Examples of lethal — and laughable — contradictions within leftist progressivism are almost endless. Here are just a few.
“Being mean and hateful is automatically and always wrong. Yet when someone disagrees with you, it’s OK to be mean and hateful. In fact, it’s almost obligatory. Donald Trump is evil because he’s mean and hateful. Yet it’s good to be mean to Donald Trump, and perhaps even to kill him. Why? Because he’s mean and hateful, and that’s always wrong.”
“Hate speech should be against the law. Yet expressions of hatred toward those deemed hateful is practically a requirement.”
“Economic growth is good and, in fact, should be expected. Yet socialistic redistribution should also be expanded. We should enjoy unlimited and never-ending spikes in the quantity and quality of goods and services, including but not limited to education, medical care, and Star Trek/Star Wars-like technology. And these things should be given to everybody, as a right. Good things must be produced — and then they must all be free.”
“Profit is bad. Those who make big profits must pay for their sins. Yet the goods and services profit-makers produce are good things. We want those comforts. The people we condemn for making profits have made those profits, in most cases, because of creating or producing things we like — smart phones, fuel for our cars, air conditioning, life-saving prescription drugs — and without which we feel we could not live.”
“Guns are automatically and always bad. Nothing good can ever come from a gun. Yet guns are needed for one thing: To impose the will of people who hate guns on those who appreciate their value. Guns are always bad except when held in the hands of people who profess to hate them.”
“When social conservatives question gay marriage, or transgenderism, it’s automatically and always hate speech. When anyone else questions the often violent actions and views of intolerant Muslims about homosexuality, it’s automatically and always hate speech — perhaps punishable as a crime, as already is the case in the U.K. and Canada.”
“Progressivism is morally superior because it’s based on peace, brotherhood and everyone getting along. Yet when you challenge any aspect of progressivism, such as cutting defense spending, socializing medicine or raising taxes, your reputation, economic livelihood or even legal liberty are all fair game.”
“Nazism is evil. If you disagree with progressives, you’re automatically a Nazi. Anyone who voted for Donald Trump, for example, is a Nazi. Yet the term ‘Nazi’ stood for National Socialism. Hitler openly supported socialism. He wanted government control over the economy, and exhibited that control freely and gleefully. If you favor free markets or deregulation — separation of economics and state — in today’s America, you are called a Nazi … a national socialist!”
“Carbon-based fuels are automatically and always bad. You are only a good person if you support phasing them out. Yet there’s nothing immoral or questionable about you if you utilize those fuels in everything you do and everywhere you go. Flying on a corporate jet is just fine, if you’re an environmentalist. The blame lies with the people who produce those fuels for market, and those who use those fuels without thinking of it as a bad thing. You’re only permitted to benefit from carbon-based fuels IF you oppose them. Go figure.”
Contradictions are toxic. Sometimes they’re funny in their absurdity. Progressivism — the dominant ideology of our day, preached (though rarely practiced) by the vast majority of our corporate, media and academic elites — is for all practical purposes the law of the land.
But never forget: Contradictions are a betrayal of intellectual and ultimately moral weakness. You can’t be wrong and rise to triumph — not in the end. Leftists and progressives have been wrong for decades, and increasingly they’re showing what mean-spirited, bad people they really can be.
Being wrong about virtually everything is a weakness. Always remember that. Because that will ultimately be the demise of today’s established intellectual mindset.
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