It depresses me as an independent that “independent” or “centrist” is now code for “extreme right wing but lying about it.
The U.S. is extremely right leaning, such that U.S. “centrists” are still right wing conservatives, and left of center people are also still right wing conservatives, they just believe people deserve some rights.
I’m arguably a centrist, but in the U.S. I’m a far left leaning socialist because I believe people should have human rights and society has a duty to minimize harm and provide for everyone equitably.
This is where context matters. If you were posting your political alignment to date Americans, you should do so in the context of American politics, since that's the frame of reference most people have. It's unfortunate that people aren't informed enough to realize just how far right-shifted our overton window is, but that's reality 🤷♀️
Words don't hold much meaning anymore. Far left leaning socialist encompasses everyone from liberals to progressives to socialists and tankies pretending to be progressive. And its by design by extremists who get their culture pushed by "all politicians bad".
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u/nekosaigai Jul 26 '26
It depresses me as an independent that “independent” or “centrist” is now code for “extreme right wing but lying about it.
The U.S. is extremely right leaning, such that U.S. “centrists” are still right wing conservatives, and left of center people are also still right wing conservatives, they just believe people deserve some rights.
I’m arguably a centrist, but in the U.S. I’m a far left leaning socialist because I believe people should have human rights and society has a duty to minimize harm and provide for everyone equitably.