The biggest conflicts between Left and Right seem to arise, not so much because of disagreements in the fundamental ideas, but because whenever one side hears what the other side says, it processes the concepts from the perspective of its own viewpoint.
The resulting conclusions about what was said by one side of course don’t make much sense to the other side. At the lowest level, both may very well want the same thing; what they disagree on is how to achieve it.
Regardless of the specific topic they are discussing though, Left and Right are easily identified by their style.
| A Leftist | Topic | A Rightist |
|---|---|---|
| Speaks as an individual. | Presentation of ideas | Speaks on behalf of a group. |
| Supports identifiable groups. | Causes | Supports individual people. |
| Defends other people's rights. | Rights | Defends personal rights. |
| Sounds caring of others. | Appearance | Sounds self-centred. |
| Talks about society. | Common unit | Talks about family. |
| Speaks with political correctness. | Language | Speaks directly. |
| Says what government must do for its citizens. | Government | Says what government must not do to its citizens. |
| Wants laws preventing people from doing the wrong thing. | Laws | Wants laws allowing people to do the right thing. |
| Wants totalitarian government. | Form of government | Wants libertarian government. |
| Is concerned with long-term general utopia. | Idealistic goals | Is concerned with living here and now. |
| Demands short-term fixes. | Practical goals | Demands long-term solutions. |
| Sees symptoms as fundamental problems. | Problems | Sees fundamental causes as problems. |
| Tends to fix the blame. | Troubles | Tends to fix the problem. |
| Expresses hate in terms of love. | Expression of ideas | Expresses love in terms of hate. |
| Takes bad examples from history. | History | Takes good examples from history. |
| Loses enthusiasm for previous positions. | When in power | Gains enthusiasm for previous positions. |
| Feels inferior (possibly repressed). | Self confidence | Feels superior. |
| Is defeatist, supporting lost causes. | Direction | Is victorious, supporting strong causes. |
| Celebrates small victories. | Minor issues | Ignores small losses. |
| Seeks power. | Power | Has power. |
| Identifies with weaker failing groups. | Self image | Identifies with stronger successful individuals. |
| Dislikes strong groups. | Strength | Dislikes weak individuals. |
| Avoids competition (might lose). | Competition | Chooses competition (might win). |
| Uses emotional, culturally relative arguments. | Logic | Uses rational, objective arguments. |
| Uses masochistic methods. | Tactics | Uses sadistic methods. |
| Needs to support problems and causes. | Support | Supports causes and problems that need help. |
| Supports nature only as a cause. | Nature | Supports nature as a whole. |
| Wants to unify the world. | World view | Wants to be respected by the world. |
| Seeks collectivism, but has no one clear goal. | Unification | Avoids collectivism, but tends to have shared goals. |
| Treats Leftism like a religion. | Religion | Needs a real religion. |
| Protests against immorality that has become successful. | Protest | Protests against immorality of all forms. |
Note that these are all generalizations. None of them apply to all members of the right or left, nor do most people have all the characteristics of one side and none of the other.