Left and Right with Society in the Balance | James Lindsay

·1 hr 39 min·5 clips

James Lindsay explains why the confusing term 'woke right' describes people on the right who act woke.

James Lindsay opens by framing the talk as an attempt to clarify confusing political terms, particularly 'woke right.' He notes the American political system is classically liberal, complicating European-style left-right definitions. Lindsay traces the terms 'left' and 'right' to the French Revolution, where left meant revolutionary and right meant conservative. He argues that in America, the 'new right' is adopting transformative change models historically associated with the European left. Lindsay proposes three core principles to differentiate left and right: attitude toward tradition (traditionalism vs. anti-traditionalism), attitude toward hierarchy (hierarchicalism vs. radical egalitarianism/equity), and attitude toward tolerance (expanding vs. limiting). He delves into the complexity of hierarchy, distinguishing between organic and artificial forms, and critiques the left's foundational rejection of all hierarchy as a 'failed idea,' invoking Jordan Peterson's lobster analogy. Lindsay discusses how liberalism is ambivalent toward tradition, catching crossfire from both sides. He introduces the concept of 'reaction' as when conservatism stops conserving and demands intolerance. The talk then shifts to discernment between traditionalism and conventionalism, with the latter being enforced and leading to authoritarianism. Lindsay cites Bob Altemeyer's three characteristics of authoritarianism: conventionalism, aggression, and submission. He argues the 'woke right' employs pseudo-traditionalism and rigid artificial hierarchy. Lindsay presents an essay-inspired framework of the 'self-defined self' (left), 'received self' (right), and 'discovered self' (liberal). He posits that when these dispositions lose touch with reality, they lead to pathological idealism. Lindsay then proposes a new model: a balance or scales where the crossbar represents realism, and the pans represent communism (left idealism) and fascism (right idealism). He argues that within realism, objective standards like evidence, rule of law, and markets allow for dispute resolution. The chains represent the slide into idealism, necessitating increasing force. Lindsay concludes that the way back from radicalization is humility before reality, appealing to both secular and religious frameworks.

As heard by us

A forceful map of left-right politics built around hierarchy, tradition, polarization, and the tests movements use on allies.

Polarization gives this episode its frame. The host treats left and right less as fixed camps than as opposing forces that can still push a broader movement along, with the pendulum swinging when one side runs out of force.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

Press play when left and right politics have started looking suspiciously like a pendulum someone keeps pushing from both sides.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from New Discourses