Quote Originally Posted by Darkmatters View Post
The liberal mindset is about the Global Village - thinking about everyone as one large group of people who should all help each other. The conservative mindset is basically different - it's more about "us" vs "them". And as Invader already mentioned. these aren't just political lines - a person is pretty much hardwired one way or the other and it's reflected in every aspect of their personality.

So, the conservative mindset goes something like this - my race is the best - my country is the best - my city is the best - my neighborhood is the best - my family is the best - and finally I am the best. You'll find yourself an insider to some of his thoughts - because you're a member of his race or live in his city or whatever, but then you'll always reach a point where his sense of brotherhood closes down to exclude you. It's a reductionist perspective and essentially selfish.

The liberal perspective goes the other way - we're all in this together so we need to try to get along. Liberals always try to put themselves in other people's shoes and sympathize with them. They try to understand things from an external, objective viewpoint.
I think Darkmatters hit the nail right on the head. Slave owners were conservatives...abolitionists were liberal 'nuff said