@Kaldrak
I would probably define myself more as a Jimi Hendrix-style individualist and a liberal. In terms of philosophies, I'm a mix of absurdist, Buddhist, Taoist, and liberal with a few other beliefs mixed in.
Probably my two most important values is freedom of expression and the value of the the constant pursuit of truth and reassessment, followed closely by lack of discrimination or oppression by the government and corporations.
Most of my positions align (or aligned) with the left, but the overton window has shifted much more radical, leaving me disenfranchised. I'm still in favor of adding sexual orientation or gender identity to the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment just to be certain, and I still have a ton of positions that are traditionally align with the democrats. (Pro-choice, in favor of environmental regulation and the legalization of weed and ending the war on drugs, and in favor of the right for consenting adults to do whatever they wish to their bodies, as the right to bodily autonomy is the most primeval of rights.)
The issue I'm having with the left is not just this sense of hypocrisy, but the religious dedication progressives seem to have to their ideology. There's common sense that they've been feed talking points and specific phrases so they don't have to think about their ideology. Individualism, freedom of expression, and the rights pivotal to America are actively suppressed and thought of with pure disdain. Ideas aren't engaged with honestly, instead they are shutdown and silenced. It seems like a puritanical witch hunt, much like how conservatives did in yesteryear, full of self-righteous indignation of differences of beliefs and insular doctrine.
In my opinion, if I am to be consistent with my values, I must oppose the current direction of the left as it uses corporations and government power to oppress the individual and their seeming constant attack on all parts of society and culture.
My issue with the democrats is the worrying corruption, constant obsessive pursuit of power and erosion of our civil rights. Not to mention the stonewalling, lack of transparency, lack of accountability, and bold-faced lying. I have the same criticisms of Republics, but they're on the defensive right now.
I have a lot of other takes, but I still consider myself on the left, but more of the individualist left that is against big business (which seems to be merging more with government and promoting one ideology) and big government. But when it constantly seems like what little power the people have and what few rights we have are being destroyed by tyranny, I think we need to do something or speak out against the increasing hegemony of the establishment.
