I was never much of a leftist but I stopped being one altogether when I realized that the authoritarianism in leftism is not an anomaly, it’s inherent in the system. Anyone who doubts this should take a look at university campuses and ask what would be left of genuine freedom of speech and ideological diversity if such people ran the government–actually,w e’re getting an unsubtle hint about this from the people who just now are running the government.

Those on the political left, in my experience, were the most self-centred, hypocritical hate-mongers it has ever been my misfortune to have associated with. Hence, the very rapid spectrum shift once the reality dawned on me – circa 2000. There’s so much that’s positive contained in the philosophy of individual responsibility – and so much negative in the nanny (we will run your life better than you) State. Those cannibals deserve each other.

Your blog remains a breath of fresh air. Yasher koach.

Tatterdemalian, my experience of lefty blogs is usually pretty much my experience of righty blogs: demonisation of opponents, utter blindness of the defects of people on their own side, etc.

But there is one feature of Left blogs that I cannot stand. Whenever they offer a political nostrum, they always claim it is “moderate” and/or “mainstream” and/or “tolerant”. By implication, I’m Tim McVeigh or a raaaaacist if I don’t buy into the Left’s whole package. When the Right blogs offer an idea, they manage not to passive-aggressively threaten and insult me at the same time. When they insult me they do it directly. I respect that more.

We’re proud and pleased to have you with us. Please make yourself at home, wherever you’re comfortable in our tent!

I’ve also noticed they’re often as closed-minded and doctrinate as the most rabid religious fanatic that can exist in their own imaginations. Indeed, the strawmen they gleefully set up and bash down are often so blatantly projected from their own personalities that only the leftists themselves can’t see the similarities. Typically the only difference is that these projections divide the entire world into “God” and “Satan,” instead of dividing it into “victims” and “oppressors” as the left wingers do. Most of the bizarre actions they take, attacking people who protect them and willingly surrendering themselves and others to those who want them dead, are easy to understand in this context. The protectors deprive them of their precious victimhood, and oppress other people in their name; while the murderers are willing to grant them the holiest position the left wing can imagine: martyrdom.

Actually, I would say that your definition is actually the normal conservative viewpoint for everyone. It is the viewpoint that racism or sexism is wrong because it is dishonest and does not treat human beings as they are supposed to be treated, not because the “victims” have special “rights”.

I’ve never been fond of inequality in religion.