I have often heard the word Liberal curl from the mouths of conservatives with such disdain that the label has indeed become associated with a negative connotation.
The word conservative brings to mind powerful, responsible businessmen with grey hair and dark suits. It brings visions of boardrooms and sermons, and hard line decision makers.
But the word liberal paints the picture of a blue collar activist treehugger.
I think it is time to change the vocabulary.
Liberals are also called progressives. The antonyms of progressive are:
regressive
throwback
declining
deteriorating
failing
regressing
retrograde
returning
reverting
unmodernized
inactive
conservative
Yikes! That does not sound like a group that I want to be associated with.
Maybe we should call the liberals Progressives, and call the Conservatives Regressives. It fits better. The liberals want to move forward while the conservatives what to fall back on the old values of the past.
Its natural for people to fear change. We all do. But we really need to get beyond politics of fear if we want to create a better world.
Step one is to use language that accurately reflects our beliefs.
Lots of people like the idea of being frugal and conservative, but I don't think they would like being labeled as Regressive.
Join me, and write about Progressives and Regressives instead of liberals and conservatives. It might change a few minds.
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