liberal.

This was never totally provable, since they always held the slippery slope distraction as a defense to their foolishness.

But now, it has arrived, and this is why they are on their way out, possibly permanently. Their causes and lies have caught up to them via the internet.

There is no way to spin out of it anymore. You champion muslims...and they hack the head off of their wife, or, hang homosexuals in the streets, as directed by Allah.

The peds are riding the coattails of the gays, and the liberals will defend them to the populace as well, and the populace will not tolerate this.

The despicable racial vote harvesting they have done for years, is now common knowledge as being a liberal tactic to the populace.

Their welfare state, big government is exposed as unsustainable, to every civilized nation, and it is collasping, and everyone knows the liberals have pushed this onto everyone for decades.

The liberal created an anything goes society, even they see what it has caused. Just look at us. LOOK at us. I am ashamed I didn't stand up against their destructive false intellectual stupidities more throughout my life, but I can at least hold my head up a bit.

They have no shame, but the shame is theirs for sure.

 

There are many brain dead Canadians on this board, but you are not one of them. Great post.

 

I'm one of them.

How does it feel to have met your equal?

 

No arguments, here.

PROTIP: Calling yourself brain dead probably isn't the best way to start a two-part insult.

 

Perhaps you personally do not, but yes, a very large number do.

 

I know my limits. They are confined to this board along with you. It doesn't say much for either of us.