Conservative liberalism: The new ‘cool’?

@wwaycorrigan
‘I’m blue, da ba dee da ba daa …’ Those of a certain vintage will remember that pop hit from the late 90s. What exactly the «blue» referred to in the song, I’m not sure, but with the passing of a generation since it was a chart-topper, it could be well worth re-releasing today.

This time around the blue, from a UK and Ireland (don’t mention the Blueshirts) perspective in any case, would refer to conservatism. Or conservative liberalism if you will — you can insert the appropriate colour these political philosophies mean to you.

The tune could become an anthem, cheesy as it is, for those of us growing increasingly tired of the noisy, disproportionately influential comrades of, what we’ll call here for simplicity’s sake, the radical left and the many otherwise centrist folk who seem spellbound by it.

Not-so-free radicals
These radicals claim to represent balance, fairness, free speech and freedom in general — broad liberal values as they are — yet they are doing anything but that. The discourse that dominates mainstream media and much of social media, particularly Facebook, as well as academia across the greater English-speaking world is one which aims to consign much of our essential history to the rubbish bin while encouraging malignant groupthink with its associated identity politics.

This either reinforces racism where it may exist or creates it where it doesn’t, under terms dictated for the most part by middle-class whites, ignorant of the racism in their very own conduct.

To go against this implies that one is a racist, white supremacist, homophobe or what have you. If you’re not part of the witch hunt, ergo, you are a witch. I guess ‘non-whites’ who also speak out about or merely question the motives of the denounce-and-destroy brigade are seen as some sort of choc ices — if one is allowed to refer to such a term these days. The list of proscribed phrases and views grows by the day. Anything can be twisted to fit the ‘you’re a racist, etc.’ narrative. As one commentator put it, ‘being colour-blind is now being racist‘.

Indeed, much has been said and written, with good reason, about the Orwellian nature to all of this. There is only one accepted line and woe betide all those not following it, the Thought Police are watching. Room 101 for correction awaits or face being «cancelled». In practice, both tend to be the fate for nonconformists.

Thankfully, however, the Party isn’t in total control just yet. Dissenting voices of reason, of openness, of inclusiveness, still have a platform, ever smaller as it is becoming.

‘Where once there were no limits on the ‘coolness’ of being left, especially for the under-40s, now, I like to think anyway, it’s becoming cooler to be right.’

That being said, all but the complete ignorant accept that we have many inequalities to overcome. While equality of opportunity may be an impossible ideal to achieve, much more can be done to close the large gaps that continue to exist.

Conserving the centre
The broad central motorway of dialogue, learning, understanding and tolerance is the safest route to travel to arrive at a fairer society. Veering too far to the left or right, as history has shown us on umpteen occasions, only leads to catastrophe.

Considering the hijacking of the centre-left by radical, intolerant elements and their practical dominance in the humanities at universities and, by extension, mainstream media, it’s in the more conservative-and-liberal-leaning quarters where the conditions for progress appear to lie. The middle ground has held firmer there.

Rather than capitulate to the extremes as has often happened, now more than ever we must defend our position. As George Orwell put it, ‘If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.’ Diverse opinions now appear to be accommodated more so in old-school liberalism than on the left and its many cheerleaders these days.

For sure, far-rightists are equally as dangerous but they don’t get the same sort of adoration as their counterparts on the other end of the spectrum.

What’s more, we now have people from minority groups who are running scared of these radical leftists, the very people who claim to ‘represent’ them. For example, several gay friends have told me they’ve become embarrassed by the militaristic factions ‘fighting their cause’. They’ve told me it was better back in the day when ‘what they got up to’ was a more clandestine affair. There’s also some pushback from a number of prominent African Americans.

So where once, apparently, there were no limits to the ‘coolness’ of being left especially for, to put a rough age bracket on it, the under-40s, now, I like to think anyway, it’s becoming cooler to be right.

To do so means you’re swimming against the tide, a rebel very much with a cause — to stand up to the leftist mob that is hellbent on destroying free speech and independent thought.

The blue moon is rising. Sing it loud and sing it proud.
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