Yes

For those in here that take offense to this distinction:

2 party political systems function to collapse diverse political perspectives into one of two camps and normalize an 'average' view for both parties. Leftists take issue with this collapse because it erases dissenting views within each party in service of defeating an 'other' at the expense of pursuing our real political goals.

The label matters to those of us who want to make the point that the US democratic party does not really represent our interests; at-best they represent a less-objectionable flavor of the same ideological framework, but one that needs to be dismantled all the same.

"Stop trying to divide us!" is a refrain spoken by those who are better served by the party than we are.

Put another way: "We are not the same"

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Meh, though the meme is true, most Americans would say liberals are EVERYONE left of center, and conservatives are EVERYONE right of center.

Using neo-liberals to define liberals is like using national socialism to define socialism.

It's authoritarian propaganda.

When you have only two parties you can only have one dimension.

I think at this point the average American conflates "liberal" with simply an attitude on how much you hate or don't hate queer people, regardless of any other political sentiment. One time a chud told me the only real political issue is abortion.

us americans are not, to put it lightly, an intellectual country

Do these labels really have any benefit or value in society, or are they just yet another lame excuse for us all to hate on a group of 'others'

TBF there are about seven mutually exclusive definitions of “liberal” in each country.

.ml has entered the chat

Americans are actually taught in school that the entire American political spectrum is inside liberalism.

They then immediately forget that anyway and fall into the conservative/liberal false paradigm.

The thing I love about lemmy is instead of neoliberals and weird racists silencing Leftists like reddit, it's Leftists and Social democrats constantly at each other's throats.

The latter is much more amusing

Even apps like Bumble don't make a distinction, as an European I find it quite annoying

That's why lefitist is usually an unhelpful term. I only hear it used as a self descriptor by libs who want free healthcare and support imperialism.

An anarchist believes in liberty for people to live freely

A capitalist believes in liberty to freely exploit people

Unfortunately the capitalists also own the means of mass communication and have gaslit the socialists into thinking liberty only means the latter!

Resist imperialist redefinition of words!

Welcome to the No true Scotsman party.

You can burn liberals on the same pyre as magats and cops.

Y'all change labels at will and then get upset when people use the "wrong one". Where I'm from liberal means you're not a conservative. Also can we stop with the divisions and no true Scotsman bullshit on the left? This is why the left loses to conservatives so often, cause they love to find divisions and hate among their own side and allies.

Liberalism is left (progressive) absolutely

Liberal Parties are generally not.

Easy way to distinguish them

Liberals - Implement reforms that maintain capitalism. Support oppressed identities/communities so that they can achieve equality.

Leftists - Complete revolution of the economy to destroy economic social classes. All identities/communities are inherently equal except for oppressors.

Examples:

Economic

• Liberals - Progressive tax code to redistribute wealth from the wealthy to the impoverished. People with disabilities are given enough to survive.

• Leftists - No one is capable of becoming wealthy. Impoverished people exist only if they truly reject economic support from society. People with disabilities are given even more than the general population to help their quality of life match able-bodied people.

Social

• Liberals - Same-sex marriage is recognized by the government

• Leftists - Government? Marriage? lol no one has authority to define your personal relationships. Go live your life. Do whatever as long as you don't hurt others.