Progressives

I tend to be tolerant of the social conservatives, even the silly ones.  I disagree with most of their tenants, but with a few vocal exceptions, they seem a nice enough bunch of folks.  I hesitate to judge people as backward or savage, since by some future morality, we will all be judged harshly.  We will either be judged as backward and repressive like we judge the Puritans, or perhaps as amoral and debauched as we consider the Romans.

Morality changes, and any time we project that our current morality will be the future morality we have a pretty bad track record.  Yet historically, people always assume that their current morality is the truest morality.

So I don’t mind the social conservatives, although I don’t vote for their candidates, and I wouldn’t want to subscribe to their newsletters.

Progressives on the other hand, are more fun to drink with.  At least they used to be.  Increasingly, especially as the election looms, many seem more and more likely to look for offense -- which, to me at least, is pretty tiresome.  I judge their current platform harshly, and think many of it’s ideas don’t stand up to logical scrutiny or the lessons of history. 

The current crops of progressives seem resistant to consider alternative viewpoints, and are increasingly ridged in their viewpoints.   Their politics don’t seem like philosophy to be debated, but instead dogma which must be repeated.   There seems little discussion of policy choices, only a repeating of a few select facts, an agreement that the other side is stupid and monstrous, and a lot of nodding. While many progressives consider themselves open-minded and independent, there seems little leeway or difference between their opinions and those of their peers.  They are the new grey flannel suits, conformist and unyielding with surprisingly little room for individuality.

I suppose it’s inevitable.  Historically, progressives – be they suffragettes, prohibitionists, Bolsheviks or whatever – tend to be a pretty arrogant bunch (which can be a good thing).  They are always ready to march -- occasionally to a better future, but occasionally off a cliff.  Given their track record -- maybe a 30% average of real lasting change, with an equal chance of atrocity or genocide – you’d figure progressives of any era would be a bit less strident, and maybe a bit more careful or critical of the platforms they embrace.

But here we are again, marching in yoga-panted lockstep toward uncertainty.  Let’s hope for the happy 30% this time around.