Sometimes, with my tongue firmly in my cheek, l can be psuedo-provocative when it comes to discussing modern politics on a Forum dedicated, apparently, to “Living Life in France and Loving It”. There l am enjoying the last few years of my life living a dream that we worked so hard to achieve and embracing our adopted country with a passion. I have viewed these Francophile Forums with a great deal of skepticism over the years and dismissed most as not being of any use or import so ignored them, whereas my OH indulged himself relentlessly. However, last year, whilst recovering from Covid, l reviewed most of these sites and decided that SF might actually be an interesting and informative site to register with. Little did l know that l would be in the exhalted company of some exceptional people who can debate almost every subject under the sun in an intelligent and evidential manner. I am particularly grateful to certain members who constantly shine a light on the ‘dark side’ of British politics - which in of itself is not really too relevant to our lives here but nonetheless shows that Marxism, Socialism and even Communism could and might thrive in the British immigrant community here in France. Every single Forum piles on any member who extols the virtue of Conservatism, Capitalism and even Liberalism as though they are mentally imbalanced and are battered into undemocratic silence, with the result that only the “exceptional people” have a voice.
I don’t know any other fora but I think people can express any opinion here can’t they? Anything can be debated surely, I think though that differences of opinion shouldn’t lead to flouncing and name calling and ad hominem attacks. Play the ball and not the player . We are all grown up so it can’t be that hard. I don’t know many anglophones so it is a treat for me to read and discuss in English on a variety of subjects. If I haven’t got anything to add then I don’t say anything, isn’t that what most people do?
More than prepared to be proved wrong, l often am, so would be happy to be pointed in the direction of a pro conservative, capitalist , liberal thinking Forum Jane.
Much more than even four years ago I think. Although four years ago there were a few more people around willing to defend things like Brexit.
I didn’t really look at Survive France pre 2017 so cannot comment.
I blame the internet and social media. It lends itself to divisiveness. People are insulted and insult more easily. Which came.first?
In the UK media socialism is often treated with alarm. The following statement is of course a generalisation but what I like about other countries in Europe is that you can discuss different political ideas/implement these and not be seen as a crank. Given the far right direction of travel of UK politics many of those on here who would.previously have identified as Tories have now moved more to the centre, maybe even centre left. I know this has been discussed on here recently. Anyway I don’t think the UK government can really be described as ‘conservative’, crazy, impetuous and destructive seem more appropriate.
I think there are tons of other fora where you will find a multitude of right-wing ‘influencers’.
But anywhere you go online, some contributors are likely to be more forceful than others. They will have their own pet hobby horses too.
As a staunch republican who voted with his feet 34 years ago, I am happy to avoid the company of royalists, loyalists and buy-to-renters, and if that means learning a foreign language it’s a price I’m prepared to pay. Anyone else who also feels more like an exile than an expat hit me up.
This is why l equate one with the other - Of course these definitions are simplistiic, quite broad and of course chosen as they, to a certain degree, support my statement.
Definition of Liberalism:
a political and social philosophy that promotes individual rights, civil liberties, democracy, and free enterprise:
Definition of Conservatism:
the holding of political views that favour free enterprise, private ownership, and socially traditional ideas:
Exactly, the last 3 words are the most significant.
socially traditional ideas:
The ideas that assume that some people are more valuable than others, that some are inherently more deserving of privilege than others, whether by descent or fortune.
Not at all the ideas of liberalism that I have in my mind.
You make an excellent point about socially traditional ideas however, in my opinion, there are overlaps between the two political philosophies as described here:
I really do think that the dark days of Johnsonian rule clouded many of our ‘traditional’ ideas of what certain political beliefs are or should be Just as Trump created his own version of Republicanism in the US, Johnson and his cronies made many people believe that being a Liberal was anathema to his perverted Conservative ethos when in fact, only a few years before, a Liberal, Conservative and Unionit Alliance shared many socially traditional ideas.
Not sure which ‘gripes’ @almondbiscuit is referring to, but if it is gripes about Brexit then that is a very good reason why people would stick around, don’t you think?.
Have you posted this in the right placed @Gareth - There appears to be nothing in this thread that should lead you to believe I or any other member deserves your “Why people continue to stick around…” comment. it reminded me of these lovely quotes from Mokokoma Mokhonoana:
**“Most people do not really want others to have freedom of speech, they just want others to be given the freedom to say want they want to hear.”
“Most people do not have a problem with you thinking for yourself, as long as your conclusions are the same as or at least compatible with their beliefs.”
I’m sorry if you have the impression that l or others don’t like it here because, as l said in my opening post, l think there are some extraordinarily bright, exceptional and articulate people contributing to the site who l have the opportunity and honour of learning from and discussing all manner of things with.
. We are all grown up so it can’t be that hard. I don’t know many anglophones so it is a treat for me to read and discuss in English on a variety of subjects. If I haven’t got anything to add then I don’t say anything, isn’t that what most people do?
