Uncivilized

We live in strange times. In the English speaking West, we are supposedly experiencing a resurgence of a frighteningly populist Right, with figures like Trump and events like Brexit signalling a return to the infamous catastrophes of 20th century fascism. This is a time when many people of all political stripes are drawn to the Left, simply because they see it as a necessary rebuke to a more dangerous far right alternative.

At the same time, many on the Left are expressing an increased dissatisfaction with our side of the political spectrum. This has led to a good deal of defecting, with many figures who would self-identify as left-wing, now being associated with, or sometimes joining sides with, the Left’s traditional opponents (Conservatives and Libertarians). The result is paradoxical. Figures associated with the right-wing side of today’s culture wars are often people who, even ten years ago, wouldn’t be seen as particularly right-wing. Podcaster Sam Harris was a fierce opponent of George W Bush’s foreign policy; the comedy creation ‘Jonathan Pie’ is both a Socialist and Remainer, while writer Tim Pool mostly holds views that wouldn’t be out of place in the Democrat Party of 2008. Even the infamous Helen Pluckrose encouraged her fans to vote left as recently as the 2018 US mid-term elections.

Yet these people have careers where, regardless of how they define themselves, they are mostly associated with a backlash against the Left.

This state of affairs exists because many of the biggest critics of the 21st century Left are people that would have easily fitted into the 20th century Left. The lesson here is obvious, but difficult for many to see: the 21st century mainstream Left is in many ways, more like the radical 20th century Left. The mainstream Left of the previous century has largely been excommunicated from today’s idea of what left is. This is why so many figures who would have fitted comfortably in the 20th century Left are now only given platforms in circles associated with the Right.