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The Sacred Myths of Liberalism - Eric Kaufmann

TRIGGERnometry

Sun Jun 09 2024



The Sacred Myths of Liberalism:

  • The concept of making race and other issues sacred has led to a culture where any speech or action that could be perceived as offensive results in excommunication or cancellation.
  • This sacredness extends to various aspects like gender, sexuality, and microaggressions, creating an unbounded norm around these topics.
  • The sudden shift towards this anti-racism taboo emerged in the mid-60s in the US, shaping the moral universe significantly.
  • The aftermath of this cultural explosion is seen today with a strong emphasis on sacredness around race, gender, and sexual identity groups.

Implications of Making Issues Sacred:

  • Making something sacred implies it becomes an object of devotion, leading to severe consequences for any perceived offense against it.
  • Offenses related to these sacred issues result in harsh reactions without proportionality or room for redemption.
  • This approach lacks nuance and shades of grey present in law and rationality, fostering a black-and-white view of the world.

Impact of White Guilt:

  • White guilt plays a central role in societal dynamics post-mid 60s by shifting moral authority from white America to black America.
  • It leads individuals to virtue signal their non-racist stance rather than genuinely helping marginalized groups.
  • White guilt stems from liberalism rather than Marxism initially but has become intertwined with liberal movements over time.

Challenges in Addressing Cultural Extremes:

  • There is a lack of courage within society to challenge radical cultural movements effectively.
  • Government intervention is deemed necessary to counter extreme ideologies infiltrating institutions like schools and universities.
  • Urgent reforms are needed in education systems globally to combat indoctrination and promote critical thinking among students.

Political Landscape and Future Directions:

  • Anticipations suggest Labour's victory in upcoming elections may exacerbate woke culture trends further.
  • A serious government response involving detailed guidelines, enforcement mechanisms, teacher training reform, and political neutrality enforcement is crucial for combating indoctrination in schools.
  • Linking everyday issues like immigration and crime rates with cultural wars can help politicians prioritize addressing contentions surrounding education and societal norms.

Liberalism and Cultural Extremes:

  • The discussion delved into concerns about liberalism being taken to extremes, with values like humanitarianism and egalitarianism going too far.
  • Setting boundaries on acceptable behavior was emphasized to prevent damaging cultural shifts such as cancel culture and extreme penalties for minor transgressions.

Generational Pushback Against Liberal Values:

  • Young people were noted to be resisting overbearing liberal values, particularly in response to issues like cancel culture.
  • There is a rebellion against extreme liberalism, especially among young men, while concerns exist that alternative values have not been sufficiently instilled in younger generations.
  • The potential for a punk-like movement challenging extreme liberalism was discussed, highlighting differences in attitudes between young men and women.

Impact of Empathy and Gender Dynamics:

  • The conversation explored how the feminization of society may influence societal norms towards protecting vulnerable groups and promoting empathy.
  • Ideas shifting towards more empathetic approaches were noted to resonate better with women but impact societal norms overall.

Influence of Cultural Marxism:

  • Acknowledgment was made regarding the significant influence of cultural Marxism in shaping current societal trends through education systems.
  • External influences like Soviet efforts or Yuri Bezmenov's theories were met with skepticism regarding their substantial impact compared to internal factors within Western societies.
  • Emphasis was placed on liberals embracing ideologies aligned with cultural Marxists contributing to the success of these ideas in mainstream institutions.

Demographic Changes and Authoritarianism:

  • Concerns were raised about demographic sustainability under liberalism due to declining birth rates compared to religious groups with higher fertility rates.
  • Israel served as an example where conservative religious groups are increasing their influence through population growth, prompting discussions on long-term implications for liberal societies.