There is an ever-increasingly focus on race in contemporary political discourse where different races are viewed as monolithic groups with common interests, shared experiences and inherent behaviours. Although this is something primarily seen within "The Left", "The Right" does fall into the same trap and collectivism is now boiling like never before. I argue that issues that are seemingly race-related are being exploited to establish control and - paradoxically enough - speaking up against this or even questioning the concept of "race" as a whole is shut down with the smear-word of "racist". Constantly emphasing the importance of race and presenting it as the primary unit of existence can never serve to combat racism and only cause racism to grow even bigger since it itself is racist. For me, it is rather obvious that the cure to racism cannot be more racism and only be individualism -- We must move away from tribalism and establish a more civilised discussion to combat the problems of today. Questions: Do you think "race" is being used a means of establishing totalitarianism? Who is more guilty of doing this; Left or Right? Is race even a valid concept at all? Any other thoughts? I have low expectations with this thread and no hope at all of it leading to anything constructive and therefore do not care too much about elaborating or clarifying too much in my opening post.
To me, it's obvious that the left is the far more guilty party. In the US, what constitutes the left is almost entirely based on identity politics and organizing along identity group lines, as opposed to 60 years ago or so when the emphasis was on class. "Wokeism" has only accelerated that since muh lived experience has superseded data in the national conversation. What has the right done that's similar?
Yes, because The Left rests on collectivist premises and thinks social interactions and relationships are a zero sum game. However, "The Right" (I put in quotations because I do not think there is any real opposition these days) is no better and pretty much agrees withThe Left on all the premises, so it is not as clear cut as it should be. I have no idea why the right does not denounce the collectivism of the left and loudly advocate individualism. Well, actually, I do know why - Statism.
Well the "Right" isn't one movement, it's many movements, and that's particularly true country to country. I don't think you could reasonably compare the Right in the US with the Right in Sweden, however I think it would be easier to compare the Left from country to country. American, British, or Swedish leftists I suspect might be more similar.
The modern usage and classification of "Right" makes a package deal out of everything from Neo Nazism to Objectivism, Libertarianism and Evangelical Conservatism to standard Republicans. Movements that have absolutely nothing in common. My thesis is that there is no real, fundamental or essential difference between Democrats and Republicans as both agree on the premises and it is thus wrong to speak of the political parties as dichotomies on a horizontal axis. They are all the same as far as essentials go.
Well not to disappoint your low expectations, I don't think it is race they are using. It is criminalizing things that are most likely to fill jail and prison cells with the unwashed masses (and I think the DNC is probably the best at it bar none).
Technically there is just one race, what we mean when we talk about different "races" is different cultures or ethnicities. An ethnically African American is culturally different than an East African. A white New Yorker is culturally different than a Russian. So "race" as it is crudely used is valid if we are talking about racial inequities. The members of a culture or race that, en masse, feels its people are treated prejudicially is not wanting to be treated as individual members but wanting to be regarded as a member of a culture that wants to be treated equally. Saying people should be regarded as individuals in all instances takes their power away, much like busting a union and each worker is on his own.
Watching TV lately one gets the impression that every month is now black history month and whites are evil and all guilty.
