It's fine if this is the colloquial definition you're used to hearing and using, but this is certainly not the way it's used outside of American politics and pretending like it's the only use comes off as both ill-informed and condescending.

When used derisively from the left, rest assured it is not referring to either of your adopted generalizations but a very specific ideology.

[–] Neato@ttrpg.network 3 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Ok. But this meme says American Republican.

[–] archomrade@midwest.social 9 points 6 months ago (1 children)

The meme also says 'authoritarian communists' but there are plenty of anarchists and socialists who use liberal as a disparagement.

[–] TheTetrapod@lemmy.world 3 points 6 months ago

Yeah, this meme was close to something, but I think OP doesn't actually know much about politics.

[–] thedirtyknapkin@lemmy.world 2 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (3 children)

ok, so among English speaking countries, how is it more often used? we've got multiple people in this thread aggressively telling him he's wrong, but no other definitions.

[–] saltesc@lemmy.world 14 points 6 months ago (2 children)

how is it more often used?

Look up liberalism for liberals.

I wasn't aware Americans made up their own meaning. Now I understand why upvoted comments mentioning "liberal values" receive a flurry of downvotes while I'm asleep, Americans have lost the meaning of another word, probably due to their media.

Though, just checking, the American dictionaries seem entirely correct still. Are you all confused?

[–] postmateDumbass@lemmy.world 5 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Its the way the wealthy wamt the poor and middle class - undereducated and bombarded by agenda driven media.

The US propaganda machine is pretty damn effective domestically.

[–] saltesc@lemmy.world 2 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

I think you're right. It's not like anything's changed, so people are obviously buying someone's bullshit from somewhere and it's working exactly as the seller intends.

Going to have start signalling when talking about the two different concepts, like...

Today I'd like to discuss liberalism.

Today I'd like to discuss 🛻🇺🇸LIBeralism™🎸🦅

Since they're almost entirely opposing concepts sharing the same word.

[–] Cryophilia@lemmy.world 1 points 6 months ago

https://www.dictionary.com/browse/liberal

liberal 1

[ lib-er-uhl, lib-ruhl ]

Phonetic (Standard) IPA adjective

favorable to progress or reform, as in political or religious affairs. Synonyms: progressive

Antonyms: reactionary

(often initial capital letter) noting or pertaining to a political party advocating measures of progressive political reform. of, pertaining to, based on, or advocating liberalism, especially the freedom of the individual and governmental guarantees of individual rights and liberties.

[–] archomrade@midwest.social 8 points 6 months ago

Like I said, it's fine assuming your own definition if that's the one most familiar to you, but that doesn't mean you have to stubbornly double down on semantics when confronted with a competing definition. When used derisively from the left it is almost certainly being used in the original sense of the word as per John Locke

[–] CileTheSane@lemmy.ca 1 points 6 months ago (1 children)

pretending like it's the only use comes off as both ill-informed and condescending.

That works both ways. Pretending the European usage of the word is the only use comes off just as ill-informed and condescending.

[–] archomrade@midwest.social -1 points 6 months ago

The people who are using liberal derisively are playing off the american liberal self-identity. They're acknowledging both definitions in the jab.