I wrote a little essay, linked at the bottom of this page, that critiques modern leftism. I drew from a variety of political theorists to craft this little piece. Over time I hope to contribute more to it, perhaps eventually it will be its very own ebook.
My central thesis
I fear that leftists in the United States have simultaneously jettisoned their commitment to radical freedom and taken up the mantle of righteousness. In doing so the liberal movement has become essentially indistinguishable from any other politicized group, be they communists, fascists or jihadists. The principles which govern the actions of each of these groupings are dissimilar, however, participants in each of these movements share a fanatical belief in the validity of their respective principles and eagerly employ coercion and indoctrination to impose these principles on those outside the dominant group.
A couple lines that explain the narrative a bit more..
Liberals often forget that structures of thought apart from twentieth century liberalism exist and that the principles they take as a given are not universal, an error often made by radicals of various persuasions.
Once rooted, liberalism feels as natural and intuitive as any other political or religious ideology. In less educated circles, liberal votaries often have no idea from where their values derive, they simply feel a certain way during a discussion, assume certain principles to be absolute, and draw their conclusions accordingly.
Prohibiting blasphemous attacks on absolute truth claims often has the effect of weakening a society’s understanding of the truth itself. As years pass evidence and arguments are forgotten. Rationally defensible arguments are soon defended as though they were a biblical commandment, that is, dogmatically rather than rationally.
The earnestness with which liberals seek to improve the world, or in other words, mold the world according to their belief system, is particularly frightening, in that those in opposition to the liberal agenda invariably are labeled enemies of human progress. What is to be done with an enemy of truth, with an obstacle to human progress?
......a movement that is essentially indistinguishable from all previous political movements, be they fascist, communist, conservative etc, in that all such movements 1) come to an understanding as to what is truth, 2) identify dissenters, 3) move uniformly to bring about the elimination of the opposition using every tool at hand.
Ultimately leftists are not content with progressive, organic, slow change and so they resort to the means, indoctrination or coercion, which all ideologues employ. Liberals have used Mill’s to create vision of utopia and discarded his commitment to radical freedom. It is reminiscent of the old saying, “A revolutionary party, the day after seizing, becomes staunchly conservative.
A little on the internet
The internet in its current form can be described a bastion of freedom. Expression on the internet is limited only by internal constraints, such as illiteracy or dogma. For Mills the internet would have been a godsend, a tool which allows one to shed social norms, a medium for uninhibited expression.
Evidence of indoctrination....quick overview not excerpt
For a liberal racism is bad, but why? Its taken as truth, indoctrination. I can answer that question. A racist limits the number of people they can date, hire, love, befriend. Their lives will be lesser as a result. Most liberals could not answer this question. They are no different than a religious zealot.
Let me know what you guys think. Will be working on this for for awhile, but ya gotta start somewhere.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HYN3M74
My central thesis
I fear that leftists in the United States have simultaneously jettisoned their commitment to radical freedom and taken up the mantle of righteousness. In doing so the liberal movement has become essentially indistinguishable from any other politicized group, be they communists, fascists or jihadists. The principles which govern the actions of each of these groupings are dissimilar, however, participants in each of these movements share a fanatical belief in the validity of their respective principles and eagerly employ coercion and indoctrination to impose these principles on those outside the dominant group.
A couple lines that explain the narrative a bit more..
Liberals often forget that structures of thought apart from twentieth century liberalism exist and that the principles they take as a given are not universal, an error often made by radicals of various persuasions.
Once rooted, liberalism feels as natural and intuitive as any other political or religious ideology. In less educated circles, liberal votaries often have no idea from where their values derive, they simply feel a certain way during a discussion, assume certain principles to be absolute, and draw their conclusions accordingly.
Prohibiting blasphemous attacks on absolute truth claims often has the effect of weakening a society’s understanding of the truth itself. As years pass evidence and arguments are forgotten. Rationally defensible arguments are soon defended as though they were a biblical commandment, that is, dogmatically rather than rationally.
The earnestness with which liberals seek to improve the world, or in other words, mold the world according to their belief system, is particularly frightening, in that those in opposition to the liberal agenda invariably are labeled enemies of human progress. What is to be done with an enemy of truth, with an obstacle to human progress?
......a movement that is essentially indistinguishable from all previous political movements, be they fascist, communist, conservative etc, in that all such movements 1) come to an understanding as to what is truth, 2) identify dissenters, 3) move uniformly to bring about the elimination of the opposition using every tool at hand.
Ultimately leftists are not content with progressive, organic, slow change and so they resort to the means, indoctrination or coercion, which all ideologues employ. Liberals have used Mill’s to create vision of utopia and discarded his commitment to radical freedom. It is reminiscent of the old saying, “A revolutionary party, the day after seizing, becomes staunchly conservative.
A little on the internet
The internet in its current form can be described a bastion of freedom. Expression on the internet is limited only by internal constraints, such as illiteracy or dogma. For Mills the internet would have been a godsend, a tool which allows one to shed social norms, a medium for uninhibited expression.
Evidence of indoctrination....quick overview not excerpt
For a liberal racism is bad, but why? Its taken as truth, indoctrination. I can answer that question. A racist limits the number of people they can date, hire, love, befriend. Their lives will be lesser as a result. Most liberals could not answer this question. They are no different than a religious zealot.
Let me know what you guys think. Will be working on this for for awhile, but ya gotta start somewhere.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HYN3M74
