My spouse and I are pretty much in tune about politics and society (tho we differ on some things). We've talked about how, even as lifelong progressive liberals, we now find ourselves outside the tribe, at least in terms of the opinion leaders. For example, a lovely organization we voluntee…
My spouse and I are pretty much in tune about politics and society (tho we differ on some things). We've talked about how, even as lifelong progressive liberals, we now find ourselves outside the tribe, at least in terms of the opinion leaders. For example, a lovely organization we volunteer at, has for the most laudable of reasons become woke, and we wonder how long it will be able to fulfil it's mission. For dissenting about DiAngelo's "White Fragility" a while back, we are on the periphery, not excluded but regarded with suspicion by some in leadership.
Like you, we feel that we basically have the same values we've had for decades, but there are other changes. A lot is the shift among the left, towards strategies which we strongly believe (after considerable thought and reading/viewing/talking) are counter-productive to progressive/liberal goals compatible with our values. But even with similar goals, any dissent on strategies, or even deep discussion of them, seems to be largely suppressed on the left today; it has become far more dogmatic than the subculture we joined many years ago. Some of the things which repelled us from moralistic conservatives seem to be emerging as mainstream on the left, with nearly no self-awareness.
But I have to admit, that I have also shifted. Not my values so much as my evaluation of the evidence on what works and what doesn't, which has evolved since my youth. Translating values to the real world involves connecting them with our best model of how the world works, and that latter model can change over time. I'm less optimistic that breaking things from passionate enthusiasm will somehow result in the emergence of a better order; there are far more ways to break things than to fix them, and we are not anywhere close to the worst case (ie: with nothing to lose as a society). Today I have more respect for concepts like "know why a fence was built before tearing it down" or "when remodeling, understand which walls you are removing are load-bearing walls and have a plan for that". I suppose those may be considered more "conservative" in a broad sense.
I was curious about your own path in part because my impression is that relatively fewer people of color break free of the narrative. There can be factors of peer pressure, or expected tribal loyalty to complicate the path. And of course, the role handed to them by The Oppression Narrative is superficially more attractive - they are assigned the role of the aggrieved party with the moral high ground, resenting the privilege of other other side; they can celebrate themselves, numb out any incipient criticism, and blame other people for everything. As a human being, I can see the attraction of that, but I think it's poisoned candy - albeit a slow poison whose effects on mental health are gradual and easily attributed to those same oppressors.
I realize that breaking free of that is possible for all sexes, races, sexual orientations, etc. But it's harder for those whom The Narrative elevates. We know its possible tho - we enjoy Coleman Hughes, John McWhorter, Glenn Loury, and YOU, among others. Thank you for the light you shed; I enjoy the fruits of your taking the time to think things out.
That describes my own history pretty well too.
My spouse and I are pretty much in tune about politics and society (tho we differ on some things). We've talked about how, even as lifelong progressive liberals, we now find ourselves outside the tribe, at least in terms of the opinion leaders. For example, a lovely organization we volunteer at, has for the most laudable of reasons become woke, and we wonder how long it will be able to fulfil it's mission. For dissenting about DiAngelo's "White Fragility" a while back, we are on the periphery, not excluded but regarded with suspicion by some in leadership.
Like you, we feel that we basically have the same values we've had for decades, but there are other changes. A lot is the shift among the left, towards strategies which we strongly believe (after considerable thought and reading/viewing/talking) are counter-productive to progressive/liberal goals compatible with our values. But even with similar goals, any dissent on strategies, or even deep discussion of them, seems to be largely suppressed on the left today; it has become far more dogmatic than the subculture we joined many years ago. Some of the things which repelled us from moralistic conservatives seem to be emerging as mainstream on the left, with nearly no self-awareness.
But I have to admit, that I have also shifted. Not my values so much as my evaluation of the evidence on what works and what doesn't, which has evolved since my youth. Translating values to the real world involves connecting them with our best model of how the world works, and that latter model can change over time. I'm less optimistic that breaking things from passionate enthusiasm will somehow result in the emergence of a better order; there are far more ways to break things than to fix them, and we are not anywhere close to the worst case (ie: with nothing to lose as a society). Today I have more respect for concepts like "know why a fence was built before tearing it down" or "when remodeling, understand which walls you are removing are load-bearing walls and have a plan for that". I suppose those may be considered more "conservative" in a broad sense.
I was curious about your own path in part because my impression is that relatively fewer people of color break free of the narrative. There can be factors of peer pressure, or expected tribal loyalty to complicate the path. And of course, the role handed to them by The Oppression Narrative is superficially more attractive - they are assigned the role of the aggrieved party with the moral high ground, resenting the privilege of other other side; they can celebrate themselves, numb out any incipient criticism, and blame other people for everything. As a human being, I can see the attraction of that, but I think it's poisoned candy - albeit a slow poison whose effects on mental health are gradual and easily attributed to those same oppressors.
I realize that breaking free of that is possible for all sexes, races, sexual orientations, etc. But it's harder for those whom The Narrative elevates. We know its possible tho - we enjoy Coleman Hughes, John McWhorter, Glenn Loury, and YOU, among others. Thank you for the light you shed; I enjoy the fruits of your taking the time to think things out.