Finding Common Ground: Defining the Spectrum from Right to Left.

By TLS

The other day, for no particular reason…completely unrelated to current events, I asked myself to define a far-right extremist. I thought I knew but then I thought: how would I define a far-left extremist? Turns out, Google and I were pretty close.

I felt I had a pretty good grasp on what a far-right extremist was. But defining the left, it turns out, is a lot harder to pin down. So, I asked Google some questions. This was the first question: (Google search) Describe the overall character, beliefs, and traits of the far-right crowd.

I then asked the same question for the far-left. I then tried to bring the results a little more to the center. So I came up with: Describe the overall character, beliefs, and traits of the right leaning crowd. I did the same for the left again as well.

The results I got back from Google were seven plus paragraphs for each of the four questions. That was about 30 paragraphs. So, I dropped each result into ChatGPT 5 and asked it to give me about a two paragraph summary of each category. Here are the results:

Far-right:

The far-right is an umbrella for ideologies rooted in ultranationalism, authoritarianism, and nativism. While details vary among groups, they share a belief in rigid social hierarchies, hostility toward “out-groups,” and rejection of liberal democracy. This worldview prizes exclusivity, aiming for a “pure” nation or community and often fueling racism, xenophobia, and religious fundamentalism. Hierarchism is central too, with the assumption that some people or groups are naturally superior and should dominate others.

Alongside this, far-right movements resist social change and champion “traditional” institutions like family and religion, while adopting populist rhetoric that pits “the pure people” against corrupt elites. They discredit pluralism and democratic norms, frequently promoting authoritarian solutions and conspiracy theories such as the “Great Replacement.” These features make the far-right a threat to democratic values, as they channel grievances into exclusionary, authoritarian, and conspiratorial politics.

Right leaning:

The political right is generally defined by a belief in preserving existing social orders and hierarchies, seeing them as natural and beneficial for stability. Right-leaning perspectives often emphasize traditionalism, valuing customs and institutions that have developed over time, alongside individualism, which stresses personal responsibility and liberty. This worldview tends to resist large, centralized government intervention, instead promoting limited government power, often preferring state or local control and private solutions to societal issues.

Economically, the right prioritizes free market capitalism, favoring deregulation, competition, and lower taxes as engines of growth. Culturally, right-leaning values often highlight nationalism, patriotism, and a strong defense of national identity. Traditional social values, often influenced by religion, remain central, including support for conventional family structures and opposition to policies such as abortion and expanded LGBTQ+ rights. Taken together, these beliefs reflect a preference for continuity, order, and self-reliance rather than sweeping change.

Far-left:

The far-left represents a diverse set of ideologies, including communism, socialism, anarchism, and revolutionary movements, that distinguish themselves from the more moderate center-left. Despite internal differences, these groups share certain core principles. They emphasize radical egalitarianism, seeking to eliminate systemic inequalities in wealth, status, and power. A strong anti-capitalist stance runs through most far-left movements, as they view capitalism as a system of exploitation that must be dismantled and replaced with an alternative model, such as communal or anarchist forms of organization.

Another unifying theme is opposition to hierarchy and traditional authority structures, with anarchists in particular advocating for societies free from domination in any form. Social justice issues also form a central part of the far-left agenda, as they see racism, sexism, and other discrimination as symptoms of deeper systemic injustice. Many factions, especially socialists and communists, promote public or collective ownership of the means of production as a way to ensure fairness and prevent exploitation. While strategies and visions differ, the shared goal is a society built on equality, justice, and freedom from oppressive systems.

Left leaning:

The political left is a broad and diverse movement that resists being reduced to a single ideology. It ranges from mainstream liberalism to more radical progressive and socialist traditions, but at its core, it emphasizes equality and fairness. Left-leaning groups and individuals typically seek to reduce social and economic hierarchies, challenging structures that perpetuate privilege and disadvantage. They tend to stress social justice, advocating for marginalized groups and working to address systemic discrimination based on race, gender, sexuality, and class.

Culturally and politically, the left values progress, reform, and openness to new ideas rather than strict adherence to tradition. It often emphasizes collective well-being and group solidarity over individualism, favoring community-driven solutions and legislative action over strong centralized leadership. This orientation reflects both skepticism toward entrenched power and a belief in the potential of human effort to build a more equal and just society.

Ok, back to me.

My take away? It didn’t come through on the summaries very well, but the right is noticeably easier to group and categorize. It’s also a little scarier in a Hitler-ish sort of way.

The left while equally extreme, in an anarchist sort of way, is a bit more scattered. There are far more hills to die on for the Kool-Aid drinkers.

So, what do we do with all this? At first glance, maybe not much. But definitions matter more than we realize. When people argue politics, they’re often not even arguing about the same thing, one person is describing the far extremes, the other is describing the mainstream, and both walk away frustrated.

That’s why finding a common language is valuable. If we can at least agree on what each area above actually means, then we can stop talking past each other. We can debate the same problem, not two different ones in disguise.

Maybe that doesn’t solve the deeper divisions. But it’s a start. And in times like these, even a starting point can make a difference.

Original questions and Google responses are below for those who made it this far and who may also have a bit of insomnia and are looking for a treatment.

Google, describe the overall character, beliefs, and traits of the far-right crowd.

--The far-right is an umbrella term for a range of ideologies defined by ultra nationalism, authoritarianism, and nativism. While specific beliefs and character traits can differ among groups, several core features unite the far-right, including a strong belief in societal hierarchy, hostility toward perceived “out-groups,” and opposition to liberal democratic norms.

Core beliefs

Exclusivism: A central belief is the idea of a pure, homogeneous national or ethnic community. This leads to prioritizing the interests of one’s own group (“us”) while excluding or marginalizing “them”. This exclusionary mindset often manifests as racism, xenophobia, and religious fundamentalism.

Hierarchism: A central theme is the belief that a natural hierarchy exists in society. This ideology holds that some individuals, groups, or races are naturally superior and should dominate others.

Anti-democratic and anti-individualist views: Far-right groups often oppose core tenets of liberal democracy, such as minority rights, pluralism, and the separation of powers. They may advocate for an authoritarian state with power concentrated in a single leader or elite.

Traditionalism: Far-right crowds generally oppose social change and seek a return to what they perceive as a more traditional, stable social order. They emphasize traditional values and institutions, such as the family and religion.

Populism and anti-elitism: Many far-right movements use populist rhetoric, pitting “the pure people” against a “corrupt elite.” This framing allows them to attract broad support while discrediting democratic institutions and the global order.

Conspiracy theories: Adherents often believe in overarching conspiracy theories, such as the “Great Replacement” theory, which claims there is a plot to replace white populations with non-white immigrants. –

Google, describe the overall character, beliefs, and traits of the right leaning crowd.

--Political scientists and sociologists identify several core beliefs, values, and traits commonly associated with the right-leaning crowd, although there is wide diversity within this group. The political right is generally defined by the belief that certain social orders and hierarchies are natural and should be maintained and defended. This contrasts with the left-leaning view that society needs constant change to correct perceived inequalities.

Key beliefs and values include:

Traditionalism: A preference for established customs, practices, and institutions over new ones. This means that social and cultural traditions that have evolved gradually over time are viewed as stable and beneficial.

Individualism: A belief in personal liberty and self-sufficiency, with an emphasis on individual responsibility for one’s own success. This view sees a large, active government as a threat to individual freedom.

Limited government: A desire to constrain the size, scope, and power of the federal government, believing that many issues are best handled at the state or local level, or by the private sector.

Free market capitalism: A preference for free markets, deregulation, and lower taxes, viewing competition and private enterprise as the most efficient path to economic growth and prosperity.

Nationalism and patriotism: A focus on maintaining a strong national and cultural identity, often accompanied by a focus on patriotism, a strong national defense, and an assertive foreign policy.

Social hierarchy: A belief that social stratification and hierarchy are inevitable, normal, or desirable, often based on differences in tradition, merit, or competition.

Traditional social values: Support for traditional social values and institutions, often influenced by religious beliefs. This includes upholding traditional family structures and can involve opposition to abortion and LGBTQ+ rights. --

Google, describe the overall character, beliefs, and traits of the far-left crowd.

--While a universally accepted description of the far-left is difficult due to its internal diversity, several core ideological tenets and behavioral traits characterize this segment of the political spectrum. The far-left encompasses a range of ideologies, including communism, socialism, anarchism, and revolutionary movements, that are distinct from the more moderate “center-left”.

Core beliefs

Radical egalitarianism: Far-left ideologies place a strong emphasis on social and economic equality and seek to eliminate systemic and perceived unjust inequalities in power, status, and wealth.

Anti-capitalism: Far-left groups fundamentally oppose capitalism, viewing it as the source of exploitation and social problems. They advocate for revolutionary change to dismantle the current state and social order, replacing it with an alternative system, such as a communist or anarchist society.

Opposition to hierarchy: Adherents often reject traditional forms of authority and hierarchy, including state power, capitalism, and certain social institutions. Anarchists, for example, believe a society free of all domination is necessary for freedom and equality.

Social justice: Contemporary far-left groups are often motivated by social justice issues, including fighting racism, sexism, and other forms of discrimination. They view these issues as symptoms of the larger systemic injustices they seek to dismantle.

Support for social ownership: Many within the far-left, particularly socialists and communists, advocate for social or public ownership of the means of production, in contrast to the private ownership upheld by capitalist systems. --

Google, describe the overall character, beliefs, and traits of the left crowd.

--Characterizing the “left crowd” is complex because it is not a monolithic group but a diverse collection of people, ideologies, and priorities. A wide range of beliefs exists, from mainstream liberal positions to more radical progressive or socialist views. However, some general beliefs, traits, and goals are commonly associated with and emphasized by left-leaning individuals and groups.

General character and core beliefs

Left-wing politics is broadly defined by its support for social equality and egalitarianism, often seeking to reduce or eliminate social hierarchies.

Social justice: Leftists typically show a concern for those they perceive as disadvantaged in society, such as low-income individuals or people facing discrimination based on race, gender, or sexual orientation. This leads to an emphasis on correcting systemic inequalities.

Progressive social change: Left-leaning individuals are often drawn to new experiences and ideas, and they support social change rather than adhering strictly to tradition. This is sometimes framed as a belief in the power of human reason to achieve social progress.

Skepticism of hierarchy: A core belief is that many social hierarchies are unjustified and create inequalities that should be reduced or abolished. This extends to skepticism of strong, centralized personal political leadership in favor of legislative or community-driven governance.

Group orientation: The left tends to focus on the needs of social groups and networks rather than prioritizing pure individualism. This group-oriented perspective drives their support for underrepresented or marginalized communities.