09-20-2019, 10:03 AM
(09-20-2019, 09:35 AM)Spandaubaggie Wrote: I sometimes think this country is the only one in which everyone wants to be outraged all the time, but seeing what has happened to Trudeau and his blacking up news story shows this is not the case.
I think the impossible standards of today's society, the willingness to use historical personal skeletons, no matter how mild, as a reason to label someone makes me wonder if liberalism is really fuelling the far right?
For instance, I truly see myself as liberal and tolerant, but I think everyone is mildly racist. In fact it's been proven, if any of you have read Malcolm Gladwell's studies you'll know this.
We live in an age due to incidents like the one with Trudeau where we are not allowed to say facts like most grooming gangs are Pakistani Muslim, most knife crime is black guys on estates, etc
The level of liberalism, carefully walking on eggshells etc, means the slightest word out of order and some Guardian reader type will fly into an intellectual rage.
I, as most of you know, am strongly Remain, hate the little Englander attitude, and welcome multiculturalism. I despise the ridiculous levels of racism stoked up by Brexit, but I can see how it has come about because until people can start having an honest debate about the real issues rather than getting outraged at some politician for his fancy dress outfit when he was young, the right will continue to grow angrier.
It's a very interesting subject. On the one hand having the facilities to actually have a debate and an open one about almost anything should be liberating. And for many people who share concerns / illnesses / problems etc in supportive on/off line communities - enabling 24hr contact - it's an amazing transformation.
Mock outrage, the level of hypocrisy, bandwagon jumpers and the manipulation of those channels by powers at large mean there's so much noise nobody gets heard so people resort to more outlandish, angry, febrile and childish comment and thus round and round in a never ending cycle.
As for the blackface thing then I think nearly 200 years of history around that and its roots and the portrayal of black people as somewhat less than human was in my psyche 20-30 years ago and Trudeaux should have known better - although I'm sure his white Canadian backwater privileged lifestyle meant he never even considered it an issue. As for whether his life should now be canned because of that error of judgement is ridiculous. I mean there's nobody who hasn't cross a line at some point.
To finish. If I hear another mom spouting out about how she's now an eco-warrior like her daughter Olivetta (who's out climate activating today) because she's turned vegan at the same time as taking little Tarquin to school, 300 metres, in the massive Merc 4x4 she can't drive, wearing the latest leather Jimmy Choos, meeting friend Felicity in the John Lewis cafe whilst buying the latest teak armchair for £1000. FFS.