Leftism: Misery with a Purpose
20th December 2021
James Lileks, as he is wont to do, made a pithy comment which is actually a brilliant distillation of leftism in general: “I was unhappy before. I’m unhappy now, but I have a purpose: defeating COVID!” He is discussing the affirmation found by leftists in COVID, but I find its applications to be more universal.
He could have substituted global warming or any number of other liberal causes. The left seems to feed on negative energy. They seek out those who feel hopeless, and those who see no point in life, and they offer them a taste of noble martyrdom if they push leftist causes like global warming or COVID shutdowns. They seek out those who are angry, and those who feed off of jealousies and resentments, and they offer them a taste of risk-free heroism at Black Lives Matter riots if they help exaggerate the racial tension that Democrats need to win elections. They seek out those motivated by simple greed and offer them the wealth of others if they help promote the class warfare which feeds leftism.