The creepy cult of modern faux liberalism

I do think that this kind of harassing behaviour is something way too many people on the political left give a free pass to as long as it happens to their political opponents, though, or just ignore because of the media bubble they live in filtering out anything that casts their side in a bad light. Believe it or not: The only of my exes who's right-wing actually receives at least as much misogynistic hate mail when she participates in political debate on the internet as women of the left do, to the point she had to delete her Facebook profile a couple years ago because of it (and she's not alone), so it really annoys both of us when left-of-centre commentators frame that as something only right-wingers do.

Edited by Toaster Mantis - November 11 2015 at 03:36

It's in large part because of what happened to her that I'm so disturbed by belligerent left-wing rhetoric: I hear and see so much of it on a daily basis, and I know that it has quite a few very real very ugly consequences that get systematically covered up by those news media that lean left.

Maybe it's because my real-life social circle is such a left-wing echo chamber, but the few people I know who lean right are some of the most openminded and skilled debaters I've ever encountered - even though I often don't understand their worldviews or think they reason from some very misguided ideas.

I say this as someone who has in practice promoted mostly traditional left-wing causes, but I find left-wing culture so overtly dysfunctional that I'm no longer politicallly active. (as to be expected, I find right-wing political culture to be messed up in very different - though probably more insidious - ways)

I suspect that this generation will be remembered as the generation that was offended by everything. Every generation needs a cause, something to get angry about that is unique to them, and this is the first generation that hasn't got one. Part of the reason for this is all the previous generations' causes never got resolved, they may have changed the World a little bit, but all the social and environmental injustices that united each generation persist to this day. So now we have a generation that can pick any cause they like and they can be anti- this, that and the other, but they are all tainted by a pallor of cynicism and doubt. As if the small gains of the past are seen as not minor victories but major failings, in that whatever actions the previous generations took in their particular cause célèbre were either ineffectual or poorly aimed. It is as though the earlier generations were not offended enough so this generation has to be more offended.

Edited by Dean - November 11 2015 at 04:29

Uhm, no, not at all.  I'm making an observation.  Period.  The fact that I tend toward progressive politics doesn't negate my ability to assess the national political mood.   One has nothing to do with the other.

Atavachron wrote: But thank you for having the nuts to say it Madan.  And I really don't think the whiskey shots or bong hits had anything to do with my behavior so let's just get off that right now.   Cheers to you and a big awkward hug.

Atavachron wrote: You know everyone's name, you rat !

Atavachron wrote: Uhm, no, not at all.  I'm making an observation.  Period.  The fact that I tend toward progressive politics doesn't negate my ability to assess the national political mood.   One has nothing to do with the other.

Sorry to labour the point, but you said..

"And frankly after Eisenhower, Nixon, Ford, Reagan, Bush l & ll and assorted other empathy-challenged and ethically-bankrupt persons, it's about time"

"It's about time" That sounds like you are an advocate of the sought of left leaning totalitarian behaviour under discussion here.

Also why is it referred to as 'progressive' politics?

This thread poses a very real, threatening question that our society will have to face in the coming years: Is there such thing as an ugly liberal?

On the other hand, I can see where these little 'experiments' on college campuses tie in with the emergence of a new politics.  I guess we have forgotten the importance of student activism in politics; it's been a really long time since there was any churning in politics here-to-before but the signs are everywhere now from North America to Europe to Asia.   I also referred to these sort of incidents as the logical culmination of Progressivism.  Would like to add that it also makes perfect sense that we liberals would feel outraged by it, because such a culmination would involve finally chucking the 'liberal' suffix.  That was required in the 20th century to 'validate' this progressive strand of politics so that it would be seen as pro-choice but with right wing hawks sacrificing liberty for the sake of national security, choice may no longer be seen as as important as shaping a certain kind of world. With that said, I am no closer than you are to figuring out his source of outrage on behalf of the students and find his exhortations to all and sundry to wake up and smell the coffee, so to speak, baffling.  Yes, I can see what is going on but I don't see that as a reason to move my ideals because if I did, they wouldn't be ideals.  I can only see this tiresome trend of PC-ness growing with time but that doesn't mean I will turn cheerleader just to be with it.  I don't think it's right and as a true liberal I don't give a rat's ass what opinion people may have of me for taking that position. 

The Dark Elf wrote: The T wrote: The Dark Elf wrote: The creepy cult of modern faux liberalism? As opposed to the sanguine sect of modern pseudo-conservatives? Those that would even bash Ronald Reagan as a godless lefty?  Those who clap rabidly when a GOP candidate says he would fire IRS agents if he was president? This who don't give a single f**k about people? Yes. Faux liberals are annoying as hell but disgusting pseudo-conservative are way worse.     Actually, Teo, the problem with the U.S. at present is there is an embarrassingly asinine left and an grossly ignorant right, and no one supporting those in the middle, like myself, who have liberal views regarding women's right and the environment, and also believe in fiscal responsibility (fiscal responsibility not equaling failed trickle-down economics and tax cuts for corporations and the ultra-rich in this case).