• Redacted@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    To me neoliberal is half of top-left and half of top-right. The “centre-ground” and western status quo that think capitalism (regulated to varying degrees) will bring everyone in the world up to a decent standard of living eventually. I don’t think either of the bottom quadrants have much of it going on.

    Please correct me if you disagree though as I’ve just categorised a load of responses to my bottom-left outlook as neoliberal in a recent discussion.

    • PugJesus@lemmy.worldOP
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      2 days ago

      Neoliberal, originally speaking, is closer to bottom-right, insofar as its obsession is with deregulation, free trade, and market solutions.

      In common usage it’s become a catch-all for “Anything less than revolutionary that I don’t like”.

      • Redacted@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        Ah ok cheers for the background, seems the meme checks out if that’s its original definition.

        The definition I was running with is this:

        A political orientation originating in the 1960s, blending liberal political views with an emphasis on economic growth.

        Emphasis on economic growth means inherently subscribed to capitalism, hence my top-centre interpretation.

  • LibertyLizard@slrpnk.net
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    2 days ago

    I have not really heard people in the right complaining about neoliberals. That’s mainly a boogeyman for the left.

    Just regular liberals maybe though.

    • PugJesus@lemmy.worldOP
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      2 days ago

      Like many things on the right, there’s considerable parroting of terms they’ve heard without the slightest clue of its history or original meaning. I’ve definitely heard libertarians (ab)use it with alarming regularity.

      • multifariace@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        I realized this around 15 years ago. I would listen to a lot different sources on the radio. I was amazed at how predictable and malicious this was.

        When I heard an intelligent conversation from the left or center, I could identify the new word of the day that was used in context with important meaning. I knew that by the next day I could turn on Glenn Beck and hear that word bastardized into his regressive spin. I wish I could think of some examples but it was so long ago.

      • LibertyLizard@slrpnk.net
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        2 days ago

        Well, I don’t really hang out with those people too much so you could be right.

        I did recently have a conversation with my neighbor about “corrupt developers who are ruining our neighborhood.” And then he segues into unhinged Trump support without a hint of irony. But that’s the closest I’ve seen.