Indeed, the postcolonial/identitarian Left have become so far removed from the broad concerns of ordinary voters, preferring the echo chamber of their niche activism, that they've left the field clear for the populist Right, (issues of competency around the incumbent Tories will be their downfall). Across the western world, 2024 will Indeed see the increasing irrelevance of the Left, and as an old skool Lefty, my feelings are ambivalent about that. Perhaps the need a good political kicking to waken them from the ridiculous cul-de-sac that they are rapidly becoming trapped in...
"Identity politics" started as a way to give voice to the voiceless, but has quickly transformed into the most privileged people in society claiming victimhood.
And it's a great route to a salaried job for middle class students. Declare yourself "non-binary", self-diagnose as "having autism" (never "being autistic") - and voila, you can have a comfy, pensionable job in the Third Sector "delivering diversity training".
Thrill as you lecture parents who don't know how they'll feed their kids next week on their "privilege"! Get your rocks off making life-changing decisions about families whose chaotic background you'll never understand!
No life experience required!
Who do we vote for? Conservatives who don't conserve anything, and are ushering in a surveillance state? A Labour Party who ignores the working classes other than as voting fodder? Scottish Liberal Democrats who are neither Liberal nor Democratic, and don't want to be Scottish? Greens who don't care about environmentalism or communities? An SNP who refuse to work for independence?
I've found myself defined by Political Compass as a left libertarian, whose nearest public figure is Pyotr Kropotkin! But I'm sure I'm just a down-the-line indy-supporting social democrat. Have I found myself in this position just for standing still?
I've greatly admired that poem for over 60 years, and I still do. About 20 years ago I began to realise that it is the work of a 40 year old: a person who reasonably believes that they will still be here to contemplate the full consequences -- personal, social, political -- of the derelictions and inadequacies of their moral lives. When I was a teenager, I suppose I thought that the rope bridge labelled Social Democracy + United Nations could carry us across the bottomless chasm labelled nuclear war. Now we're contemplating climate change and the exhaustion of resources. My point was, that there is no point in my feeling guilt or anger or despair about the possible or likely failure of my proposed solutions to these problems -- because the world in which I think these solutions are available simply does not exist.
Firstly, Happy New Year Iain. 🥃
Indeed, the postcolonial/identitarian Left have become so far removed from the broad concerns of ordinary voters, preferring the echo chamber of their niche activism, that they've left the field clear for the populist Right, (issues of competency around the incumbent Tories will be their downfall). Across the western world, 2024 will Indeed see the increasing irrelevance of the Left, and as an old skool Lefty, my feelings are ambivalent about that. Perhaps the need a good political kicking to waken them from the ridiculous cul-de-sac that they are rapidly becoming trapped in...
Anyway, lang may yer lum reek
Hi Iain. Happy New Year to you. T
This is such an accurate, and depressing, read.
"Identity politics" started as a way to give voice to the voiceless, but has quickly transformed into the most privileged people in society claiming victimhood.
And it's a great route to a salaried job for middle class students. Declare yourself "non-binary", self-diagnose as "having autism" (never "being autistic") - and voila, you can have a comfy, pensionable job in the Third Sector "delivering diversity training".
Thrill as you lecture parents who don't know how they'll feed their kids next week on their "privilege"! Get your rocks off making life-changing decisions about families whose chaotic background you'll never understand!
No life experience required!
Who do we vote for? Conservatives who don't conserve anything, and are ushering in a surveillance state? A Labour Party who ignores the working classes other than as voting fodder? Scottish Liberal Democrats who are neither Liberal nor Democratic, and don't want to be Scottish? Greens who don't care about environmentalism or communities? An SNP who refuse to work for independence?
I've found myself defined by Political Compass as a left libertarian, whose nearest public figure is Pyotr Kropotkin! But I'm sure I'm just a down-the-line indy-supporting social democrat. Have I found myself in this position just for standing still?
Generations come.......and other generations go. You don't have to get used to it: you can die despairing.
"Do not go gentle into that good night." Happy New Year.
I've greatly admired that poem for over 60 years, and I still do. About 20 years ago I began to realise that it is the work of a 40 year old: a person who reasonably believes that they will still be here to contemplate the full consequences -- personal, social, political -- of the derelictions and inadequacies of their moral lives. When I was a teenager, I suppose I thought that the rope bridge labelled Social Democracy + United Nations could carry us across the bottomless chasm labelled nuclear war. Now we're contemplating climate change and the exhaustion of resources. My point was, that there is no point in my feeling guilt or anger or despair about the possible or likely failure of my proposed solutions to these problems -- because the world in which I think these solutions are available simply does not exist.