This used to be behavior associated with the right.

This is written by someone who doesn't pay attention. In America, the right is still waging an establishment-vs-Tea-Party war, and it does bear repeating that the right's Newt Gingrich is the one that issued the infamous Talking Points Memo in (I believe) 1992. For this author, his right wing is embroiled in a Tory-vs-UKIP battle.

It also sounds like he hangs out on the internet too much. A lot of the "friends" he describes sound like some of the fractions of bloggers that hold incredibly extremist views on everything from religious tolerance to veganism. The vast difference between them and the rabid ravers of the right (at least in the United States) is that they don't actually hold the same sway over what passes for "the left" the same way evangelical neo-Libertopians do for the GOP.

I have to say I'm reminded of how "the left" can be both ridiculed for having no organization or power structure yet then be held up as some lock-step force to destroy civilization in the next breath.

Oh, the right absolutely are the undisputed kings of that kind of bullshit. My point was over the last few years those same tactics and attitudes have been creeping into the playbook of online social activists. It's by no means the kind of threat to the public good the actions of the right are guilty of, it's just disturbing to see people who are supposed to know better do it. Which makes it even more important to call attention to it now before it does indeed turn into some monolithic establishment like it is on the right.

This essay strikes me as being silly and a little bit whiny. Political labeling is always subjective and relative- one person might consider Obama to be an oppressive fascist, the next would call him a flaming socialist. Seems like getting hung up on how other view your views is just a waste of effort and a sign of insecurity.

I've been feeling a lot more racist and sexist lately from hearing constant talking points about how white men are shit from either women, transfolk, or blacks.

I feel like Rush Limbaugh whining about black history month every time a #BlackExcellence gets tossed out because the black kid from community said white people have no culture because blacks invented the phrase "yeah nah"* - or some chicks dress was on point ect ect.

When in the past I just would've said right on or just not even noticed - What happened I used to be liberal?

Hell, I just changed my facebook gender pronoun to some snarky bs because I'm tired of seeing model sheets on animators blogs with a they/them preference before even being given a name.


*(which I've heard variations of in valley girl and aussie predating the current usage, but nope white people can't have a culture #WhiteMediocrity)

You're getting old.

Do they just send me the Republican voting guide when I turn 30 next year or what?

Am I gonna have to put a Ron Paul sticker on the ole corolla?

You have to first register your address with the Egging Council.

I think you need to fine tune your social media or something.

People forget there's no age barrier to social media.

YouTube commenters probably are actually your friends kids.

I spent so long filtering out all the nuts, only to have the cool smart people I kept to start talking about their diva cups and menstrual syncing bogwitch covens that think its racist to be skeptical of ghosts.

I'm running out of people to block

How is that racist? Ghosts are white!

Re: America

The cynic in me says:

Because the rift Nader created, caused the left to lose its only chance in the next 30 to 40 years or so to take The SCOTUS and gerrymandering lost congress and if the Left loses the presidency too then there effectively is no longer a "left" which- given how far right they've drifted anyway, probably doesn't even matter.

That said I'm eagerly looking forward to 2016.

I'm not. To me, Hilary is just more of the same old -- a Democrat who cares more about being in power than enacting positive change. And the same goes for all the other presidential hopefuls I've seen, except maybe the guy from Vermont who at least talks a good game. I'll still vote for her, cause voting for whoever the Republicans decide is crazy enough to win is not an option at all, but I'm not gonna look forward to it.

The guy's clearly some sort of facist.

" It is the anger of the pure believer towards the apostate."

The entire article sounds like someone desperately trying to evoke Identity Politics in order to shield themselves from criticism that they disparage as Identity Politics. "I'm a good guy, see! So what if some of my opinions are still bullshit, how dare you call me out on them!"

It;s late, I haven't read the article....but this is about the left enforcing it code of PC?

Is that news?

Just glanced at it...

For north americans, britain's political spectrum is different. You can have sane rational people who espouse liberal ideas...and you can have sane rational people who espouse conservative ones. They enjoy each others company, engage in polite debate and generally get along. Some vote labour, some vote Conservative and most enjoy a claret with dinner and a good game of cricket. Then there are the raving looneys on either end. There isn't a radical cause they don't endorse uncritically, whether it is forced deportations (the right) or demanding free rent for badgers (the left). Generally no one who is sane or rational wants to associate with either group...but occasionally if you are in the social service, education, politics....etc etc etc,,,you are forced to and you must smile politely as some hairy legged dipshit of a woman blames islamic terrorists on the police or some fat arsed lout ranting incoherently about the evils of dole sucking immigrants taking good jobs away from the yobs.

Which is why so many well educated and not insane young people are choosing finance as careers. Ignorant loud mouth racists do not get jobs in the City. Conservatives might. Knee jerk leftists do not get jobs in the City. Thoughtful liberals might....

Makes drinks at the Old explorer much more enjoyable knowing that you can actually speak your mind without the fear of misspeak.

No. This is about a man who believes the left should challenge ideas, but not his ideas. Who claims to stand opposed to PC groupthink, but also thinks the group would be better if everyone thought like he did, and warns of the dire consequences that will befall the left if it doesn't stop thinking differently to him. It's the barely coherent whining of a man who hates 'identity politics' but wants his identity as a 'good guy' validated and accepted without challenge; a man who thinks that the situation of women in Britain is fine, but that not being invited to dinner parties constitutes invidious marginalisation. It's the petulant whinge of a man who wants us to be wary of Muslims because FGM and other horrors have arisen out of its matrices, but also wants to be able to be proud of England and not lumped in with Little England extremists or held to account for the many horrors of Imperialism. A man who straight-facedly complains about 'assumption creep' in the middle of a paragraph setting out the straw-man he has constructed of his leftist critics.

I'd rather have drinks with the fat bloke and hairy legs than listen to this guy whinge and whine over his pinot gris.

He has a lot of generalities, few specific points.

http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-31833682