Another litmus test is a sense of humour. Beware anyone who can't genuinely laugh. Never heard one of these woke-left types say anything clever, witty, original, or evince any joy.
Amen, brother! These are, without question, the most humorless people I’ve ever encountered. In fact, I think they’ve raised deliberate humorlessness to an art form.
The Leftists of today, from the BioLeninist mutoid rioting on the streets to Jamal the drug dealer to the 67 year old cat lady Democrat voter are eager to reenact the Reign of Terror or any of the Communist horrors of the last century. That old sodomite neighbor you have with an "In this house we believe" sign out front? He would giddily pull the rope to drop the guillotine's blade on your neck if he was given the chance. Never forget that.
You may find some deeper explanation for people like your erstwhile friend through the lens of cluster b personality disorders. These include borderline personality disorder and narcissistic personality disorder among others.
I focus on these in my writing and my weekly show. My thesis is that these personality and character defects have numerically increased in the population, and the values associated with them are now held up as normal in mainstream. I think the left is besotted with these behaviors and thinking styles.
Please note that I am not saying every leftist has a personality disorder, and I'm not saying even a majority of them do. Just making sure that's not misunderstood.
That’s a great point—and you’re absolutely correct, neither right nor even the left necessarily has a monopoly on personality disorders, though I think the latter by its nature attracts these types and does very little to discourage their vices.
Your thesis is an interesting one—and it’s also a terrifying thought. But it does explain much that otherwise seems mystifying. Thanks for the insight!
I don't like ascribing mental illness to what I think are primarily philosophical positions. Honestly the whole of the psyche field is hopelessly tainted in my opinion. From Freud to John Money to modern AWFLs I just don't think anything good has come of it.
That's a common objection, but I see it differently. And you and I may not mean the same things by "mental illness". I see personality disorders not as standalone "medical illnesses," but as questions of moral character that are strongly influenced by a broken personality structure. Most commonly from an abusive childhood.
You may disagree, but personality disorders are real. This is a personality type. It's objectively right there for all to see. You cannot "not" see the narcissism around us without actively deciding not to see it.
I grew up in an abusive household. I know Borderline and Narcissistic personality disorders from being at the coal face. They gave me both mental and physical scars.
I hope you'll be able to credit that such things exist outside the abusive examples of people like John Money. It's not black and white.
But I will not apologize for using this lens, and I will not apologize for trying to introduce people to it. I believe, and I am correct, that being able to detect the truly personality disordered is a vital skill in preserving one's own healthy relationships, and in predicting what abusively minded people are likely to do in the future.
I agree with Josh Slocum. I also appreciate your writing style, as well as your standing up for my people, the much (and mostly unfairly) maligned denizens of Northwestern Arizona.
Thanks Sarah! It’s too bad; he apparently also alienated his in-laws—who are locals with a long history in the area—because he didn’t like their politics. I would think you’d tread a little more carefully when you’re outnumbered, and try to be a little less belligerent; but I guess not. He also had similar feelings about the people of North Carolina, which were equally unfair.
Well, he was an old high school buddy, and we reconnected a few years ago. I’d fallen out with him before, though, and for the same reason, but I had hoped he had mellowed with age. No such luck—if anything he’d gotten worse. For my part, I was perfectly willing to avoid politics, and respected him enough not to bring it up; no reciprocation on his side, unfortunately.
Of course many have noticed this characteristic of the Left before, and have written more eloquently about it than I…but the mask really seems to be slipping these days, and the leftists don’t seem interested in hiding their true motivations anymore. Maybe this is a good thing.
That looks like a great book, by the way—I’ll have to check it out!
Happy to send you a free copy, ND. Hard copy or digital - up to you.
I'm not sure others have noticed this of the left, as you state. Very few in fact. Not saying it has gone totally unappreciated, but it's certainly not a part of the mainstream narrative. That's why articles like this are so important. Keep up the good work!
Thanks Richard! It’s critical to understand the nature of what we’re up against, and where to go from here—I guess that’s what I’m trying to do, in my own clumsy way, with this Substack.
I appreciate the offer, but I’d like to buy your book myself—I think you should be compensated for your creative work.
+100 for “finally, for whatever reason, he found himself living in Northwestern Arizona.”
I laughed out loud in delight at this phrasing, because that’s exactly how it happens. No one living in this area really knows how they came to be here. It’s a thing that just happens to you.
I mean it was such a strange place for an avowed lefty to end up! The great utopia of California is right there, just across the border. I don’t get it.
That’s an excellent point—Nietzsche’s “ressentiment” probably does a much better job of capturing the truth of the matter.
And good catch about poor decisions based on high emotions—there is certainly a distinct lack of self-control in this person’s life, such that he’s even caused serious physical harm to himself through comical outbursts of rage. I’m glad I’m not the only one who’s noticed these tendencies on the left!
Another litmus test is a sense of humour. Beware anyone who can't genuinely laugh. Never heard one of these woke-left types say anything clever, witty, original, or evince any joy.
Amen, brother! These are, without question, the most humorless people I’ve ever encountered. In fact, I think they’ve raised deliberate humorlessness to an art form.
The Leftists of today, from the BioLeninist mutoid rioting on the streets to Jamal the drug dealer to the 67 year old cat lady Democrat voter are eager to reenact the Reign of Terror or any of the Communist horrors of the last century. That old sodomite neighbor you have with an "In this house we believe" sign out front? He would giddily pull the rope to drop the guillotine's blade on your neck if he was given the chance. Never forget that.
You may find some deeper explanation for people like your erstwhile friend through the lens of cluster b personality disorders. These include borderline personality disorder and narcissistic personality disorder among others.
I focus on these in my writing and my weekly show. My thesis is that these personality and character defects have numerically increased in the population, and the values associated with them are now held up as normal in mainstream. I think the left is besotted with these behaviors and thinking styles.
Please note that I am not saying every leftist has a personality disorder, and I'm not saying even a majority of them do. Just making sure that's not misunderstood.
That’s a great point—and you’re absolutely correct, neither right nor even the left necessarily has a monopoly on personality disorders, though I think the latter by its nature attracts these types and does very little to discourage their vices.
Your thesis is an interesting one—and it’s also a terrifying thought. But it does explain much that otherwise seems mystifying. Thanks for the insight!
I don't like ascribing mental illness to what I think are primarily philosophical positions. Honestly the whole of the psyche field is hopelessly tainted in my opinion. From Freud to John Money to modern AWFLs I just don't think anything good has come of it.
That's a common objection, but I see it differently. And you and I may not mean the same things by "mental illness". I see personality disorders not as standalone "medical illnesses," but as questions of moral character that are strongly influenced by a broken personality structure. Most commonly from an abusive childhood.
You may disagree, but personality disorders are real. This is a personality type. It's objectively right there for all to see. You cannot "not" see the narcissism around us without actively deciding not to see it.
I grew up in an abusive household. I know Borderline and Narcissistic personality disorders from being at the coal face. They gave me both mental and physical scars.
I hope you'll be able to credit that such things exist outside the abusive examples of people like John Money. It's not black and white.
But I will not apologize for using this lens, and I will not apologize for trying to introduce people to it. I believe, and I am correct, that being able to detect the truly personality disordered is a vital skill in preserving one's own healthy relationships, and in predicting what abusively minded people are likely to do in the future.
Take care.
I agree with Josh Slocum. I also appreciate your writing style, as well as your standing up for my people, the much (and mostly unfairly) maligned denizens of Northwestern Arizona.
Thanks Sarah! It’s too bad; he apparently also alienated his in-laws—who are locals with a long history in the area—because he didn’t like their politics. I would think you’d tread a little more carefully when you’re outnumbered, and try to be a little less belligerent; but I guess not. He also had similar feelings about the people of North Carolina, which were equally unfair.
Also, I have never met more hateful people than leftists who visited from out of state, from blue cities.
Here, at least, if you get a flat tire, you’ll have a stranger (a local) helping you within 3 minutes.
I don't understand how this person qualifies as "friend".
Well, he was an old high school buddy, and we reconnected a few years ago. I’d fallen out with him before, though, and for the same reason, but I had hoped he had mellowed with age. No such luck—if anything he’d gotten worse. For my part, I was perfectly willing to avoid politics, and respected him enough not to bring it up; no reciprocation on his side, unfortunately.
I love your handle, by the way!
Correct. The left would not exist but for malfunctioning people full of hatred. It's the central theme of my novel, Lost Causes, fwiw.
https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Causes-Richard-Nichols-ebook/dp/B0893M6PQF
Of course many have noticed this characteristic of the Left before, and have written more eloquently about it than I…but the mask really seems to be slipping these days, and the leftists don’t seem interested in hiding their true motivations anymore. Maybe this is a good thing.
That looks like a great book, by the way—I’ll have to check it out!
Happy to send you a free copy, ND. Hard copy or digital - up to you.
I'm not sure others have noticed this of the left, as you state. Very few in fact. Not saying it has gone totally unappreciated, but it's certainly not a part of the mainstream narrative. That's why articles like this are so important. Keep up the good work!
Thanks Richard! It’s critical to understand the nature of what we’re up against, and where to go from here—I guess that’s what I’m trying to do, in my own clumsy way, with this Substack.
I appreciate the offer, but I’d like to buy your book myself—I think you should be compensated for your creative work.
That's very kind. And you're exactly right - if we don't understand the enemy's motivation then we don't stand much chance of defeating him.
+100 for “finally, for whatever reason, he found himself living in Northwestern Arizona.”
I laughed out loud in delight at this phrasing, because that’s exactly how it happens. No one living in this area really knows how they came to be here. It’s a thing that just happens to you.
I mean it was such a strange place for an avowed lefty to end up! The great utopia of California is right there, just across the border. I don’t get it.
It’s almost as though actually LIVING in California is miserable!
Right? They get really angry when you bring that up…
Well said. I think the Covid years have demonstrated that beyond any reasonable doubt.
That’s an excellent point—Nietzsche’s “ressentiment” probably does a much better job of capturing the truth of the matter.
And good catch about poor decisions based on high emotions—there is certainly a distinct lack of self-control in this person’s life, such that he’s even caused serious physical harm to himself through comical outbursts of rage. I’m glad I’m not the only one who’s noticed these tendencies on the left!
I will say that when I was in my teens I would have been pretty envious of Hunter Biden’s life.