On the rebirth of socialism
Well, maybe that’s biting off too big a hunk to chew in such a small essay—but still, I was surprised that Continetti failed to discuss two of the very biggest elements in socialism’s resurgence: the inherent surface attractiveness of socialism, and the fact that the left has taken over education in this country.
Continetti sees the rise of socialism as fools rushing into the cultural gap made by the withdrawal of religion, and that’s certainly a significant part of the picture:
The bourgeois values of honesty, fidelity, diligence, reticence, delayed gratification, and self-control that once reigned supreme have been contested for many decades by an ethic of self-expression, self-indulgence, instant gratification, and demanding the impossible. Our politics is a competition for control over what Michael Novak called the “empty shrine” at the center of pluralist democracy.
As far as I can see, Continetti is also ignoring the fact that a great many religious denominations today have become dominated by leftist thought (some of the Protestant ones, the current Pope, and Reform Judaism, to name just a few).
I’ve written several posts on the attractions of socialism; it appeals to certain basic aspects of human nature that will always be with us: covetousness, anger, guilt, a desire to feel righteous, and the need for simple-sounding solutions. But there’s also the obvious fact that many many decades ago the left set its sights on taking over the educational system, and has done so successfully.
Lenin is alleged to have said: “Give me four years to teach the children and the seed I have sown will never be uprooted.” Well, “never” is a long time. But the basic principle of early indoctrination is there, and the leftists have been wildly successful in that particular arena.
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