Being stuck in a culture war is a bit like being a driver stuck in a traffic jam. From within ones own car, the absurdity and injustice of the situation is abundantly plain. Other drivers can be seen cutting in, changing lanes excessively, and getting worked up. Roadworks appear needlessly restrictive. Why are there so many cars on the road anyway? Horns begin to honk. There is one question that few drivers ever consider: what is my own contribution to this quagmire?
Psychoanalysts refer to the process of splitting, where the self is unable to cope with its good and bad qualities simultaneously, and so splits the bad ones off and attributes them to other people. The result is an exaggerated sense of ones own virtue and innocence, but an equally exaggerated sense of the selfishness and corruption of others. We are all guilty of this from time to time, rarely more so than on social media, where the world can appear perfectly split into goodies and baddies. Populism and culture warriors exploit this aspect of human psychology, reinforcing the comforting (but ultimately harmful) feeling that any conflict in the world is their fault not ours.
The left is not averse to playing this game. Why did the financial crisis occur? Because bankers and Blairites are bad, selfish people. Apart from anything else, this makes for woeful social science. But the right plays it more dangerously. Where the left spies moral depravity in centres of wealth and power (which, as we know, can produce antisemitic conspiracy theories), the right sees it among newcomers, intellectuals and the already marginalised. The potential political implications of this dont need spelling out.
In The Madness of Crowds, Douglas Murray sets out to explain why societies are now so characterised by conflict. In public and in private, both online and off, people are behaving in ways that are increasingly irrational, feverish, herd-like and simply unpleasant. The daily news cycle is filled with the consequences. Yet while we see the symptoms everywhere, we do not see the causes.
Few would fail to recognise this as a starting point. MPs and journalists are being harassed and threatened simply for doing their jobs. A university was recently forced out of Hungary by the government. The Home Office is growing increasingly anxious about the threat of far-right extremists cooperating across Europe. But there is not so much as a sniff of these trends in The Madness of Crowds. Instead, Murray organises his material into four themes: Gay, Gender, Race and Trans. You can see where this is heading.
Murrays stock in trade is a tone of genteel civility. He writes gracefully and wittily, in keeping with his demeanour as a clubbable conservative, who simply wishes we could all just muddle through a little better. While never over-egging it, he proffers a kindly Christian gospel of love and forgiveness, which he believes might rid us of the political and cultural toxins that have so polluted our lives. Scratch beneath the surface, though, and his account of recent history is clear: authorised by leftwing academics, minority groups have been concocting conflict and hatred out of thin air, polluting an otherwise harmonious society, for their own gratification.
Murray is quick to celebrate struggles for racial, sexual and gay equality, but he's adamant they have now been settled
His narrative is roughly as follows. The decline of ideologies at the end of the 20th century created a vacuum of meaning, which was waiting to be filled. This coincided with the birth of a whole range of critical cultural theories, producing fields of gender studies, race studies and queer studies. Most damagingly of all, for Murray, was the rise of intersectional feminism, which assumes that different types of oppression (especially racial and patriarchal) tend to intersect and reinforce one another.
The bitter irony, as far as Murray is concerned, is that these new theories of oppression arose at the precise moment in human history when actual racism, sexism and homophobia had evaporated. Suddenly after most of us had hoped it had become a non-issue everything seemed to have become about race, he writes. This seems to bug him more than anything else: Among the many depressing aspects of recent years, the most troubling is the ease with which race has returned as an issue.
History, therefore, is much as his fellow neoconservative Francis Fukuyama brashly described it in 1989: ended. Or rather, it could have ended, if it werent for troublemaking intellectuals and activists. Murray is quick to celebrate past struggles for racial, sexual and gay equality, but he is adamant that they have now been settled. Questions persist regarding the nature of sex, sexuality and innate ability (what belongs to our physical hardware and what to our cultural software, as he puts it), but these are far better handled by biologists than political thinkers. The problem, as he sees it, is that malicious, fraudulent and resentful forces emerging from universities have refused to accept that justice has now been delivered.
The acclaimed gender theorist Judith Butler is held up as a malignant fraud who hides behind the complexity of her prose. The entire venture of social science is deemed corrupted by its insidious fixation on oppression. Murray turns to recent hoax articles that were published in the academic journal Cogent Social Sciences (a prank that he describes as one of the most beautiful things to happen in recent years) as evidence that social and cultural theory is all a sham. The reader is assured falsely that this is all a vast Marxist project, aimed at sowing dissatisfaction and discord.
Murray presumably knows that Michel Foucault was not a Marxist, but its important to his branch of conservatism that this is brushed over. The M word serves as a coded way of tying together the humanities, Marx himself and (with a small leap of imagination) the Gulag. The fact that it is now illegal to teach gender studies in Hungary, as decreed by Viktor Orbn (favourite intellectual: Douglas Murray), poses questions as to where the real threat to liberty is coming from. But you wont find any discussion of that in The Madness of Crowds.
We learn that the doctrine of intersectionality has now swept the world, even becoming embedded in the search algorithms written in Silicon Valley. Why? Because tech workers have decided to stick it to people towards whom they feel angry. Its for this reason, apparently, that Google image search throws up a disproportionate number of black faces. Intersectionality is being force-fed to people, encouraging them to seek revenge on white men, and that is why there is so much conflict.
Murray has no shortage of examples and anecdotes to back this up, many gleaned from the US. But its notable that they nearly all operate at the level of discourse, and mostly in the media and social media. Its not difficult to come up with absurd cases of social justice warriors saying stupid and hypocritical things online, especially when the Daily Mail appears to have an entire desk dedicated to unearthing them.
And there are plenty of well-known cases of people being shamed and sacked for things theyve said, many of which are unfair and sadistic. One critique of this would be that the logic of public relations and credit rating has now infiltrated every corner of our lives, such that we are constantly having to consider the effects of our words on our reputations. Another is that a global Marxist conspiracy has duped people into a fantasy of their own oppression. I know which I find more plausible.
Whenever Murray strays too close to any actual oppression (as opposed to the controversies surrounding it), he quickly veers away. His chapter on gender refers to the MeToo claims against Harvey Weinstein, but never to Weinstein or the power structures he built. His chapter on race (the longest in the book) makes no reference to one of the most controversial campaigns in recent US history, Black Lives Matter, presumably because its impossible to discuss without acknowledging what prompted it: black men being gunned down by police officers.
Anger is ultimately a mystery to Murray, seeming to emanate spontaneously from his political and ideological foes. He can come up with no better explanation for it than that bad people enjoy it, that their desire is not to heal but to divide, not to placate but to inflame. And yet when an author goes to such great lengths to assure you that others are degraded, and that we white, male conservatives simply want to live in harmony, you have to wonder whom much of this anger truly belongs to.
Nervous States: How Feeling Took Over the World by William Davies is out in paperback from Vintage. The Madness of Crowds: Gender, Race and Identity is published by Bloomsbury (20). To order a copy go to guardianbookshop.com or call 0330 333 6846. Free UK p&p over 15, online orders only. Phone orders min p&p of 1.99.
Go here to see the original:
The Madness of Crowds by Douglas Murray review a rightwing diatribe - The Guardian
- Jackboot - Wikipedia - December 8th, 2016 [December 8th, 2016]
- The Federalist #51 - Constitution Society - January 8th, 2017 [January 8th, 2017]
- Free oppression Essays and Papers - 123helpme - January 25th, 2017 [January 25th, 2017]
- Labour movements in Congo Brazzaville: Between oppression and self determination - CADTM.org - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- A Modern Choice on Life - Harvard Political Review - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Opinion: While true oppression exists, hypocrisy of some women is clear - Shelby Township Source Newspapers - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Understanding Information Oppression in the Era of Trump - MediaFile - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Angolans Bravery Broke Down Chains of Colonial Oppression - Minister - AllAfrica.com - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Hoosier attorneys travel to Rwanda on legal mission trip - Indiana Lawyer - February 8th, 2017 [February 8th, 2017]
- Bishop: Government has betrayed me over refugees - Premier - February 9th, 2017 [February 9th, 2017]
- Open Letter to NFL Players Traveling to Israel on a Trip Organized by Netanyahu's Government - The Nation. - February 9th, 2017 [February 9th, 2017]
- Police Disperse Shiite Protesters Demanding Release Of El-Zakzaky - SaharaReporters.com - February 9th, 2017 [February 9th, 2017]
- Turkey's HDP Women's Assembly issues feminist call-to-arms against 'one man rule' - Left Foot Forward - February 9th, 2017 [February 9th, 2017]
- Collin Nji: The first African to win Google's CodeIn Challenge - Pulse ... - Pulse Nigeria - February 9th, 2017 [February 9th, 2017]
- Student leader says 'black-on-black crime is not a thing,' wants to ... - The College Fix - February 10th, 2017 [February 10th, 2017]
- Sri Lanka: Tamil Insurgents Marxism Versus Nationalism - Sri Lanka Guardian - February 11th, 2017 [February 11th, 2017]
- Israeli Knesset 'legalizes' robbery of Palestinian land - Liberation - February 12th, 2017 [February 12th, 2017]
- LETTER: Evangelical Lutheran Church respond to political cartoon - The Dickinson Press - February 12th, 2017 [February 12th, 2017]
- Visiting Our Past: Odyssey of Clyde pioneer Jacob Shook - Asheville Citizen-Times - February 12th, 2017 [February 12th, 2017]
- Organize to defeat Trump's Muslim ban | Fight Back! - Fight Back! Newspaper - February 12th, 2017 [February 12th, 2017]
- Do we have a legitimate government? - Altoona Mirror - February 13th, 2017 [February 13th, 2017]
- Anti-Castro Cuban-American lawmakers see a champion in Trump - The Daily Progress - February 13th, 2017 [February 13th, 2017]
- Anti-Trump Swedish Government Accused of Hypocrisy for Kowtowing to Iran - Heat Street - February 13th, 2017 [February 13th, 2017]
- CSG President vetoes Israel-Palestinian lunch resolution | The ... - The Michigan Daily - February 14th, 2017 [February 14th, 2017]
- Sweden's 'Feminist' Government Defends Veiling in Iran After Attacking Trump - Breitbart News - February 14th, 2017 [February 14th, 2017]
- U. Mass Students Plot Strike Against 'Oppression' of Migrants - Breitbart News - February 15th, 2017 [February 15th, 2017]
- March on Washington: Drawing the Line between Empowerment and Oppression - The Index - February 15th, 2017 [February 15th, 2017]
- Ethiopian Athlete Who Made Anti-government Gesture in Rio Reunites With Family - Voice of America - February 15th, 2017 [February 15th, 2017]
- Mottley: Tax clearance certificate an 'instrument of oppression' - Loop Barbados - February 15th, 2017 [February 15th, 2017]
- Sweden's 'feminist' government criticized for wearing headscarves in Iran - Washington Post - February 15th, 2017 [February 15th, 2017]
- Turkey purge: dark cloud of oppression hangs over country's universities - Times Higher Education (THE) (blog) - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- Fox News' Todd Starnes Redefines 'The Deplorables' - Forward - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- Christophobia: a Global Perspective - AINA (press release) - February 18th, 2017 [February 18th, 2017]
- AzaadiFreedom from Indian Oppression - Economic and Political Weekly - February 18th, 2017 [February 18th, 2017]
- Iraqi forces advance on Islamic State-held western Mosul - Stars and Stripes - February 20th, 2017 [February 20th, 2017]
- Henry Rollins Doesn't Smoke Pot, But Demands The Right to Choose To - Weed News - February 20th, 2017 [February 20th, 2017]
- UC San Diego Students Protest Visit by 'Oppressive and Offensive' Dalai Lama - Heat Street - February 20th, 2017 [February 20th, 2017]
- Commentary | We must all stand with Tibet - The McGill Daily (blog) - February 20th, 2017 [February 20th, 2017]
- In Trump's America, Christian proselytizing is another form of oppression - LGBTQ Nation - February 20th, 2017 [February 20th, 2017]
- Elders share experiences with oppression from their youth - B.C. Catholic Newspaper - February 20th, 2017 [February 20th, 2017]
- Iran tells US chess champion to wear a hijab here's how she responds - TheBlaze.com - February 22nd, 2017 [February 22nd, 2017]
- Afro-Mexican people brought to light - The Daily Evergreen - February 23rd, 2017 [February 23rd, 2017]
- Online activism is leading the fight against oppression but at what cost? - Asian Correspondent - February 23rd, 2017 [February 23rd, 2017]
- Stephen Miller was no hero fighting left-wing oppression at Santa ... - Los Angeles Times - February 23rd, 2017 [February 23rd, 2017]
- Grass-roots leaders join call for 'disrupting' oppression that hurts many - Catholic News Service - February 23rd, 2017 [February 23rd, 2017]
- President Trump Breaks a Promise on Transgender Rights - New York Times - February 24th, 2017 [February 24th, 2017]
- Pussy Riot Protests Through Make America Great Again Viral Video - Conatus News - February 24th, 2017 [February 24th, 2017]
- Governor Treen brought sunshine to Louisiana governmental conservatism - Bayoubuzz - February 24th, 2017 [February 24th, 2017]
- I want an international probe into failed Turkey coup Fethullah Glen - Citifmonline - February 24th, 2017 [February 24th, 2017]
- Lateral Oppression Hurts Us All - The Lakota Country Times - February 24th, 2017 [February 24th, 2017]
- On finding freedom from oppression, fear - Davisclipper - February 24th, 2017 [February 24th, 2017]
- Supreme Court denies bail to leading anti-base activist in Okinawa; government accused of oppression - The Japan Times - February 24th, 2017 [February 24th, 2017]
- Disobedience Checks Unjust Laws - The Oberlin Review - February 24th, 2017 [February 24th, 2017]
- Cycles and Oppression - Patheos (blog) - February 24th, 2017 [February 24th, 2017]
- Another Jewish cemetery desecrated; what will the President say? Isn't the government supposed to help? - San Diego Jewish World - February 27th, 2017 [February 27th, 2017]
- Transport groups hold nationwide transport strike to protest government's PUV modernization program - CNN Philippines - February 27th, 2017 [February 27th, 2017]
- Opinion: The Relevance of Orwell's 1984 - Emertainment Monthly (registration) (blog) - February 27th, 2017 [February 27th, 2017]
- Monitoring group documents Turkey-backed profiling in Netherlands - Turkey Purge - February 27th, 2017 [February 27th, 2017]
- What should we see in the ashes of the Standing Rock protest camp? - Liberation - February 28th, 2017 [February 28th, 2017]
- Opinion: Focusing on religious oppression in China misses the big ... - CNN - February 28th, 2017 [February 28th, 2017]
- Trump Vows Teamwork with 'Allies in the Muslim World' to 'Demolish and Destroy ISIS' - Breitbart News - March 1st, 2017 [March 1st, 2017]
- Freedom House: Chinese Communists Intensifying Religious ... - Voice of America - March 1st, 2017 [March 1st, 2017]
- ISIS Threatens China In New Video Showing Chinese Jihadists - Vocativ - March 1st, 2017 [March 1st, 2017]
- Focusing on religious oppression in China misses the big picture - Gant Daily - March 1st, 2017 [March 1st, 2017]
- This Is Why The Youth Is Picking Up Arms In Kashmir - Youth Ki Awaaz - March 2nd, 2017 [March 2nd, 2017]
- Saudi Arabia: Music video and government initiatives split society - Freemuse - March 3rd, 2017 [March 3rd, 2017]
- From Latin America to South Africa: it's time for effective solidarity towards Palestine - The Daily Vox (blog) - March 3rd, 2017 [March 3rd, 2017]
- Focusing on religious oppression in China misses the big picture - CNN International - March 3rd, 2017 [March 3rd, 2017]
- Articles: Islam, the Veil, and Oppression - American Thinker - American Thinker - March 3rd, 2017 [March 3rd, 2017]
- UK's student union rebukes officer for Israeli embassy plot - The Electronic Intifada (blog) - March 4th, 2017 [March 4th, 2017]
- Public needs to help get government back on track - Fairfield Daily Republic - March 4th, 2017 [March 4th, 2017]
- Shahbaz Bhatti's legacy six years on - DAWN.com - March 6th, 2017 [March 6th, 2017]
- The Readers' Forum: Monday letters - Winston-Salem Journal - March 6th, 2017 [March 6th, 2017]
- Focusing on religious oppression in China misses the big picture - CNN - March 6th, 2017 [March 6th, 2017]
- How America Became a Colonial Ruler in Its Own Cities - Vanity Fair - March 7th, 2017 [March 7th, 2017]
- Plurality of Americans are right: "dissatisfaction with government" worst problem facing country - Hilltop Views - March 7th, 2017 [March 7th, 2017]
- The Oppression of Eve: Was Patriarchy Actually The First Sin? - Patheos (blog) - March 7th, 2017 [March 7th, 2017]
- Thousands in women's rights march in Polish capital - National - thenews.pl - March 7th, 2017 [March 7th, 2017]
- Probe: Artist Blacklist Antidemocratic Oppression - KBS WORLD Radio - KBS WORLD Radio News - March 7th, 2017 [March 7th, 2017]
- Peoples' Tribunal Indicts Myanmar Leaders for Genocide Against Rohingya, Atrocities Against Kachin - The Chicago Monitor - March 8th, 2017 [March 8th, 2017]