Straddling the Fence—Purely Left or Purely Right?

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by Neil Bamforth

It has always puzzled me quite how anybody can be purely socialist or purely capitalist. How can anybody be purely politically left-wing or right-wing? It remains a mystery to me. Good ideas, or honest endeavors to ‘do the right thing’, have never been exclusively socialist or capitalist. Neither have they ever been exclusively left-wing or right-wing.

Take me, for example – OI! Who was that at the back who shouted ‘Please! Take him somewhere! Anywhere!’?

For many years I was a Union Rep at London’s Heathrow Airport, in the Cargo Village. I regularly fought on the side of socialism, protecting union members from unscrupulous bosses.

Yet I am so often decried as being right-wing, or even far-right by some. Most odd.

The railways of Britain were once operated by the state. Yes, there were sometimes ‘issues’ with unions calling strikes and so forth. Yes, it could be a real ‘pain in the ass’ if you couldn’t make a planned journey because of such a thing, but, neither did you have to take out a second mortgage to travel on a train.

The utility companies were all British owned. Yes, there was no competition. That isn’t how it worked. British Gas supplied us with gas and, albeit they were divided regionally, all the electricity companies were pretty much joined at the hip.

Despite occasional hiccups, it actually worked well. Basically, nobody got ripped off. The government of the day made sure that prices were reasonable for all.

Then came the free market of capitalism. All of a sudden we didn’t know if we were coming or going. Foreign companies bought in and prices were all over the place. The new utility companies had shareholders to keep happy.

So, in a nutshell, I would heartily support the re-nationalization of our railways and utility companies. A socialist’s dream occurrence.

How about the environment? It should always be put ahead of profit and, even progress if said progress damages it. We don’t own this planet, we share it and have absolutely no right to damage the environment for other life forms.

Very green and socialist of me I’m sure.

Speaking of the environment. If I took a return train ticket from London to Manchester to visit my home town of Oldham, it would cost me almost £100. Add to that the cost of the tram fare from Manchester to Shaw – the town near Oldham I call home – and it would be well over £100 for the journey there and back.

If I put £40 of environmentally unfriendly diesel in my car, that would cover the journey there. A few drives in the area and then the journey home.

A re-nationalized railway would be far cheaper – no shareholders or exorbitantly paid managers for one thing – and make it far more likely that people with a choice, like me, would take the train and save on environmentally damaging emissions.

Women’s rights. Equality for all regardless of gender, race, or disability. Proper care for all elderly. Save the whale or panda or tiger or whatever needs saving next. I’m in.

Me? Right-wing? Oh. Yes. My ‘elephant in the room’. Uncontrolled immigration. Allowing people into the country who have no intention of adopting British values or assimilating into British society in any way.

Yes. Absolutely. Politically speaking, I’m metaphorically ‘in bed’ with more right-wing views on such things. As a result, I am right-wing, aren’t I?

Except, what about all my socialist principles? Many having just been mentioned?

That, I suspect, is why I don’t get it. All this ‘four legs good, two legs bad’ type of politics. You’re either with us in everything or you’re ‘one of them’.

My problem is, both left and right think I’m ‘one of them’ – as in ‘not one of them’ more accurately. To the left, I appear to frequently be somewhere to the right of Attila the Hun. To the right, I’m a raging communist.

Confusing isn’t it? Perhaps it would be easier to ignore one set of opinions and pretend to be entirely on one side or the other.

The thing is, to me, that’s just daft. And yes, if you’re entirely and purely wrapped up in one side’s views, I do think you’re daft.

We aren’t designed that way. We have freedom of thought and, having such, it is quite possible to support socialism and agree to some more right-wing views. It is quite possible to be a capitalist yet feel empathy for socialist views or vice versa.

Life isn’t so simple. It isn’t so black and white. You don’t have to be ‘one of them’ or ‘one of the other lot’. You can actually straddle between, depending on the issue.

They’ll all think you’re ‘the enemy’ mind you.

That seems to be the political mentality of the times.

It’s absolutely extraordinary how accurately Orwell nailed it, as socialists and capitalists and left-wing and right-wing all chant together, “Four legs good! Two legs bad!” – for diametrically opposing reasons.

Daft as brushes, the lot of them.

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About Post Author

Neil Bamforth

I am English first, British second and never ever European. I have supported Oldham Athletic FC for 50 years which has made me immune from depression. My taste buds have died due to too many red hot curries so I drink Kronenburg beer and milk - sometimes in the same glass. I have a wife, daughter, 9 cats and I like toast.
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Neil Bamforth
3 years ago

Glenn : Well said!!!!

3 years ago

About the first thing I ever wrote on line was to question the idea of a one dimensional political spectrum. It was my simple idea that either direction took you to the other side, as though you were travelling a globe. How can it be otherwise? It’s just easier for people to have opinions when faced with complex reality. And we have to have opinions that fit into the fictional universe of our individual tribe.

3 dimensional reality allows for no fences to straddle. The traditional dichotomies are there as a trap. “are you with us or against us – you can’t have it both ways” If you’re one of those who divide the public into Patriots and Gun-Grabbers for instance, there’s no ability to account for complex reality and all the possible opinions.

So the Multiculturist can damn you as a bigot simply for loving and trying to preserve the culture you were brought up in while insisting an influx of the affluent is “Gentrification” and hence a bad thing. Urban blight? Why that might be a great thing to some. Left and right really don’t apply in a reality in which most if not all of us hold self contradictory opinions.

This is how the humanist can be labelled a right wing bigot by asserting the Buddhist principle spread through the Subcontinent in the third century BC that all life matters, while he who asserts that only those we call “black” are all that matter, is nonetheless a liberal. Life is complex, reality is complex, history is long and politics is a playground for the ignorant and the greedy.

Sapere Aude said Horace. Dare to know, dare to think, dare to differ.

jess
3 years ago

Own yer shit Neil. Do not be ashamed of being a winger, we’ll still love you. Of course, me myself and I will dog you about it but you do you. I have told you before, only thing you get from sitting on the fence is splinters in yer ass, not worth the admission cost at all 🙂 Oh and guys I got a marriage proposal today. Some dude my guy helped rescue came into their firehouse and when he saw me he asked me to marry him, since I won’t marry my guy.

Reply to  jess
3 years ago

Hey, a proposal is a proposal! Congratulations, and yes Neil, ‘own your shit.’

jess
Reply to  Professor Mike
3 years ago

AYUP. Fuck I’m not getting married any time soon unless Taylor Kinney knocks on my door and asks me. Yes people johnny Depp has been replaced as number one imaginary boyfriend for now.

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