Leaving the left, or more generally: why did your political views change?

Abhorsen

Abhorsen

Local Degenerate
Moderator
Staff Member
Comrade
Osaul
This is basically a discussion for why people left their previous political beliefs, especially for those who left the left.

So I live in Massachusetts, which means basically my entire life I defaulted to the left. Then college and me being bisexual simply entrenched these positions. I never really went far left though. Then while at college in Iowa, I meet people with different political beliefs, and especially on Gun Rights, while having another person basically argue that people would just hand in their guns when asked. I had a friend point out the bullshit that was Hillary, and I made up my mind in the voting booth to vote Trump, because I simply couldn't vote Hillary. Then I ran out of math classes I could take, and so took a bunch of Econ Classes, which taught me how minimum wage hurts unskilled workers.

But a lot of the reason I left the left was because of my sexuality. I firmly believe if I was straight, I would still be on the left, and maybe one of the crazies. I watched a video testimonial (I don't recall what it is) about a guy in New England nearly getting beat up for being gay. This resonated a lot with me, given I am both bisexual and from the Boston Area. I had naively thought that wouldn't happen on the Liberal East Coast, and I decided then that it would never happen to me. The Pulse Night club shooting, and the response of some gun ranges deciding to hold free trainings for the LGBT community also played a role. This was the thing that pushed over the edge towards gun rights.

I started watching Ben Shapiro and Dave Rubin, and eventually began embracing more and more libertarian views.
 
Last edited:
My politics never really changed, I just had certain blinders pulled off and gained enough real life experience to see through Dem lies.

I'd always been more gun-friendly than many in my family, and was never sympathetic to illegal immigrants like they were.

I think the reason I stayed with the Dems so long is fear of theocrats /wanna-be theocrats on the Right, and a misguided belief that the Right didn't care about the environment.
 
In my case, growing up I felt something was wrong with the left, thus I started out as a Neo-Con, because Bush seemed to be the alternative. As I grew I realized, while they occasionally talked about freedom, they never helped it. That got me into libertarianism, and a professor who introduced me to Austrian Economics sealed the deal, as I had a way of expressing what I always felt.
 
I was never a Liberal but My family is split right down the middle. Half Conservative, Half Liberal. Its rather weird how that happened but I suspect a lot of families are like that to some extent.

For me the shift came from one form of Conservatism to another. I was all in for the Neoconservatives for the most part. I believed in the Moral authoritarianism and absolutism that shaped the party at the time. I believed in the War in Iraq and Afghanistan and looked up to guys like John McCain who could help build a better world. In many ways I was where Bryan is now. And if I were still like that, had Trump been running I'd probably be blowing my stack in livid rage. But after my second tour of duty I started to get very introspective about things. I had to ask myself some very hard questions about why we were over there and what we were doing. And the answers I came up with? I didn't really like.

I've always been someone who could accept hard truths and once I accepted them here I began my switch to a more Conservative Libertarianism. I apparently wasn't the only one to have this come to Jesus moment. A lot in the Party and general Conservatives did too, and likely around the same time. Then Trump won the nomination. I'll be honest, I wasn't thrilled but I swallowed it. Then I started listening to what he had to say. I've always been fairly Nationalistic so that much I was onboard with. But it was mixed with a sort of sad, resigned acceptance that as time went on we were becoming part of a global nation tied with the UN. Less Nation state and more one world Government. One under the United Nations. And utterly detest that organization. One need only look up their numerous failures and colossal disasters. Their sheer ineptitude and bureaucracy and wasteful spending. But I most certainty wasn't a populist, either.

Yet I couldn't deny that Trumps message resonated very strongly. His America first message, his removal of global trade agreements and global treaties that did nothing for us. His message of economic renewal and reborn pride in our country. His message of rebuilding the military, utterly spent by mismanagement and neglect from both Bush and Obama. He promised to fix the border security issue and halt illegal immigration. I could give a shit if he made Mexico pay for it or not. I just wanted it done. And what's more, Trump fought back. God, for over 50 plus years we in the Republican Party have simply been vilified every which way you can. To being called Nazis, rapists, murders and to simply be dehumanized for simple political gain. Trump was the first to really start punching back and call out the Left on their hypocrisy. To challenge their establishment (and yes, the Left IS the Establishment) and win. And he's inspired others.

But at the end of the day, while he spoke pretty words, I fully expected Hilary to win. I figured the Establishment was just too strong. God knows those on SB salivating at the imminent coronation of Hilary Clinton. So I went to bed early prepared to eat humble pie in the Morning. Imagine my shock to waking up 'Congratulations Mr. President."

What has happened since has been nothing more than a transformation and re-invigoration of the Right. We've ditched our melancholy and replaced it with optimism. We've abandoned Globalism and embraced Nationalism. We're getting back to our roots of family, state and Nation. And we have abandoned Neoconservatism and its lies in favor of a more libertarian view of the world. We have a President who is doing great things and fullfilling his promises. We've got a lot of young Conservative leaders who are fighting back and getting their message out.

We have changed and for the better. I don't know how long it'll last. But I'm there all the way for the ride.
 
In school I was told the same old stuff about how democrats are the only ones who fought racism and the corruption in the government. When I was in Elementary school I had a few fights and was place into a re-educational facility that convinced me for almost 9 years that my belief in god was wrong and evil, that defending myself from wannabee "gangstas" with bats and knives was racist and immoral, that not being born with black skin was a mark of my worthlessness and vileness. I was for almost all of my life convinced that I was the worst thing possible by everyone but my father and my stepmother, who were the first people to stand up for me, but they like everyone else told me that the Democrats were the one who were the way to a better future. I was growing up bitter and into a person that likely would have been on the news as a serial killer.

But then Trump happened. They people who I despised and the people that I trusted told me that trump was evil, that Clinton was the lesser evil, and told me that Bernie wanted to bring about the Socialist Utopia. My own father a medically discharged vet(was shot by one his trainees in the back in a "training accident") of the USMC, who was the only one in my life to tell me about the evils of the Soviet Union and Communists in general, said that He was voting for Bernie Sanders because he honestly thought that the Hell of Communism was better that Trump. I trusting the stuff on CNN and ignorant of anything about the candidates other that "Far Right Conspiracy Theorists" hated her but loved Trump and Bernie, that Trump was against anyone who wasn't white. I was tricked into voting for Hilary Clinton.

At the time Trump was sworn into office I was watching it live, and saw the double standard that I hadn't realize I was ignoring all of my life come out full force. I saw the "masks" fall from the faces of the Democrat Party, I first truly saw the great lie I was living crack. I spent the next few months in tearing my way into everything I could from the point of view of the Republicans and the "Far-Right". I found the type of people that could say what they thought, that could openly express what they feel, that everything I was told by my teacher, and neighbors were nothing but lies. That my fascination with God was not something to be reviled but celebrated! The feeling of absolute freedom of the "Far-Right" was something that was like seeing the world outside of the cave for the first time! I think back to how I used to be and wonder about how I could have missed all of this?

P.S. : I apologize bout the long blocks of text, I just wanted to try to tell my story while keeping a lot of identifying information about myself and my family. And my dad was one of the few people that were decent, if it weren't him openly speaking about the evils of the Republican party and Trump, than you probably would have a hard time telling the difference between him and the typical Trump supporter on the internet/IRL.
 
For me, I grew up in a Republican household. It's what happens when your dad went Republican because he grew up in the Depression and thought the New Deal was bullshit.

I started drifting towards liberalism in high school due to a combination of the Iraq War and daily viewings of the Daily Show and the Colbert Report. I could never be anything but pro-life or patriotic though so I considered myself a moderate.

Then, I was introduced to Ron Paul, ironically from the Colbert Report, and really got into libertarianism and was for a while until Trump and... He spoke to me. The fact was that we were hemorrhaged due to playing free trade while the rest of the world played protectionism, and job prospects were hard when you compete in a flooded labor market with outsourcing continuing to be a threat.

Fast forward to three years later and I am in a better economic position than in 2016 despite going to college again for two years and finding the job I was training for with my second degree wasn't for me. I am in a market where my skills from before are in demand.

Trump did his part, so I'm voting for him this year.
 
Last edited:
Shadepen97 said:
When I was in Elementary school I had a few fights and was place into a re-educational facility that convinced me for almost 9 years that my belief in god was wrong and evil, that defending myself from wannabee "gangstas" with bats and knives was racist and immoral, that not being born with black skin was a mark of my worthlessness and vileness.
Click to expand...
That sounds like a whole lot of illegal. I'd suggest seeing a lawyer about a discrimination suite, the religious descrimination is more likely to get through than the racial one.
 
I always enjoyed playing the devil's advocate, and supporting an unpopular opinion whenever a one-sided discussion happened. I didn't do this to troll or get a rise out of people, just thought it would better explore the subject if an opposing view was presented and examined.

For example, I don't believe in God, but found myself extolling the virtues of faith when the fedora-atheists were circlejerking each other over how enlightened and euphoric they were. If the conservatives talked up the free market economics between themselves, I was there objecting to capitalist exploitation and how some social programs were a good thing. So on and so on.

Every time I talked to the right-wing types, no matter how heated the debate would get, I mostly were able to actually have a debate. Points were raised, arguments exchanged, respectful disagreements ensuing.

Increasingly though, when I tried to raise some contentious points with the leftists, all I would often get would be accusations of racism, sexism, bigotry, homophobia, and so on. No arguments, no discussion, no reason. I disagreed, therefore I was evil.

My reasoning for leaving the left was simple: they had no reasoned arguments but plenty of dogma you had to accept or be exiled from the tribe. If not following your scripture is enough to try and destroy me, then fuck you.

Don't get me wrong, I still believe in equality, human rights, so on and on. If I virtue-signaled the right politics (and took my hormones) I'd be a poster boy/girl for them to tout about and show to the world.

They just get so crazy and radical about these things I just can't stand them.
 
My biggest change would've probably have been when I was about 15/16 and use to spend my evenings watching the Daily Show but then I began to note a very peculiar trend during the 2016 election cycle that pretty much all their content was on what Trump did and then I began to note similar patterns in other talk shows and began to see them as nothing more than the lying bullies I put up with back in school so that turned me off of their view and led me more to the Right-side of things.

In fact, a lot of my views could be argued to be based upon childhood bullying-

"Why are you so against systems that bring us together?"
Because those systems will always hold major hypocrisy in whom it applies to.

"Why are you so intent on leaving people to the wolves with no net?"
Because I am inferior to most of you and I still came out of it fine.

"Why aren't you more tolerant of these people? It doesn't affect you."
Because all my life I have been hounded into acting like you people and not chasing after my differences to stand out more, so why the hell should I be happy they get to be "themselves" when all I ever got was "get in the box!"?

Then there's just the fact the thing I hate the most is morality hypocrisy and the Left is just rife with it. The Right is too, sure, but it is very clearly recognised as it when it happens and is shunted off as what it is, hypocrisy, the Left, on the other hand, will just twist words, act in bad faith and lie their way out of admitting their problem. I also have a real, real big problem with authority figures passing rules that they themselves don't follow, and the Left really likes their so-called "perfect" authority figures in a lot of cases.

TLDR: I am resentful cunt and the Left just happen to resemble what I resent the most.
 
Abhorsen said:
which taught me how minimum wage hurts unskilled workers
Click to expand...
How?

I grew up pretty conservative but I sort of rebounded in the sense that I started to get major into p*** while exploring and hiding my sexuality. After I started coming out to my friends and family I felt a bit more at peace. But throughout it all I never really felt like gay or liberal culture was really for me especially as some of its arguments felt based on a logic that they never reply to themselves but always outward

I always had a bug up my ass about something but especially Universal or what I saw as Eastern religion and philosophy being used but I felt was for fair-weather justification

I don't think I'd be came exactly disillusioned. But I never really believed in the Democratic savior. But in terms of cultural figures that I did start to lose faith in it was primarily more local figures YouTubers and posters and stuff who seem to become as noted more and more intolerant while demanding more and more compliance much like a parody of what they hated and conservative Faith households were communities. They were supposedly striving against

my main experience has been online it through fandom and well I kind of made the post that inspired this thread

But as what got me really pissed off and think that it was a real problem that needed addressing as opposed to a trend that I could tolerate even if I wasn't going to fit in? Gamergate after what felt like years of being browbeat by having a new morality about finding gender relations in a bunch of other things it was a clear-cut case of female on male abuse and everybody was covering for the lady condemning the man and coming down extra judgmentally hard on people who wanted to talk about it when they couldn't stop themselves from spreading misinformation on something to be woke about. The fact that it was so incestuous that was such a click that was self-serving while trying to use morals to keep anyone down. This was like worse than church or government because they had way more power and intimacy than either and they weren't even serving their original purpose provide inside or a community for gaming and gamers
 
I live in California.

I grew up here and as I grew up I learned the hard way that the government wasn't going to help me.

It was a lesson I learned in elementary school I could show up with audio evidence of people beating me up but the principle still wouldn't lift a finger to help the one jewish boy at the school and that they would always take the bullies side in any arguement so I learned to help myself.

I created home made armor and hid it under my cloths, I learned how to run, I learned how to fight and fight dirty, going to be honest I lost most of those early fights but because I fought them there were fewer. When I was sent to milatary school to 'build charater'. I learned to sleep with my back against the wall, learned to always keep some thing that could be used as a weapon on hand reconize escape paths and always be aware of when to fight.

My childhood taught me in the most primal way possible that the government was not going to help me, that weapons could and would save your life and that there will be times where you have to use violence. As I got older I heard more and more stories about corrupt local government using their power to benifit their friends and chase out competitors. Saw more and more small business's die because of corrupt investigators.

I saw us not do basic planning for things like drouts and get fucked over for it. I grew up seeing people who were utterally certain of their own abilties fuck other people over as their utopian bullshit blew up in all of our faces.

I grew up in the other California the one where the American dream goes to die, its left me very cynical about the idea of treating the government like some kind of gennie that can solve all our problems.
 
Cherico said:
I live in California.

I grew up here and as I grew up I learned the hard way that the government wasn't going to help me.

It was a lesson I learned in elementary school I could show up with audio evidence of people beating me up but the principle still wouldn't lift a finger to help the one jewish boy at the school and that they would always take the bullies side in any arguement so I learned to help myself.

I created home made armor and hid it under my cloths, I learned how to run, I learned how to fight and fight dirty, going to be honest I lost most of those early fights but because I fought them there were fewer. When I was sent to milatary school to 'build charater'. I learned to sleep with my back against the wall, learned to always keep some thing that could be used as a weapon on hand reconize escape paths and always be aware of when to fight.

My childhood taught me in the most primal way possible that the government was not going to help me, that weapons could and would save your life and that there will be times where you have to use violence. As I got older I heard more and more stories about corrupt local government using their power to benifit their friends and chase out competitors. Saw more and more small business's die because of corrupt investigators.

I saw us not do basic planning for things like drouts and get fucked over for it. I grew up seeing people who were utterally certain of their own abilties fuck other people over as their utopian bullshit blew up in all of our faces.

I grew up in the other California the one where the American dream goes to die, its left me very cynical about the idea of treating the government like some kind of gennie that can solve all our problems.
Click to expand...

Which part of your life got you into getting pissed or disliking of the PC Police and “Diversity & Inclusiveness” types or those hiding behind accusations of -phobias and -isms?
 
Cherico said:
actually working and living next to said people did it.

Actual SJWs are some of the worst customers I've ever had and some of the worst neighbors.
Click to expand...

I’m from the Philippines, TBH I was sorta aware of SJW stuff but it was years ago and was sorta really pro-SJWism back then and kinda appreciated all the “diverse” characters and even covering up ladies because I was an edgy “realist” who kept going on about “practicality” until I realised and remembered that I liked a lot of characters and their outfits the way they were

Also, some guy on FFN who introduced me to Tokyo Ghoul made me aware that Islam was really really really really fucking dangerous and he was NOT talking about terrorists but about Sharia Law

Though he was also dumbly condemning the Church and saying it was responsible for people being stupid and unscientific even when I pointed out that the Church was responsible for much philosophy, theological debate and scientific research....he couldn’t come up with a good counterargument to that except somehow say the Church was still responsible

Then I slowly realised how fucking SJW crazy guys on our sister sites were, accidentally somehow got an SJW mod on my case for something on SV before. Forgot the specifics but safe to say it was useless trying to argue with him/her and he/she was using the “what’s so bad about Social Justice Warriors they’re fighting for Social Justice” line

Just so you know, those sorts of Mods and Admins have a particularly off putting aura of sorts whenever they popped up. Like CalBear
 
I was on the far left when in college - socialism, communism, protesting the war in Viet Nam. 1972 was the first election I could vote - went with McGovern. I then spent fifteen years in a religious cult opposed to politics. When I got out of that I voted mostly Democratic, but then switched to Republican. Main reason: I'd gone back to school, was advancing in my career and discovered I'd turned into one of the people I wanted to tax to pay for all the free stuff. It didn't take long to determine that I wasn't interesting in working to give my money to people that weren't working.

The last few years I've grown a bit tired of the available choices. Living in Washington State it doesn't make much difference who I vote for - my neighbors (and the state as whole) will vote for an old yellow dog if it has a "D" after its name. As a result I vote for third party candidates when I can, just to try and shake things up. The local Republicans seem to nominate the craziest people they can find - or maybe the rest of them have better things to do than run a race they know they will lose.
 
Doomsought said:
That sounds like a whole lot of illegal. I'd suggest seeing a lawyer about a discrimination suite, the religious descrimination is more likely to get through than the racial one.
Click to expand...
Are you joking? That was Illinois! possibly the most corrupt state aside from maybe California in the US! I am glad to be out, and besides I had to leave out a lot of shady stuff the teachers would do, heck there were several dozen students who went to the police and disappeared, their families were gone, there houses emptied and the adults in the neighborhood acted as if they never existed. Now I am in NC, and live with my grandparents looking after them and helping out with their bills and health.
 
Shadepen97 said:
Are you joking? That was Illinois! possibly the most corrupt state aside from maybe California in the US! I am glad to be out, and besides I had to leave out a lot of shady stuff the teachers would do, heck there were several dozen students who went to the police and disappeared, their families were gone, there houses emptied and the adults in the neighborhood acted as if they never existed. Now I am in NC, and live with my grandparents looking after them and helping out with their bills and health.
Click to expand...

What. The. Actual. Fuck. Actual. Fuck. What. The.

I can't even properly process that. It is so twisted, so grotesque, as to be...evil. You have my sympathy man, and it is a good thing that you care for family.

Anyways, I owe a story. But I'd have to remember more, because it was more a journey than anything decisive. Though, certain happenings did help push me over more, fuel for the fire so to speak.
 
Hlaalu Agent said:
What. The. Actual. Fuck. Actual. Fuck. What. The.

I can't even properly process that. It is so twisted, so grotesque, as to be...evil. You have my sympathy man, and it is a good thing that you care for family.

Anyways, I owe a story. But I'd have to remember more, because it was more a journey than anything decisive. Though, certain happenings did help push me over more, fuel for the fire so to speak.
Click to expand...
To be honest the further away from Chicago you get the less likely you are to see high levels of corruption, and so long as you aren't looking to live there, it is a good place to get some food. I recommend any place in Chinatown, the food is some of the most well cooked you can find in the city and the spices they use are top notch!

Edit: At the risk of sounding like a racist, if you want to find the most corrupt administrators in the "Chicago-Area", look for places where more than 50% of administrators or managers are black. This doesn't seem to hold true here in North Carloina (thank the lord) but in the windy city? I have never heard of a single black admin who was not corrupt or racist to a degree that here down south, would land them in prison.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 1 (members: 0, guests: 1)
Back
Top