The problem is that the Left's arguments are often so convoluted, absurd, and self-defeating that I couldn't take them seriously if I tried. And I have tried. But when I follow one of their philosophical threads to its logical conclusion, I discover that the thread has no conclusion. It suddenly splits in another direction, and another, and another, and when I step back all I see is a tangled web of contradictions. What choice do I have but to be dismissive? All that one can do with nonsense, in the end, is dismiss it.A rational person doesn't have to accept any of those points simultaneously, or individually.
Allow me to illustrate...
Step One. We are told that "all men must be regarded as potential monsters to be feared." It's not that all men are actively dangerous, but that "rape culture" and patriarchy ingrains in all men the latent possibility of "violence and harm"...
Step Two. This does follow logically from the first. We're told we must elect women and hire women and put women in positions of power and whatever we do just focus on elevating women at all costs. Women are better. We may even see the end of war and suffering if women ran things. Go women! Girl power!...
Step Three. We're told that we should let men in the women's bathroom and the women's locker room.
But wait. What about Step One?...
Step Four. We're told that we should let men compete in women's sports. And we should cheer when a man beats a woman half to death in an MMA match.
But wait. What about Step Two?...
Step Five. We're told that all of this is OK because men can actually be women.
But wait. What about Steps One and Two?...
Step Six. We're told that women shouldn't carry guns because guns won't make anyone safer.
But wait. Go back to Step One again...
Step Seven. We're told that we don't need guns because police have them. Only police should have guns.
OK, Six and Seven seem to work together pretty well.
But wait.
-Step Eight. We're told that cops are part of a "culture of racism" which motivates them to target minorities for arrest and execution...
But wait. What about Step Seven?...
A rational person cannot possibly believe all eight of these points simultaneously.
Education, politics, and anything else that catches my attention.
Wednesday, November 29, 2017
When Taken Together, It's Not A Very Consistent Belief System
This post doesn't need commentary from me:
Darren, I agree with many of your posts, especially about education. But the reason why these snippets from various news and/or website sources don't hang together is because they are not statements from "the left," but statements from various little sub-groups and splinter groups. Would you ever try to make Libertarian and conservative Catholic views agree with each other? or evangelical views mix well with Wall Street? I think not.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your overall point; however, there's much more disagreement on the left than there is on the right. The left is more monolithic.
ReplyDeleteWho on the left admits to opposing abortion?
Who on the left wants to build the border wall?
Who on the left supports the 2nd Amendment?
Who on the left doesn't support "hate crimes" legislation, or "free speech areas" on campuses?
Who on the left advocates for a smaller, leaner, more efficient government?
Who on the left doesn't support gay marriage?
All of these are discussed on the right (or by Republicans). They're articles of faith on the Left, and are not to be debated.
Depends on what you mean by "left." I'm a lifelong progressive Democrat, and I can support limitations on abortion, controlling our borders, I'm fine with firearms with reasonable safeguards, have no use for hate crime legislation or free speech areas, can see several areas of government that need trimming, and I guess the only one where you have pegged me is gay marriage. And this would describe most of the Democrats I know. Of course, we are not in California or New York City.
ReplyDelete