West-Hating Western Elites And Jihadi Death Squadders Have Something In Common
Victor Davis Hanson writes at NRO that Western capitalist societies (largely driven by the inventions and advances of white men) are the attack targets of the multi-culti white privilege-accusing elites and jihadists alike -- as the elites remain here and the jihadists flock here:
Paradoxes arise in attacking the West in general and the so-called European diaspora in particular. First, there is the obvious question: "Compared to what?" There are plenty of alternative cultures unstained by past Western imperialism and colonialism. Are their legacies more congenial to the present politically correct progressive agendas?Do Islamic republics -- Iran, for example -- have a more reputable record of protecting gays or urban young women than does Europe or the United States? Is the venerable tradition of China more tolerant of religious and racial minorities? Would Michael Moore be permitted to be an edgier propagandist in Beijing? Are there safe spaces in Cuba or trigger warnings in Nicaragua?
In truth, the entire idea of self-criticism and self-reflection is mostly a Western aberration, not found elsewhere in the contemporary or indeed the ancient non-Western world. So critics of the West must resort to disparaging dead Westerners of a less liberal era even though there are plenty of present-day racist, homophobic, nativist, misogynist, and xenophobic cultures that would offer far easier targets for their wrath. Why pick on the fairly liberal Western societies of the past and ignore the thoroughly illiberal societies of the present?
It works the way communism did -- the rise unearned power by the undeserving over the many (or individuals unlucky enough to speak freely within earshot of the power-grabbing):
The hypocrisy of trashing what you take for granted is just a small inconvenience in what is otherwise a wise career investment. The trick is to shear the Western sheep, not kill it. Ultimately, campus radicals always end up as merchants haggling over a sale, as they call for more diversity czars and community organizers, more race- or gender-based hiring and admissions, more gut courses -- more agendas that benefit mostly themselves. Is there a college president in extremis who has not tried to survive the psychodramatic campus storm by pulling out his official checkbook and writing a check with someone else's money?
Oh, and conveniently:
Another reason for hating the West in the abstract is that it is easy to do so. Russians who might want to criticize Putin are either too busy trying to scrounge a living or too fearful for their lives. Try demonstrating for the construction of a Christian cathedral in Qatar. Read what the Mexican Constitution says about race and immigration into Mexico. Are there diversity deans in central-Mexican universities or in China?
In short, those jihadis and campus crybabies had best be careful what they're campaigning for:
Trashing the West is like tapping a maple tree for its syrup -- lucrative and tasty as long as too many holes do not kill the host.
TRIGGER ALERT!!!!
Bob in Texas at January 10, 2016 4:59 AM
Bob in Texas...I'm hurt. Aren't ALL my posts, triggering?
Amy Alkon at January 10, 2016 5:00 AM
They wouldn't be interesting unless they were.
You GOT ME!
Bob in Texas at January 10, 2016 5:03 AM
Hah -- thanks.
Amy Alkon at January 10, 2016 6:34 AM
Amy, perhaps you could add a hyperlink to your webpage next to the "home" link. It would be a safe space link, that would take you to a page with pictures of puppies frolicking, and elevator music.
Bill O Rights at January 10, 2016 7:54 AM
Be careful what you wish for. Our Goddess's "elevator music" will probably be by Aerosmith…
"Well, hello, Mr. Tyler – going… down?…"
Radwaste at January 10, 2016 8:27 AM
"Russians who might want to criticize Putin are either too busy trying to scrounge a living . . . "
Ha! That's Obama's plan for America. Screw the American middle class so much that folks are too busy trying to make a living that they don't have time to do much else or notice how Obama is screwing them.
charles at January 10, 2016 9:40 AM
The Marxist Left and radical Islam make common cause because they have a goal in common: to destroy modernism and return the world to a time when the ruling class ruled absolutely and without challenge. They each figure that they will dispose of the other when the time comes, after Westernism has been wiped out.
Cousin Dave at January 11, 2016 9:57 AM
The genius of America is not that it invented the telephone. It's that it commoditized the telephone. Private ownership of the telephone companies led them to promote telephone usage for all, instead of reserving it for "important" uses or "critical" personnel.
The same with the television. We may lead the world in junk programming, but we also lead the world in televised open debate about issues affecting us. Programming was open to anyone who could sell their idea.
We get our ideas out there in the hands of everyone. William S. Paley didn't invent radio, but he knew how to use it to make money. In making money, he gave us timely news (no more waiting until a special edition of the paper to find out the drinking water's been contaminated) and made the world a little bit smaller.
The very things that the elites hate most about America (advertising, crass consumerism, that those grubby working class people refuse to stay in their stations) are the very things that made us the technology and innovation capital of the world. And with tighter government restriction of our communication media, we're going to lose that.
How many people do you think would have a cell phone today if the government followed a public model? They'd have restricted it at first to emergency personnel and government officials. Then, the public would have been offered a pager-like device for emergency broadcasts from the government. Finally, the public would have been offered those Motorola bricks around 2010. And the battery would have lasted about 20 minutes.
Instead, loud and crass competition gave us 8-hour batteries and a pocket device that by itself has more computing power than the entire world had in 1973. All so we can play Angry Birds. And talk loudly to each other in public places. And tell everyone what we're having for lunch. And keep up with the Kardashians. Oh, and some useful stuff, like citywide emergency alerts and keeping in touch with family.
Conan the Grammarian at January 11, 2016 10:21 AM
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