They are in an existential state of fear and they want drastic measures now. There is some truth in the perception that seeing a group trying to fix its own extremists is reassuring and this ties into the argument about why liberal lefties should criticise its extremists.
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The liberal left is currently divided on whether it should prioritise criticising the right or getting its own house in order & trying to oust the extreme identitarian loons.
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Those who argue for the former believe that we need to unify against a common enemy and that dissent in the ranks can only divide and weaken the left. They can become angry & suspicious of the motivations of those of us who criticise our own side.
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Those who argue for prioritising getting our own house in order think that this is the only way to present a credible enough opposition to the right and the issues that concern us that reasonable liberals can get on board with.
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Replying to @HPluckrose
I think it's best not to prioritize at all in this way. We can just do both. Lots of time in the day. We can/should dissent against each other while allying with each other too imo.
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Replying to @Intrinsic29
I certainly think we need both. I can engage with the right when it is religious or when moral foundations are detectable because I understand this ideology & psychology but I engage with the left more because I understand it so much more.
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Replying to @HPluckrose @Intrinsic29
I also find leftist criticism of the right shallow and this is largely because the right-wing issues they address are shallow. There's only so much you can, say, argue for reproductive freedom. We're fundamentally opposed on sexuality, souls, concepts of personhood.
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Replying to @HPluckrose @Intrinsic29
On the left, those I oppose have the same goals as me but a catastrophically awful approach to them which is also complicated & counterintuitive. Therefore, there is so much more to get your teeth into in trying to argue out the problems and reach consensus on liberal values
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Replying to @HPluckrose @Intrinsic29
But this is a different justification entirely for prioritiizing fixing the left - a personal one. We certainly need people criticising the right but I do think it will be a lost cause unless we get our own house in order.
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Replying to @HPluckrose
I think we totally agree. I'm in a lecture so I can't add much.
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