Conservatives can seem very mean, cruel and uncaring. It’s because they often consider the results of their actions before they consider the feelings of those affected. Sometimes you have to be hard on people so they learn hard lessons early in their life and can cope with tough situations later on in their adulthood.

It is better to let a child touch the proverbial hot stove so they learn never to touch it again, whereas many parents today would rather stand by the stove all day to make sure their children never have to feel the pain of having touched it.

When they get older, the child who touched the hot stove will be that much more prepared to strike out on their own and be independent.

Meanwhile, the child who never experienced it will expect that someone will always guide them through the maze of tough decisions they’ll have to make as an adult.

When I was in high school, I got in the habit of perpetually forgetting things at home. Since we lived close by, and my Dad didn’t go to work until I was at school, I got in the habit of calling him to have him bring to me, on his way to work, whatever it was I had forgotten.

He always did.

While I now appreciate that he was always there for me and willing to help, I’ve since also contemplated that if he simply said no, I would have learned quickly to be more careful and thoughtful before I left for school in the morning.

It’s one thing on a personal level, but apply these examples to society, and you can see how this translates to how conservatives see the role of government.

Conservatives believe that people should be allowed to fail because when they do, they always learn valuable lessons that help them later on in life.

Some believe that government is there to make sure no one ever suffers, gets hurt, endures an accident, gets scammed or taken advantage of, loses a job or is ever offended in any way. On some level, I not only understand that point of view, but admire the sentiment.

However, letting people experience all that life has to offer, including the bad times, makes them stronger and more independent. Holding their hand the entire way dilutes the experience and makes people soft and dependent.

Conservatives know that the consequences of a tough lesson are seldom permanent and more often prepare a person better for success down the road.

I think America could use a little tough love and thick skin right about now.