The Times, They Are A'Changing

 

Rather abruptly,  I realize I no longer get into those flame wars I used to encounter endlessly online. A large part of this, no doubt, is that just about everybody woke has unfriended me by now. But that cannot be the total explanation. Not all of them have, and those who used to post madness to the general universe on Facebook no longer seem to; at least not nearly so often.

I think the realization is beginning to seep in, among many or most of those who have always followed the orthodox and accepted politically correct positions as a matter of course, that they have been had. They have lost their confidence in the moral superiority of their views. They have lost confidence in the defensibility of their views. They are beginning to fear they are being laughed at.

I see a parallel shift on the right. In clips from political debates in the current US congressional elections, I hear Republicans speaking out assertively when they previously seemed to fudge or apologize for their positions. A few years ago, the only candidate who talked like that was Newt Gingrich. I see the same thing in Canada’s parliamentary question period under Poilievre.

The pendulum is in swing.