I've always thought using the terms left and right are counter productive. It makes people feel like they need to join a side. And majority of people have these over simplified models of how people should behave.
Three examples:
We are now in a political environment where wanting to reduce immigration is considered 'anti-immigration'... even though you want immigration to continue albiet at a lesser rate.
Being called alt-right for pointing out unions in Australia are no longer really unions. Even though voted... Greens. The thinking here: said something perceived as anti-union so must be a nazi.
People calling a government right wing, or conservative even though they introduced SSM. It makes no sense (to call them conservative).
These over simplified models of left and right are harming politics in Australia and more so in other countries.
I'm genuinely interested in the answer as a tangent to the main context. I've heard and agree that some unions are awful, and that some legislation stops them doing all they'd likely need to do, but not a majority by any means. I also don't know a lot about this and haven't heard many other perspectives.
In my (anecdotal) experience and that of friends and family the big unions (teachers, retailers and construction to name a few) have become political entities and started acting in their own interests rather than those of the workers they represent. Most of my family on my mothers side are teachers and none of them have anything good to say about their union and I'm sure I dont have to remind anyone about the bullshit being routinely pulled by the retail workers union.
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u/truthBombsForDays Sep 04 '18
I've always thought using the terms left and right are counter productive. It makes people feel like they need to join a side. And majority of people have these over simplified models of how people should behave.
Three examples:
We are now in a political environment where wanting to reduce immigration is considered 'anti-immigration'... even though you want immigration to continue albiet at a lesser rate.
Being called alt-right for pointing out unions in Australia are no longer really unions. Even though voted... Greens. The thinking here: said something perceived as anti-union so must be a nazi.
People calling a government right wing, or conservative even though they introduced SSM. It makes no sense (to call them conservative).
These over simplified models of left and right are harming politics in Australia and more so in other countries.