I wish I had attended the Dissident Dialogues. Did you discern a material difference between the "Left" and the "Liberal?" Sometimes, people conflate the two which is misapprehension. As for the future of anti-woke, perhaps the future is one where non-conformers (however defined) are more influential than conformers? I think we may witne…
I wish I had attended the Dissident Dialogues. Did you discern a material difference between the "Left" and the "Liberal?" Sometimes, people conflate the two which is misapprehension. As for the future of anti-woke, perhaps the future is one where non-conformers (however defined) are more influential than conformers? I think we may witness the birth of non-conformers in the 2030s and 2040s who will rebel against their conforming elders who have captured institutions today. What do you think?
"...perhaps the future is one where non-conformers (however defined) are more influential than conformers", you're speaking my language! I totally agree that valuing non-conformity is the key to genuine progress/evolution; it's how we keep bringing in new ideas and examining old ones.
I've seen the same potential trap that made this impossible on the Left start forming in certain, more collectivist parts of the Right, which is just the same tribal, collectivist problem whereby nonconformity is seen as a threat more than an opportunity to consider. I see it as the difference between two modes of thinking: 1) "this is how things should be and any challenge to that is a threat" and 2) "I have my preference for how things should be but that vision includes the process of considering credible challenges to itself." The core of what I'm doing with The Black Sheep is creating a subculture modeled after the latter instead of the former!
As for the distinction between Liberal and Leftist, totally agree that this crucial difference gets lost. At least for the speakers, most people discussing topics where this distinction was relevant did make it, such as the "Can Liberalism Be Saved?" debate. There are a lot of people who would consider themselves classical liberals in attendance too. I've noticed the same mistake in conflating Leftist with Liberal in more partisan discussions online. I even think leftists themselves make this mistake!
It's such a loss too because a lot of people who dislike leftism but don't feel called to libertarianism or conservatism end up feeling lost, when there's actually a philosophy designed exactly for them! I'm thinking about doing more straight-up education on what classical liberalism is vs isn't because of how common this issue is!
And thank you for reading and sharing your thoughtful comment, really glad to hear from you regarding this essay. And yes, you would've LOVED Dissident Dialogues!
I wish I had attended the Dissident Dialogues. Did you discern a material difference between the "Left" and the "Liberal?" Sometimes, people conflate the two which is misapprehension. As for the future of anti-woke, perhaps the future is one where non-conformers (however defined) are more influential than conformers? I think we may witness the birth of non-conformers in the 2030s and 2040s who will rebel against their conforming elders who have captured institutions today. What do you think?
Enjoyed this essay from the front lines.
"...perhaps the future is one where non-conformers (however defined) are more influential than conformers", you're speaking my language! I totally agree that valuing non-conformity is the key to genuine progress/evolution; it's how we keep bringing in new ideas and examining old ones.
I've seen the same potential trap that made this impossible on the Left start forming in certain, more collectivist parts of the Right, which is just the same tribal, collectivist problem whereby nonconformity is seen as a threat more than an opportunity to consider. I see it as the difference between two modes of thinking: 1) "this is how things should be and any challenge to that is a threat" and 2) "I have my preference for how things should be but that vision includes the process of considering credible challenges to itself." The core of what I'm doing with The Black Sheep is creating a subculture modeled after the latter instead of the former!
As for the distinction between Liberal and Leftist, totally agree that this crucial difference gets lost. At least for the speakers, most people discussing topics where this distinction was relevant did make it, such as the "Can Liberalism Be Saved?" debate. There are a lot of people who would consider themselves classical liberals in attendance too. I've noticed the same mistake in conflating Leftist with Liberal in more partisan discussions online. I even think leftists themselves make this mistake!
It's such a loss too because a lot of people who dislike leftism but don't feel called to libertarianism or conservatism end up feeling lost, when there's actually a philosophy designed exactly for them! I'm thinking about doing more straight-up education on what classical liberalism is vs isn't because of how common this issue is!
And thank you for reading and sharing your thoughtful comment, really glad to hear from you regarding this essay. And yes, you would've LOVED Dissident Dialogues!