We live in a time of confronting things: our past, present and future.
From (in my case) discovering 8,000 indigenous people were brutally murdered during Brazil’s dictatorship time and there was little accountability about it, to learning how recent is America’s state-sentioned segregationist past. As far as the present goes, we are collectively confronting police brutality and the bias against people of color in all realms of life. In the middle of all this, the future feels grim as coronavirus in the US gets worse and an uninspired, terribly organized, election is coming our way.
I tried watching Seinfeld, focusing only on my privileged little world, eating carrot cake and staring at the wall until I fall asleep but there is no avoiding it: we live difficult times. We have the responsibility to confront it.
Ok, let’s confront it. Let’s talk about the stuff that’s going on. Hm… But how?
My friends, that is when Left tube comes in.
Contrapoints, Philosophy Tube, Big Joel, Nerdwriter, Patrick H. Williams, Lindsay Ellis, Some More News, H.Bomber.guy, Sarah Z. and Vlogbrothers are just some of the many channels on YouTube that bring , in an original way, political analyses, humor and reflections about the most diverse subjects.
These YouTubers are liberals (healthcare is a human right, marijuana, abortions and unions should be legalized and state-sponsored, the police should not handle minor issues and antibias training is absolutely necessary, refugees should be recognized and protected etc…), but most of all, the main characteristic of Left tube is the talent to unite research and art to explore the world and think about discussions relevant to today’s world.
We need to talk about difficult things sometimes and when life feels overwhelming, there is nothing like joining discussions in a way that feels constructive. Leftube is challenging us to participate in this soul-crushing discourse without losing our voices or minds.
PS. Please share your favorite political YouTubers below
they are not liberals LMAO
Hello Rachel – it needs to be remarker that the word liberal does not stand only for economic liberalism (a.k.a less taxes, less regulation etc…). It is also a way of referring to people who oppose conservatism, and advocate for social change.
You replied to this comment.
Dear Rachel, here is a quote from the Oxford dictionary on one of the meanings for the word liberal: 1.1(in a political context) favoring policies that are socially progressive and promote social welfare.
Often contrasted with conservative (sense 2 of the adjective)
‘she is under attack from the right wing for making her own liberal political views known’
Often contrasted with conservative (sense 2 of the adjective)
I really recommend that you look into what you are saying because, yes there is economic liberalism, but there the most common use of the word liberal is in the sense of opposition to conservatism. Despite being an immigrant, I understand the meaning of the word liberal and would appreciate if you did not ran to the opportunity to “educate” me about life in America before doing a simple fact-check.
I doubt you’ve read any real leftist theory. The colloquial use of “liberal” by socialists and communists is never, never, “an opposition to conservatism”. And when you’re writing an article, you need to use the correct word for the correct groups. Because when speaking about Philosophy Tube, Contrapoints, etc, you are talking about leftists. Socialists. I write for a newspaper, don’t use a contradictory definition when speaking about a group for whom a better word exists. It muddles your point.
Especially when the group you’re writing about would almost certainly denounce the use of the word liberal to describe themselves.
Dear Rachel, I recommend you checking the aformentioned YouTubers as well as my notes. The word liberal can be used in the English language in various ways, two of them are economic liberalism (Adam Smith meets Wall Street) and liberalism understood as opposition to conservatism. The second one is actually older than the first. Also, I feel weird having to say this but I am a sociologist with 6 years of research on political philosophy and a member of the Center for Urban Ethnography – A group that exclusively addresses political discourse as it’s central theme. Talking about politics in America is What I do for a living and (continues below)
I shouldn’t have to state that. It’s just frustrating to see that you are so against the word liberal that you haven’t actually researched how it has been historically used. Take a look at Republican statements in Congress. They say they are being attacked by “liberals” and they are not referring to Adam Smith.