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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To wonder what is so bad about being a 'lefty'?

202 replies

imwithspud · 15/09/2016 19:49

I see it all the time during political discussions on social media. That if you hold certain views you are branded a 'lefty' or 'loony left' like its some sort of insult. I've noticed that it tends to be a stock response by some people when they can't think of something more intelligent to say.

Aibu to wonder what is so 'loony' about holding left wing views, and that actually the world would be a better place if people were more tolerant?

OP posts:
DonaldStott · 15/09/2016 19:54

It's words used by people like Jeremy Clarkson and Katie Hopkins, when trying tp back up their arguements, usually for excusing racism or some other 'ism'. I agree with you OP. If loony left = tolerance,then I am happy to be considered one and would welcome a more tolerant society.

burdog · 15/09/2016 19:56

Certain people despise anything that isn't gimlet-eyed self interest. Wanting the world to be a bit better for everyone doesn't fit in with that. So they mock it and pride themselves on being realistic or pragmatic or something.

twofingerstoGideon · 15/09/2016 20:05

I'm also happy to be called a lefty - a phrase that's generally used by barrel-scraping idiots.
This is an interesting video. It's surprising how the word 'socialist' seems to carry particularly connotations in the minds of the sort of person who would probably vote for a pig if it was wearing a blue or purple rosette at election time.

formerbabe · 15/09/2016 20:09

In theory, I don't mind lefties....in reality, they often tend to be dreadful hypocrites.

MorrisZapp · 15/09/2016 20:14

I'm a lefty myself, voting wise. But I'm sick beyond endurance of all the smarmy, condescending, half baked, smug shite posted on social media by many of my liberal friends.

Sometimes I think mean thoughts about the people who post them, lefty being one of the kinder words on my mind.

dailyarsewipe · 15/09/2016 20:14

It's on a par with being called a do-gooder. Like that's a bad thing - weird Hmm

Humidseptember · 15/09/2016 20:16

well unfortunately in recent times it seems some rather lefty types see everything through very narrow vision or Lefty Goggles Grin

MrHannahSnell · 15/09/2016 20:17

Yes it would be a better world if people were more tolerant. However, tolerance and left wing views are not the same thing. I've met many Labour members/voters who are every bit as intolerant as the most rabid Tory. To be left wing does not necessarily mean you are one of the good guys.

Humidseptember · 15/09/2016 20:18

they often tend to be dreadful hypocrites.

^^ the extreme ones without a doubt.

It seems to me many of these types just hate the tories more than they care about anything else at all.

DiegeticMuch · 15/09/2016 20:20

Puts me in mind of Polly Tuscany Toynbee and her hectoring ilk. All of whom educated their kids privately or got them into fancy state schools, none of whom live in the rough end of town. "Do as I say...."

pleasemothermay1 · 15/09/2016 20:21

poster formerbabe Thu 15-Sep-16 20:09:51
In theory, I don't mind lefties....in reality, they often tend to be dreadful hypocrites.
Add message | Report | Message poster MorrisZapp Thu 15-Sep-16 20:14:02
this because they often come sipping Boulanger they can't see there the ying to ukips yang

Both moan about Media out to get them not giving there awful dear leaders any airtime both have vipers for followers who bully and intimidate and seem to think that bribing the poor with more welfare is any Diffrent to the right bribing the rich with tax cuts

GreatFuckability · 15/09/2016 20:22

just me who thought this was going to be a thread about being left-handed, then? Grin

redexpat · 15/09/2016 20:22

Some Americans use liberal as an insult. Um, yes, well spotted.

ItsJustNotRight · 15/09/2016 20:29

humidseptember
"It seems to me many of these types just hate the tories more than they care about anything else at all."

Couldn't agree more. Nick Clegg quoted Cameron/Osborne recently "Why do you keep banging on about social housing? It just creates Labour voters".

I'm happy to be a looney lefty and hate the Tories more than I care about anything else.

balletcats · 15/09/2016 20:31

I find it to be the other way around; that 'right wing' is used in a derogatory manner and anything else tends to be positive.

Must just depend who your friends are.

ninnypoo · 15/09/2016 20:32

Read the title and was about to comment saying 'spiral bound notebooks'.

Sorry. As you were.

BackforGood · 15/09/2016 20:38

GreatF - Nope. Me too. Came on to defend left handed people Grin

ItsJustNotRight · 15/09/2016 20:45

nineypoo scissors.

august2445 · 15/09/2016 20:51

Lefty-Looneys' are the other side of the coin to Extreme- right. Which you Lefty-Looneys' call folk who disagree with your Liberal view of the world.

when i stop being called Extreme right-wing by you Lefty-Looneys' I will stop referring to you as Lefty-looneys' .

burdog · 15/09/2016 20:54

There's nothing wrong in voting against your self interests. I do it in the hope that it'll drag the political agenda to the left and as a result we take a path closer to the centre. I just wish Jeremy Corbyn was more effective as an opposition.

I don't need to live like the people who need this the most to do this.

pleasemothermay1 · 15/09/2016 21:02

No but you do need to practice what you preach

For example you can't tell us proles how wonderful the NHS is and must be privatised while yu skip the que a wonder off to bupa

You must tell us all that we must suck up immigration when the effects don't actually effect you living in a nice white middle class area

Or that comps are wonderful while shuffling your children off to tiffin school

dailyarsewipe · 15/09/2016 21:04

August - thing is that most people are slightly confused by the use of lefty loony as an insult. As in lefty loony do-gooder

imwithspud · 15/09/2016 21:10

Some interesting replies. Just wanted to point out that I didn't mean to imply that left=tolerance. That was poor wording on my part. Although I have come across some incredibly intolerant right wing voters recently hence me posting this thread. I just meant that if people were more tolerant of other people's views and more open to an adult discussion, rather than jumping straight into the mud slinging (I agree it does happen on both sides) then the world would be a better place and maybe it would be easier to find a middle ground, if that makes sense? Probably naive of me I know.

I agree that using the term 'do-gooder' as an insult is an odd one. I would rather be a do-gooder than someone who spreads hate and vitriolConfused

And yes as a left handed person spiral bound notebooks are the bane of my lifeGrin

OP posts:
pleasemothermay1 · 15/09/2016 21:11

Do Gooders

Like those balck lives matters people who are not black and as a black person in my view actually hurt equally cause not because there white because disrupting the air port is horse shit

There think there doing good on behalf of people who didn't ask for there help

pleasemothermay1 · 15/09/2016 21:12

I think we all agree with what needs to be done just to route to get there

So most agree we want all children better educated

And people who have never worked off welfare but how to do it causes no end of rows