All 1 entries tagged PDP

Closed–Minds and Conservatives

I haven’t blogged in ages and I’m feeling in a very controversial mood so I’m jus gonna take some time out and go for it. I wanna hear everyones views on this topic though so comment away…

I study politics so I often hear and read alternative views on many issues, but with the general election coming up, I think many more people are becoming involved in thinking about politics, or more accurately, dismissing it. Now this entry is focusing on something that really gets on my nerves – closed-minded people. I have now firmly concluded (from years of bitter encounters!) that it is always the ones who tell you they are open-minded, who claim to be liberals, who walk round with flowers in their hair and long flowing skirts and bang on about equality, who are the very ones who are the most closed-minded. Now I am quite conservative in terms of the political spectrum, although I feel I have quite balanced views (who doesn’t?!) so I feel absolutely fine about sitting down and listening to the views of any other parties or any other persons beliefs. In fact I seek information on all the parties just so I know I am not blindly following a name without knowing what it stands for.

Now my issue is with people who are so against something, be it rejecting all society’s accepted norms, or just hating the Conservative party because they are called the Conservative party, that they cannot even listen to your view. They claim to be open-minded because they are rejecting our narrow, closed-minded acceptance of the existing world structure and capitalism and democracy, yet they refuse to even enter into a friendly (or any form) of debate with you. Now I have to say this seriously pisses me off. An example…my local Conservative candidate sent me some information and in it he included a “vote Conservative” poster which I proceeded to stick on the door of my university bedroom. This simple act turned out to be a very controversial one. On the first day I had it up I received so many messages on MSN telling me to take it down, and even the cleaner told me I had “offended” another cleaner who happened to be a staunch Labour supporter, yet this staunch Labour supporter goes round trying to get loyal Conservatives to join the Labour unions and no one says a word. I hate double-standards.

What I want to know is this: Why is it ok to challenge people who vote Conservative, and to judge them, but if a Conservative criticises a Labour supporter we are accused of being closed-minded fascists. I maintain my belief that the majority of Labour supporters vote Labour because of what Labour used to stand for. It no longer represents the working-class any more than the Conservative party does. And so many of the people who traditionally voted Labour because they were working-class have now risen up the ranks and are middle-class. So why not adjust your political views along with your social class and lifestyle?

My other issue, of a similar nature, is that the working-class and the middle-class feel free to sit round and condemn the very rich for being rich. Since when was it a crime to be rich. Admittedly, it is unfair that there are individuals with fortunes the same size as a small sub-Saharan African country, but if that individual earned that money through entrepreneurial and innovative ways, why should he be condemned for it? If Bill Gates was heard to make a derogatory comment about poor people there would be outrage. Once again, double-standards.

OK if you are reading to hear, CONGRATULATIONS. I have officially finished ranting and raving for now. Now it is your turn. If I have offended or outraged you…fabulous! Alternatively if you totally agree with me, I wanna know.

: 21 Apr 2005 00:56 |  Tags: PDP |  Comments (36) |  Close comments |  Report a problem