Skip to content

The word liberal has been employed as the political…

“The word liberal has been employed as the political equivalent of an untreatable but potentially containable social disease -- the kind that could be contracted merely by going to a foreign movie or ordering a decaf latte, or worse, a glass of French wine.” quote by Eric Alterman
Download Open image
“The word liberal has been employed as the political equivalent of an untreatable but potentially containable social disease -- the kind that could be contracted merely by going to a foreign movie or ordering a decaf latte, or worse, a glass of French wine.”

Eric Alterman

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He satifies liberalism as a pervasive, hard‑to‑change social ill, spread through trivial cultural habits.

In simple terms: Liberalism is portrayed as a contagious social disease.

Key Takeaway

Beware of unexamined political labels.

Themes

politics culture media criticism

Mood

critical analytical

Type

political satirical

When to use this quote

  • media consumption
  • political discourse
  • public policy

Key Concepts

ideology diffusion social contagion

Questions to Reflect On

  • What evidence supports this view?
  • How can we discuss politics without caricature?
A Different Perspective

The analogy oversimplifies complex political ideas and may alienate constructive dialogue.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet

More by Eric Alterman

Explore all 64 Eric Alterman quotes

More Disease quotes

Browse all 3,549 Disease quotes