Liberalism lacks a strong ideology — big vision

There’s a reason why some ideas spread, and others don’t.

Not all ideas spread.

Usually, for an idea to gain ground fast it needs to be bigger than us.

Moreover, it needs to agitate people to fight for or against something.

Of course, there are fads that come and go, but most people would not be willing to go into a battle for them.

In this particular case, I’m talking about ideas that many times cause drifts among family members.

Especially those that try to answer multiple questions at the same time. Such as what to do with birth control, capital punishment, censorship, evolution, law, patriotism, theism, treatment of criminals and war.

In almost all cases, none of the parties debating those questions has done sufficient research. Nor do we really care about most of those answers, as they usually don’t affect our daily lives.

But we still do feel like taking a stance.

Why is it so?

Because through our lives, we’ve been manipulated to care about those topics via media and people with a bigger vision.

Meanwhile, there have always been some people (and there will always be those people) who are not satisfied with the current situation.

Be it those that believe one god instead of another. Or those who believe that the government should provide more support for the poor or unhealthy versus those who would want the government to stop supporting this many things. Etc.

These different understandings of the world can somewhat easily be placed on the political left-right axis spectrum: Anarchism, Communism, Democratic Socialism, Social Democracy, Social Liberalism, Christian Democracy, Neoliberalism, Classical Liberalism, Conservatism, Monarchism, Fascism and Christian Identitarianism. (again there’s room for debate whether that’s the right spectrum to use)

Which brings us to today — the situation where more radical parties (often fascists and christian identitarianists) take power around the world.

All while the liberals and moderate conservatives that have been in power for years ask, “What’s happening?”

Having thought about it, I came to the conclusion that liberals and moderate conservatives have simply lost their ideologies and vision, around the world.

Unfortunately, freedom and tolerance alone don’t seem to be enough.

People who get the benefits from these types of political situations don’t know what to fear — they have become too comfortable.

At the same time, those who haven’t felt the fruits are looking for an alternative that could help them. Thus now revolting against the status quo.

The sad secret is that there is no political situation that helps those that don’t work hard and smart. But that’s already a topic for some other time.

I see only two ways for liberals and moderate conservatives to change the course.

Either we need to come up with new ideologies/bigger vision.

Or let the radical parties get the power, so they could show how little they can actually change things for the better.

Latter is something that many seem to fear. Especially as history as shown that radicals end up making situations worse for all, trying to simply maintain power for its own sake. Yet others still hope that things will be different this time — we really don’t like to learn from our mistakes, as a society…

In fact, this leaves us with just one option.

It’s time to leave the comfort zone, bring out the troops and come up with a vision that’s as big as the one spread by the radicals.

Be it future- or fear-driven…

But the old ways don’t work any more!

The question is, what could be this strong ideology — big vision?

If you loved any of this and want some more, then let me know what you’d like me to write about via my Newsletter, Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook.