"The one thing that is absolutely true: most people have no clue that there is even a world outside the bubble of the left." Well, most people IN the Left have no idea - it's like the movie "City of Ember," right? But those of us outside - either by choice or via expulsion - realize how parochial the Left has become. Some 65 years ago, in his essay "Socialism of the Gallows," Albert Camus made an observation that has only become more true in the intervening years: "We must admit that today conformity is on the Left. To be sure, the Right is not brilliant. But the Left is in complete decadence, a prisoner of words, caught in its own vocabulary, capable merely of stereotyped replies, constantly at a loss when faced with truth, from which it nevertheless claimed to derive its laws. The Left is schizophrenic and needs doctoring through pitiless self-criticism, exercise of the heart, close reasoning, and a little modesty."
Libertarian writer William F. Buckley noted back in the '60s that, “Liberals claim to want to give a hearing to other views, but then are shocked and offended to discover that there are other views.”
That's a great quote. I have been a Democrat all of my life but honestly, judging by the conversations I have been having and what I'm seeing -- I think we may be too far gone to pull back from the brink and there aren't enough people with the courage to confront them.
I think most moderates and conservatives are, well, moderate and conservative - and so not prone to confrontation. They prefer to let their vote do their work. The danger becomes if they feel that the election process has been stolen from them, then what outlet do they have?
Already, "progressives" (not MY definition of progress, thank you very much) have been quite successful at making it difficult if not impossible for moderates and conservatives to participate in public discussions.
Again, these feelings and beliefs do not go away or change because of intimidation - what, then, is the outlet for the healthy expression of the values of faith and country?
It's like the fictionalize film quote attributed (falsely) to the Japanese admiral Yamamoto : "I fear we have awakened a sleeping giant."
The Left should be very careful before it unleashes a backlash it has no idea how to contain.
"The one thing that is absolutely true: most people have no clue that there is even a world outside the bubble of the left." Well, most people IN the Left have no idea - it's like the movie "City of Ember," right? But those of us outside - either by choice or via expulsion - realize how parochial the Left has become. Some 65 years ago, in his essay "Socialism of the Gallows," Albert Camus made an observation that has only become more true in the intervening years: "We must admit that today conformity is on the Left. To be sure, the Right is not brilliant. But the Left is in complete decadence, a prisoner of words, caught in its own vocabulary, capable merely of stereotyped replies, constantly at a loss when faced with truth, from which it nevertheless claimed to derive its laws. The Left is schizophrenic and needs doctoring through pitiless self-criticism, exercise of the heart, close reasoning, and a little modesty."
Libertarian writer William F. Buckley noted back in the '60s that, “Liberals claim to want to give a hearing to other views, but then are shocked and offended to discover that there are other views.”
That's a great quote. I have been a Democrat all of my life but honestly, judging by the conversations I have been having and what I'm seeing -- I think we may be too far gone to pull back from the brink and there aren't enough people with the courage to confront them.
I think most moderates and conservatives are, well, moderate and conservative - and so not prone to confrontation. They prefer to let their vote do their work. The danger becomes if they feel that the election process has been stolen from them, then what outlet do they have?
Already, "progressives" (not MY definition of progress, thank you very much) have been quite successful at making it difficult if not impossible for moderates and conservatives to participate in public discussions.
Again, these feelings and beliefs do not go away or change because of intimidation - what, then, is the outlet for the healthy expression of the values of faith and country?
It's like the fictionalize film quote attributed (falsely) to the Japanese admiral Yamamoto : "I fear we have awakened a sleeping giant."
The Left should be very careful before it unleashes a backlash it has no idea how to contain.