Let’s venture an operational definition. The Left or the Right is public opinion mobilized around some polarizing moral issue or issues, and which has attained sufficient critical mass to affect major political decisions in matters of public policy and in any area even remotely connected to the issue at hand. Notice the necessary conditions and how the Vietnam experience met these requirements to a T.
1. Polarizing moral issue: That’s the key element to understanding the nature of the Left. It was born out of moral protest; the issue had divided the country in half. The protesters objected to the basic immorality of their government, as exhibited by a blatant act of aggression. The objectives of those who opposed them were less clearly defined. Defending the status quo and a false sense of patriotism come to mind first. Eventually, the Right coalesced around more positive values – the Church, the home, the family – but the precedent was set. The Left seized the high moral ground; now, it will never let it go. Its strength derives from being, in essence, an emotional (moral) appeal, which is why (and this is only in passing) the Civil War, for instance, pales by comparison; though it was no less polarizing and a moral issue to some, it was, by and large, economic; freeing the slaves served as the pretext.
2. Public opinion: Apart from it being a coalition of sorts, the Left, or more properly perhaps, the voice of the Left, is (for lack of a better term) public opinion. The same is true of the Right. The origin of the concept dates back to Montaigne (1588) and has undergone many evolutions since, but there is hardly a dispute that public opinion plays an important role in politics. This is especially true today, given the virtual explosion in mass communications, media, and the Internet.
3. Critical mass: That’s almost a given. For public opinion to make a difference and count for something, it must be perceived as commanding a large base of support. Again, mass communications plays a critical role here, it’s a precondition facilitating the entire process.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Cindy D
Roger,
Wow! I read it. It was pretty amazing. Now I'll have to think a lot.
Exciting ideas.
2 - Roger Nowosielski
Thank you, Cindy. It blew my mind to once I got into it. Never gave it much thought before. Things are way clearer now. Baronius and Dan Miller steered me in that direction, and I'm thankful.
Roger
3 - Dan(Miller)
Roger,
Good article! I don't agree with everything you say, but then I don't necessarily agree with everything I say.
I will withhold further comment until after Part II appears.
Dan(Miller)
4 - Roger Nowosielski
I am glad, Dan. In a sense, I was conflicted about breaking it up into two parts, but the alternative was equally unattractive. As it is, I don't want to reveal all my cards, although I fail to see how some of you astute individuals will fail to see where I'm going with this.
Roger
5 - Cindy D
Roger,
Did you come here as a child or adult?
6 - Cindy D
(i'm trying to figure out why flower power is distinguished from hippie)
7 - Cindy D
And I know I might sound picky. But,it's not. I can't really understand something if I don't attend to every word as carefully as I can.
8 - Roger Nowosielski
No distinction, Cindy, just alliteration.
Re: your other question, I had a delayed adolescence. But I ain't disclosing my age. Let's just say I was coming of age; and it was the best of times.
Roger
9 - Cindy D
lol
well i know we have the same birth day within days.
mine is Nov. 15
10 - Cindy D
age shmage. my husband is 67
11 - Roger Nowosielski
Well, so you're a Scorpio?
Let's just say I was in a PhD program in 1971 (NYU and the New School) and had a privilege to be exposed to the best minds of the latter 20th century - philosophy, sociology, mathematics, you name it.
12 - Roger Nowosielski
"People in power have been noticing your accomplishments for a while -- they approve."
That's the horoscope, by the way, if you believe in any such thing.
13 - Cindy D
wow new school cool.
you an astrologer?
SDS is active again, i'm sure you know, right?
14 - Cindy D
you should have attached the soundtrack to ohio to your article. (sorry, only i do things like that)
i had to go dig it up.
15 - Roger Nowosielski
New School was great, especially for its interdisciplinary seminars: Chomsky on linguistics and politics (he was young and handsome then), Leontieff, a Noble Prize Winner in economics, things like that. And so was NYU - it was a seat of learning then and great fun.
No I'm not an astrologer, just thought I might throw that in from Yahoo homepage.
Why O-hai-O? Are you there?
16 - Cindy D
NO WAY!!!! you took classes with Chomsky?
17 - Cindy D
He's still handsome now.
18 - Cindy D
lol :-)
19 - Cindy D
you know about looks...
they depend on the person. that's what i've found.
whoever i have ever loved was always the most beautiful.
sort of like a person is something then that makes them look wonderful.
20 - Roger Nowosielski
His hair was jet black, like a shoe polish; and he'd comb it back, like Tyrone Power!
No, just sat on a couple of seminars.
21 - Cindy D
haha nah, not an astrologer. i was a card carrying skeptic. now i am a skeptic without a card. michael shermer was very disappointing when he decided capitalism is some sort of expression of evolution.
and he only though he used to believe in the supernatural
22 - Cindy D
he teaches some classes for Zcom u know. there is this seminar thing. maybe i'll do it one day
chit..know what happene to me today? an amazing thing
23 - Roger Nowosielski
Re #19,
But I grew up with an image of movie starts when there were still heroes: Gable, Power, Robert Taylor, not to mention the leading ladies. Even Bogart had charisma.
Who is Michal Shermer? NG, by the way, was a Wicca. She dropped a curse at my feet. Read all about it in my novel. But I shouldn't be telling you what's ahead. In due time.
24 - Cindy D
I just bought a book. literally on wednesday. it's called wobblies & zapatistas
it is a dialogue, between a marxist and an anarchist. andrej grubacic is one of the authors (the anarchist). so i get in my e-mail from zmag/zcom/znet the next day--they have a interview with andrej grubacic about the book. okay that's cool.
i go to the site and i see, he has a page on the site. so i befriended him and he accepted. now i can ask him direct questions. how cool is that?
25 - Cindy D
NO! a wicca? how do you imagine i am like a person that could be a wicca? lol that is hilarious