I thought this was an interesting piece in the Telegraph by a philosophy undergrad linking the rise of student conservative movements specifically to restrictions on free speech like the riots at Berkeley shutting down the recent speaker. What struck me was that this seems to capture a moment in the political stream where things are shifting - these are not existing conservatives irritated by the left, but people allegedly becoming conservatives in reaction to the illiberal smothering of free speech. The student Left
Very interesting article, but I think that this represents a typical pattern of behavior. A seemingly authoritarian group or figure "forbids" or attempts to control something and people (who in many cases may not have even really cared) suddenly take interest (to an issue that they may not have even been exposed to or heard of before) in an attempt to "push back". It's just like parents forbidding MTv from the kids who of course want to watch it even more as a result. Additionally, the authoritarian nature makes the counter movement seem much "edgier" or "cool" which helps to draw people to the opposing side.
The Youtuber Sargon of Akkad made a point in one of his recent videos (forgive me, I don't remember which so I can't link it here ) that you can't be BOTH the culture AND the counterculture. For so long, the left fancied itself as a counterculture, but then we all wake up once day and the left have nearly complete dominance over media, academia and popular culture. The next generation of people who want to "fight the power" won't be fighting against the western traditionalist, heteronormative, laissez-faire market machine, rather, the identity politics, virtue signaling, oppression narrative machine. I've speculated before, with at least some evidence to back it up, that a big part of Donald Trump gaining popularity wasn't necessarily because he was a good candidate with reasonable policies, but because the media tried so hard to make him out to be a demon that they actually made him immune to criticism of any form. I've heard so, so, so many vloggers and bloggers say something to the effect of "OMG, I can't believe they're making me DEFEND Donald Trump... again!"
Thank you for making the distinction, lest we assume this was one of the saying of the historical Sargon of Akkad. :wink: Anyway, very good point.
Full credit to both Sargon A. and Maniac C., as I think this is very perceptive. I've mentioned this to several people this week, and it has led to some interesting conversations about a left that, in arguing against a traditional culture that everyone else has grasped is no longer dominant, seems to have lost some of its sense of purpose.
