Conservatism vs Liberalism: The ‘Boundaries Filter’.

The 'Boundaries Filter'.

You’ll have a new filter to add to your world view and an understanding of political orientation you never knew existed in two minutes.

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Conservatism

Conservatism, fundamentally, is the creation and reinforcement of boundaries. Conservatives desire boundaries around their nation, values, and beliefs. Boundaries provide a sense of security and order. There is a lot of chaos on Earth that interferes with personal sovereignty, and Conservatives want to create barriers of protection.

Conservatives are supportive of others’ practicing their values and beliefs, as long as they are not forced to practice others’ values and belief that violate their own. They respect your values, beliefs and your right to have them, but don’t dare force Conservatives to adopt them. Remain on the other side of their boundary.

This is why Conservatives value boundaries. Boundaries protect their values and beliefs. Boundaries create barriers of protection from outside chaos. Boundaries create friction for outside chaos invading order. An attempt to erode Conservatives’ boundaries puts them on alert. Conservatives become hyper-protective when they perceive their self-sovereignty, personal liberty, values, and beliefs are threatened.

Conservatives create and reinforce personal boundaries.

Liberalism

Liberalism, fundamentally, is the deconstructing of boundaries. Liberals desire porous boundaries around their nation, values, and beliefs. This allows new ideas, values, and beliefs to flow in, but more importantly, out. For Liberals, this flow constitutes order. Anything that obstructs the free-flow of these parts is viewed as a disruption to their pursuit of order, or their idea of how the world ought to be.

To abstain from deconstructing others’ boundaries is antithetical to Liberalism, as it prevents Liberals from attaining peace through validation.

Liberals want their beliefs and values shared by everyone. This is why Liberals are stringent on deconstructing boundaries. It allows them to get others to adopt their values and beliefs, which gives them peace. It’s validation.

The Difference

Validation is something Conservatives don’t need. They typically don’t care about what happens outside of their boundaries, as long it occurs outside their boundaries (and stays there). They are fulfilled within their boundaries, even without validation from others.

Conservatives live in harmony when they have boundaries protecting their values and beliefs. They find peace in self-sovereignty. Liberals live in harmony when they have deconstructed boundaries and have their values and beliefs adopted by others. They find peace in validation. Most of what you see from Liberals can be understood as a pursuit of validation.

Apply Your New Filter

You now have a filter you can apply to help you make sense of what you see. The next time you hear Conservatives or Liberals explain problems and solutions, apply this filter: the ‘boundaries filter’. It might not look like a problem or solution has anything to do with national or personal boundaries on the surface. However, once you apply this filter and reflect on Conservatism and Liberalism at a fundamental level, you’ll see it.

- Riyan