On the surface, no matter which country you go to, it seems like there is always something to argue about between the typically left wing liberals and the typically right wing conservatives. While this is generally true, it really should not be. Both sides seem to want to achieve what is best for their country, they just do not see it’s what the other side is doing.

The liberal/conservative divide has existed since ancient times with some notable examples. For one, in Ancient Greece, famed philosopher Socrates was tried in court for ‘corrupting the young’, for teaching boys to think for themselves and about foreign Gods. This is a good example of the status quo being preserved by conservatives and progress being brought about by progressives. For an example much closer to the present day, the liberal French Revolution, inspired by other progressive figures such as Thomas Jefferson, fought against the conservative Bourbon monarchy to achieve their three goals, those being Liberty, Equality and Fraternity, ideals held by liberals to this day.

That being said, just because you align yourself with more liberal or more conservative policies does not and should not mean you are wrong, unless it is something that is based on fact and not opinion of course. I know this deeply, for a while, I used to align myself with plenty of liberal ideas, both socially and economically. Come the murder of George Floyd, and I find myself on the exact opposite of the spectrum. Nowadays, I think of myself as a healthy mix of both, and as a result, I can see where both sides are coming from.

Take the abortion argument for example. Tensions were definitely noticeable already, but turned up to 11 on June 24 of this year when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, which was already one of the most famous SCOTUS decisions in history. Liberals and conservatives immediately began taking potshots at each other, liberals calling it a step backward for women’s rights and conservatives calling it a step forward for life. Both of these, however, remain true, at least to both of them. We all have our own opinions, but neither side is particularly right, for both are driven by a sense of morality. Liberals are not rabid baby killers that get abortions for fun. Meanwhile, conservatives are not heartless monsters that want to take women’s rights away. Both sides want to legalize or criminalize the practice respectively, because they want to protect women’s rights and babies respectively.

Of course, when either side gets evil, that’s when eyebrows should be raised, like when the very conservative Confederate South fought in the civil war to protect their right to enslave and oppress African Americans, or the occasional extremist feminist organization, many of which are found in typically Western countries that are so oppressive of men, they almost do a 180 degree turn into conservatism. With instances like these, it can be difficult to be more rational and open to what the other side truly thinks is good for this country.