RE: The crux of Leftist thinking has nothing to do with Marx..
I don't take things personally :)
I'd like to explain a bit.
I'm not a conservative. If I had to describe myself here I'm more a translator. Not is the sense of language itself, but in the sense of, giving people of the one group a look into what the other group (probably) means with what they say, and how something the other group say may be misinturpreted by people of the other group. This is very "tricky" I know lol. And gives sometimes strange outcomes like... I've spoken with a true nazi who called me a communist and the other way around, while I'm neither.
But let me try to explain why I think that it's not meant as a justification to being selfish of most conservatives. Maybe for some it is, but I think for most it's not.
I can not speak for others or "the conservatives" of course so I speak from myself out.
That I believe I do everything I do is for selfish reason is not to justify being selfish but more like an observation within me, a know thyself to give perspective in relationships with people and make things better.
I'm in my day to day Iife pretty altruistic and would promote (for lack of a better world) altruism also the "do it and forget it sort" which I practice. (Others would describe me as altruistic in nature, I think, and that's all nice and so that others may describe me that way) But I think it's important for me, to realize that if I really really go back to the root of that altruism, and if I'm truly honest with myself, and look deep enough, that in one way or the other, it is done for selfish reasons no matter how small and insignificant it may be.
It's more something like knowing the "shadow side" or being aware of it, is a good thing even while being the "do it and forget it" altruistic type of person in day to day life, it keeps you down to earth so to speak.
But like I said, I can not speak for conservatives but I think a lot of them, if not most of them, mean it like that. It could of course also be naivety on my side and seeing the best in people........ (conservatives in this case).
I don't know lol.
I hope you get what I mean English is not my native language and the in written word is very hard.
Thanks
Your English is good, I get your meaning. May I ask what is your native language?
One problem with 'conservatism' is the definition, or explanation, of it.
Merriam-Webster (I am not recommending Merriam-Webster) defines it as
So clearly a conservative ideology resists change. If that political system had been always in control there would still be slavery in the US, and women would walk two feet behind their husband.
When a Conservative government is in power, things like human rights, universal equality (and altruism) don't advance.
I don't think that I've ever encountered a fascist, a nazi or a racist that was politically left.
Proponents of conservatism often speak of individual rights infringement (often within the context of having pay taxes). Yet they happily take advantage of the public services: roadways, police, libraries, education systems, etc.
Often they take issue with a portion of their taxes being used to assist the disadvantaged. This reduces the worldview to the Thrasymachean ethic: might makes right. If you're healthy and strong, help yourself to the world's riches. Otherwise, too bad for you. So if you were born disadvantaged - either politically, economically or imperfect physically, you're out of luck. And if you were once strong but fell on bad luck, maybe a workplace accident or toxic poisoning at work or just worn out physically from hard work, well too bad for you too.
Basically, that's life in the jungle. I prefer civilization.