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naraburns  nihil supernum  3yr ago (text post)   18671 thread views

Culture War Roundup for the week of December 19, 2022

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Anyway, as someone who has identified as a liberal for most of my life, actually hardcore leftist, anti-authoritarian socialist, etc, I'm curious how many other folks are in the same boat. Essentially on board with the project of the left, until the last 5-10 years when trans ideology and pronouns took over the movement. Perhaps there are others who have realized that this is one specific issue they just can't accept for the greater good of the leftist cause.

The more I get expose to the ideas of people who call themselves leftists and rightists the less I think those terms mean anything at all. What does it even mean to be on the left to you? The explanation of it that sticks in my mind was something Freddie deBoer said that I just spent 30 minutes failing to find where he declares his intention to always side with the weak against the the strong no matter the situation. Which sounds good on a protest sign until you think about it for two seconds.

I'm not much of a fan of the right. I'm not religious, I'm open to change and new experiences. My meat space friend group is a rainbow coalition of gays and minorities. I would like a better and more equal world and if the past is a different country you don't have to go far back before I get a little hesitant to allow immigration for fear of incompatible values. But nearly every idea I hear come out of the left is just so pathetically flawed and unconsidered. Is a better of class of proposed changes so much to ask for? Am I really on the right because I don't support the 14th iteration of a failed rent control proposal or special interests looting the public purse? The bulk of my allies in defending free speech, of convenience or not, are now Conservatives?

It's enough to make a man turn to the bottle.

Am I really on the right because I don't support the 14th iteration of a failed rent control proposal or special interests looting the public purse?

Yes. Noticing what didn't work is the defining characteristic of a conservative.

Am I really on the right because I don't support the 14th iteration of a failed rent control proposal or special interests looting the public purse?

What's that thing about the Overton Window shifting? Cthulhu always swims left? You are not the first or only person who never changed their views radically and who started off comfortably on the left but find themselves increasingly being shifted further to the right on the imaginary axis, because the window is moving to the left.

Don’t turn to the bottle just yet my friend! You’re right, I suppose identifying with these two broad camps is playing along a false binary. We should be more open to people picking and choosing individual positions instead of swallowing a platform whole.

It sounds like you’re against economic liberal positions (at least modern liberal). Have you heard of my old friend Henry George?

Yes, I like how George cleaves reality at the joints in a way most leftists don't when he separates the landlord rent seeking from the importance of rewarding capital investment. But the modern left does not seem to take those ideas very seriously.

Agreed! It’s refreshing to find convincing ideas that work on the object level, instead of just reconfiguring the common political stances of the left or right.

Charter cities seem similar to me, especially those that try to emulate the early American ideal of charter cities.

he declares his intention to always side with the weak against the the strong no matter the situation. Which sounds good on a protest sign until you think about it for two seconds.

Sorry I'm dense. Could you explain?

Compare the relative social power of a loser turned school shooter and Mr. Rogers if they were to get into a dispute for any reason and consider what Freddie's position commits him to. It's just wrong to think you can naively look at a hierarchy and determine those on the bottom should be supported over those at the top. There is an actual truth worth considering beyond pure power games.

Ah, I understand now. Thank you.

How does it go? Repression causes (selects for) smart ideas. Smart ideas lead to social dominance. Social dominance allows stupid takes. Stupid takes (eventually) invite repression.

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