RateItAll.com, Liberalism, and Acrylic Paint Brands

One of the websites that I visit regularly is RateItAll.com. It's technically a consumer review website but is also kind of a social website in some ways. You can rate/review every little thing in the universe that you can imagine; be it towns, states, cold medicine, dating methods, video games, movies, politics, etc.

You can comment on other member's reviews and agree or disagree etc. This is how it becomes social, there is a kind of community that you create with the reviewers that you like to debate with or that you like to agree with or whatever. So yes it's a consumer review site, but at the same time it is much more than that too.

Members can create their own 'lists' of things that people can review, for example: 'super bowl halftime shows' or 'classic literature' or 'reasons people smoke'. Anyways the term 'liberalism' was an item on one of these lists and I am including my review of it here on Modern Art Quotes. Because well I rather like my review and I am the author after all. Also after this list you will find a widget of one of the items for a list I created, which is 'Acrylic Paint Brands', check out the widget to add items or review it or see the rest of the list. Anyways, here is my review of the term liberalism:

Liberalism is a philosophy/word that has been used incorrectly and attained a negative status in the minds of some because of it's misuse. Let's look at the Merriam-Webster's Dictionary definition as follows (we want the third definition listed, the one pertaining to politics):

C : a political philosophy based on belief in progress, the essential goodness of the human race, and the autonomy of the individual and standing for the protection of political and civil liberties; specifically : such a philosophy that considers government as a crucial instrument for amelioration of social inequities (as those involving race, gender, or class.)

Now, some would say that the Republican philosophy also contains elements of this definition, especially the protections of civil liberties. The Libertarians for example, (whose main philosophy is of protecting civil liberties) takes their name from this word for God's sake. I believe that mankind is essentially good, and I believe in progress, if we are not progressing has a nation than what the hell are we doing? To me being a liberal has nothing to do with socialism, specifically in the way that socialism is defined as instituting government institutions. It is about giving equal opportunity to everyone, just as the definition above states. Where and when inequality happens, than yes it is time for the government to take a stand, for example in striking down Jim Crow laws, giving women voting rights, etc etc. To finish I will leave you with words from George Washington.

“As Mankind becomes more liberal, they will be more apt to allow that all those who conduct themselves as worthy members of the community are equally entitled to the protections of civil government. I hope ever to see America among the foremost nations of justice and liberality.”

- George Washington