ready, set, offend

I'm been thinking about the psychological implications of where we fall on the conservative/liberal scale and I have to say, I've said this before and I continue to think that the biggest difference between me and my right-leaning friends is, not that we don't all acknowledge (for the most part) what the issues are that are most pressing, but rather, what we think our government can and should do in the face of them.
I consistently see them whose votes are motivated by fear. Fear of science, fear of minorities, fear of someone taking their hard-earned money, fear of a terrorist attack, fear of the end of white male patriarchal systems, fear of a socialist system, fear of the future, fear of changes to their way of life, fear of sex. Fear, fear, fear.
Some of those may legitimate fears, I suppose. But I don't identify with handing my vote over to a person or group simply because they've tapped into my (very human) fears. More importantly, I don't want a party that takes that approach to me as a voter. It shows a cynicism and belies a latent bent towards totalitarianism (I think this is most vividly demonstrated by the current administration). I'd rather be motivated by creative energy and hope. As fluffy as all that sounds (to my ears, too, people) I favor that approach.