bivonic
02-05-2003, 03:00 PM
(serious comparison, not a joke)
I think Republicans are pessimistic about human nature on an individual nature but optimistic about humanity on a general level, whereas Democrats are optimistic about human nature on an individual level but pessimistic on a general level.
Broadly speaking, that\'s why Democrats always seem depressed about the state of the world while Republicans exude sunny optimism (the left were convinced during the Cold War that the world was about to end in imminent nuclear holocaust and are now convinced that the world is about to be destroyed by environmental degradation [understandably in both cases - I\'m not trying to be critical of the left here], whereas the right exuded confidence that the Cold War would be won, and are now similarly confident that new technology can be utilized to address global warming), whereas Democrats seem to trust much more in individual human nature (which is why they refuse to accept that people are poor because of their own deficiencies i.e. laziness or stupidity, and the reverse for Republicans).
On a political level, it strikes me that Democrats tend to favor systematic solutions i.e. policy or legislation whereas Republicans tend to favor personality based solutions. Basically, if something is wrong, Democrats will try to come up with a new law to make it right, whereas Republicans will tend to try to bring in a new guy to make whatever doesn\'t work work.
I hope both Democrats and Republicans think this is fair, I\'m not trying to be partisan here!
I think Republicans are pessimistic about human nature on an individual nature but optimistic about humanity on a general level, whereas Democrats are optimistic about human nature on an individual level but pessimistic on a general level.
Broadly speaking, that\'s why Democrats always seem depressed about the state of the world while Republicans exude sunny optimism (the left were convinced during the Cold War that the world was about to end in imminent nuclear holocaust and are now convinced that the world is about to be destroyed by environmental degradation [understandably in both cases - I\'m not trying to be critical of the left here], whereas the right exuded confidence that the Cold War would be won, and are now similarly confident that new technology can be utilized to address global warming), whereas Democrats seem to trust much more in individual human nature (which is why they refuse to accept that people are poor because of their own deficiencies i.e. laziness or stupidity, and the reverse for Republicans).
On a political level, it strikes me that Democrats tend to favor systematic solutions i.e. policy or legislation whereas Republicans tend to favor personality based solutions. Basically, if something is wrong, Democrats will try to come up with a new law to make it right, whereas Republicans will tend to try to bring in a new guy to make whatever doesn\'t work work.
I hope both Democrats and Republicans think this is fair, I\'m not trying to be partisan here!