We often focus on the flaws of our opponents. yes, there are many of them—a statement both liberals and conservatives would likely agree with. That may be unfortunate because there are admirable qualities in both conservatives, liberals, and other left-leaning people worthy of notice, even if it feels difficult to admit right now.
When I mention the admirable qualities that conservatives can appreciate in liberals and other left-wing individuals, understand that I am speaking of the everyday believer of those ideologies you meet in the mall and elsewhere, rather than their political leadership. Even among some of the political figures, we might see similar lovable qualities, but let’s focus on the average person.
In writing this, I am not arguing that the left is right about anything. I am only suggesting that outside of politics, many of the qualities that are so aggravating and dangerous in a political context have good utility in everyday life—qualities that conservatives can recognize and admire.
Emotional Intelligence and Empathy
Let’s begin with the big hearts of liberals and other left-leaning people. While this might lead to poor decisions in a political setting, where emotional decision-making is often seen as a liability, this quality can certainly be a virtue in much of everyday life.
Everyday left-leaning individuals can be highly emotionally attuned to people, possessing massive empathy and kindness. They prioritize things in their relationships like emotional connection and understanding. Outside of politics, this makes them good friends, spouses, and community members. These are all skills that conservatives also use in their everyday lives, which is admirable.
Inclusivity and Sharing
While being inclusive in American politics might be seen as removing the meritocratic promise of America—for example, the failed positive discriminatory measures put forward by liberals and the left—in everyday life, it is an act of kindness to include everyone you can; it builds community. Liberals and left-leaning people are often the natural person at a party who ensures that no one sits alone—a beautiful thing in a non-political setting.
The liberal and left-leaning belief in sharing in governmental policy often results in what conservatives see as those who work hard paying for those who do not. However, in everyday life, such as at a coffee morning, this impulse ensures every person receives a slice of cake and a fair slice of the cake.
The Flip Side
I am certain that to flip the script, a liberal or left-leaning person would note:
A conservative’s natural competitiveness makes sport and much else fun.
The conservative sense of rules and order helps ensure people treat each other properly.
Their emphasis on competency helps ensure that things throughout life go smoothly.
A Social Necessity
If we remove the politics, there is a lot to love about liberals and left-leaning people. I believe that if the left took the politics out of it, they, too, would see something lovable in the everyday conservative.
There is an old saying that it takes all kinds to make the world go round. Even if we can be skeptical of that in the political arena, in everyday life, it seems to hold merit. We need both people who are naturally care-centered and emotionally intelligent, and people who are practical and competitive.
We can find many people who embody some degree of both these qualities. Society may naturally produce these different archetypes to fill sets of social roles, as suggested by conservative sociologist Émile Durkheim’s concept of modern organic solidarity—a fancy way of saying diverse, specialized roles in a world where the majority were no longer simple farmers.
An example of this is that a nurse needs to be care-centered and emotionally generous, while a stockbroker or race car driver needs to be competitive and individualistic with an eye for winning.
So, it may be out of social necessity that we have different opinions on life to ensure we have people to meet society’s diverse functions. We can enjoy these differences in everyday life as virtues rather than hindrances. After the tragedy following the death of Charlie Kirk—which shows the potential for heated political debate to break up society and maybe cause civil conflict—perhaps this time, we will note everyday virtue over political differences, outside of voting at the ballot
