I think Tom Nichols said it a week or two ago that there is this idea on the right that the left constantly obsesses about them and how they live their lives when the reality is that the majority of the people in question don’t think about them at all. If we could actually go back to that, we *might* have a shot at making it through this current crisis.
I think Tom Nichols said it a week or two ago that there is this idea on the right that the left constantly obsesses about them and how they live their lives when the reality is that the majority of the people in question don’t think about them at all. If we could actually go back to that, we *might* have a shot at making it through this current crisis.
Heh, and yet here we are analyzing what's gone wrong with the right in this country. :-)
Where we're at with tribalism has resulted in lots of (usually simplistic, often ridiculous) assessment of the other side. And, interestingly, very little analysis about what one's own side ought to be doing to help the country. (Yes, I do believe the right is worse in both categories, but the left is game for the chase.)
No doubt it's a tangent. But, that happens often in the comments here.
However, I'd argue it's somewhat relevant. The obsession about the other side may be the primary driving force in current politics, especially on the right. While we often see potentially constructive policy proposals from Biden, et al, what do we see on offer from the GOP? Tax cuts? Border walls? Book banning?
Further, while this sort of thing is a tangent for the current piece, I'd argue it's right in the wheelhouse for the newsletter, generally.
It is the driving force. But I think for two very different reasons. When we look at the animating forces on the left for grievance it revolves around equal rights (mostly) for marginalized communities to live as themselves. On the right, the grievances seem to revolve around the world changing too quickly. This isn’t to make the left seem noble, I’m just looking at the issues that drive the respective bases to anger.
"On the right, the grievances seem to revolve around the world changing too quickly."
And you know, that is sometimes a valid grievance. It is very well established within human nature that some people are just naturally resistant to change. The cultural left often doesn't help this either in that they can often jump on the first shiny new object without thinking it through (e.g. Latinx, Defund the Police, decriminalizing illegal border crossings, etc.) and then automatically shame those who are like, "no that's stupid". It's a Facebook video, but Jim Jeffries did a bit on about how the youth are quick to jump on (albeit accurate) accusations of bigotry, without realizing that the person they're going after just recently changed their mind on an issue and became a bit more progressive. Language warning: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=434983941023371
It’s a valid grievance if something is being asked of the people resistant to change. Take for example the most pressing culture war issue, transgender affirming care. It asks nothing of the people vociferously championing legislation that bans care. Yet here they are, citing a theoretical need to protect the children of others! It can be a valid grievance, but in so many instances in today’s discourse, it’s simply about things they don’t like and which don’t have any influence over their lives.
Yep, agreed. And I think one has to try hard to resist the easy "noble" self-righteous thinking. I.e. 'well, at least the Dems are trying to help lift up everyone. What do conservatives do besides enable the rich at the expense of their own self interests?'
Consider a libertarian-amped conservative. They (truly) believe that maximum liberty is the primary goal in and of itself. So, it's no surprise that they'd view "collectivist" pro-gov't lefties with disdain. In the best case, considering them well-meaning but naive fools. Now, bring the annoying progressive segment of the left into the mix, with their own illiberal tendencies, and you'll really set that type of conservative off.
To be sure, in my example I'm talking about a principled libertarian-leaning conservative. Someone that really has no use for Trumpism. The point, though, is that it's not simply a monolith on the right standing athwart history yelling stop. While some are simply resisting change, I've encountered plenty of conservatives with other motivating characteristics.
I would argue that the left didn't start obsessing over the right until the late Bush years and then it really took off with Trump. Historically (last 60 years~) the right has been more obsessed with the "enemy within" than most of the left.
I agree. Further, I think it's part of the right's DNA more so than the left.
I suppose the other recent development is that the right has dropped any pretenses of sensibility, so it's difficult not to call out the right. Not to mention that "triggering" and "owning the libs" seem to be the primary centerpieces of the right now. I.e. trying to generate an "outrage" reaction on the left is what the right spends most of its time dwelling on.
I think Tom Nichols said it a week or two ago that there is this idea on the right that the left constantly obsesses about them and how they live their lives when the reality is that the majority of the people in question don’t think about them at all. If we could actually go back to that, we *might* have a shot at making it through this current crisis.
Heh, and yet here we are analyzing what's gone wrong with the right in this country. :-)
Where we're at with tribalism has resulted in lots of (usually simplistic, often ridiculous) assessment of the other side. And, interestingly, very little analysis about what one's own side ought to be doing to help the country. (Yes, I do believe the right is worse in both categories, but the left is game for the chase.)
I guess we can “both sides” this, but that’s not really the point of the exercise. And it certainly isn’t what the newsletter is about.
No doubt it's a tangent. But, that happens often in the comments here.
However, I'd argue it's somewhat relevant. The obsession about the other side may be the primary driving force in current politics, especially on the right. While we often see potentially constructive policy proposals from Biden, et al, what do we see on offer from the GOP? Tax cuts? Border walls? Book banning?
Further, while this sort of thing is a tangent for the current piece, I'd argue it's right in the wheelhouse for the newsletter, generally.
It is the driving force. But I think for two very different reasons. When we look at the animating forces on the left for grievance it revolves around equal rights (mostly) for marginalized communities to live as themselves. On the right, the grievances seem to revolve around the world changing too quickly. This isn’t to make the left seem noble, I’m just looking at the issues that drive the respective bases to anger.
"On the right, the grievances seem to revolve around the world changing too quickly."
And you know, that is sometimes a valid grievance. It is very well established within human nature that some people are just naturally resistant to change. The cultural left often doesn't help this either in that they can often jump on the first shiny new object without thinking it through (e.g. Latinx, Defund the Police, decriminalizing illegal border crossings, etc.) and then automatically shame those who are like, "no that's stupid". It's a Facebook video, but Jim Jeffries did a bit on about how the youth are quick to jump on (albeit accurate) accusations of bigotry, without realizing that the person they're going after just recently changed their mind on an issue and became a bit more progressive. Language warning: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=434983941023371
It’s a valid grievance if something is being asked of the people resistant to change. Take for example the most pressing culture war issue, transgender affirming care. It asks nothing of the people vociferously championing legislation that bans care. Yet here they are, citing a theoretical need to protect the children of others! It can be a valid grievance, but in so many instances in today’s discourse, it’s simply about things they don’t like and which don’t have any influence over their lives.
Yep, agreed. And I think one has to try hard to resist the easy "noble" self-righteous thinking. I.e. 'well, at least the Dems are trying to help lift up everyone. What do conservatives do besides enable the rich at the expense of their own self interests?'
Consider a libertarian-amped conservative. They (truly) believe that maximum liberty is the primary goal in and of itself. So, it's no surprise that they'd view "collectivist" pro-gov't lefties with disdain. In the best case, considering them well-meaning but naive fools. Now, bring the annoying progressive segment of the left into the mix, with their own illiberal tendencies, and you'll really set that type of conservative off.
To be sure, in my example I'm talking about a principled libertarian-leaning conservative. Someone that really has no use for Trumpism. The point, though, is that it's not simply a monolith on the right standing athwart history yelling stop. While some are simply resisting change, I've encountered plenty of conservatives with other motivating characteristics.
I would argue that the left didn't start obsessing over the right until the late Bush years and then it really took off with Trump. Historically (last 60 years~) the right has been more obsessed with the "enemy within" than most of the left.
I agree. Further, I think it's part of the right's DNA more so than the left.
I suppose the other recent development is that the right has dropped any pretenses of sensibility, so it's difficult not to call out the right. Not to mention that "triggering" and "owning the libs" seem to be the primary centerpieces of the right now. I.e. trying to generate an "outrage" reaction on the left is what the right spends most of its time dwelling on.