9 June 2024
Chaitanya Nitin Harak
In recent years, the Western liberal-left has gained prominence as the vanguard of progressive ideals, championing causes like social justice, equality, and cultural inclusivity. They have positioned themselves as the moral compass of modern society, striving to rectify the historical and ongoing injustices that plague the Western world. However, beneath this seemingly noble facade lies a troubling pattern of selective outrage and strategic alignment that raises serious questions about their true motives. By vocally condemning the West's colonial past and critiquing its cultural practices while often turning a blind eye to similar or more egregious behaviors in non-Western contexts, the liberal-left reveals a hypocritical stance that undermines their credibility. This inconsistency not only erodes trust but also perpetuates a distorted, self-serving ideology that threatens to derail genuine efforts toward societal progress and individual freedom.
Selective Anti-Colonialism
The liberal-left's anti-colonial stance is a cornerstone of their ideological framework. They vehemently condemn Western colonial history, highlighting the exploitation and cultural devastation by European powers. However, this critique is applied selectively, betraying a deeper agenda. While Western colonialism is castigated, the imperial histories of other cultures, such as the Ottoman Empire and the Arab slave trade, receive little to no scrutiny.
This selective anti-colonialism seems less about a universal commitment to justice and more about undermining Western cultural and historical narratives. By focusing exclusively on Western colonialism, the liberal-left constructs a narrative that paints the West as uniquely culpable, while overlooking similar or worse behaviors by non-Western cultures. This approach is not only intellectually dishonest but also undermines their credibility and the universality of their stance on human rights and social justice.
Favoritism Towards Islamic Norms
The liberal-left's selective criticism extends to their treatment of contemporary cultural issues. While quick to decry Western cultural practices, they often exhibit deference to Islamic cultural norms, even when these norms conflict with their stated principles of equality and human rights. For example, while Western societies are criticized for gender inequality, the more restrictive practices in many Islamic countries are often excused or ignored under the guise of cultural sensitivity.
This inconsistency reveals a strategic alignment that favors certain cultural structures, undermining the liberal-left's claim to uphold universal human rights. This approach risks creating a new form of cultural hegemony that is just as exclusionary and oppressive as the colonialism they purport to oppose.
Undermining Western Traditions
The selective critique of colonialism and cultural favoritism suggests a deeper motive: the undermining of Western traditions and values. By focusing on the negative aspects of Western history and culture, the liberal-left seeks to delegitimize Western institutions, creating a vacuum for their preferred ideological constructs. This strategy is evident in their treatment of Christianity, which is often criticized for its perceived role in perpetuating oppression while other religious traditions are rarely subjected to the same scrutiny.
The aim seems to be to replace traditional Western values with new norms that align more closely with their ideological preferences, undermining the legitimacy of Western traditions. This approach, however, is fraught with risks and contradictions, revealing an agenda that is less about universal justice and more about cultural dominance.
Wokeness as a New Public Religion
In traditionally Christian nations like the USA, there is a noticeable shift towards replacing Christianity with "wokeness." This ideology, with its emphasis on social justice, diversity, and inclusion, functions as a new public religion, demanding adherence to its tenets and punishing dissent. Wokeness, with its puritanical zeal, mirrors medieval religious inquisitions, imposing a rigid set of beliefs that stifles individual freedom and critical inquiry.
Cancel culture, a hallmark of wokeness, involves public shaming and ostracizing individuals for perceived transgressions against prevailing social norms. This practice resembles the medieval excommunication process, effectively banishing individuals from social and professional spheres. Cancel culture enforces conformity and suppresses dissent, creating a climate of fear that discourages independent thought and open debate, essential components of a healthy democratic society.
The Origins of Wokeness
Wokeness has disturbing intellectual roots, notably influenced by figures like Michel Foucault, whose work laid the groundwork for the aggressive censorship seen today. This movement is less about genuine social justice and more about consolidating power, imposing a uniformity of thought that undermines free speech and open debate. The origins and current practices of wokeness reveal an ideology that is as dogmatic and intolerant as the religious traditions it seeks to replace.
Wokeness as Social Control
Wokeness demands conformity to a set of ideals that stifle individualism. It creates a climate of ideological homogeneity, enforced by a growing bureaucratic apparatus that regulates public and private life. This conformity undermines the principles of free expression and diversity of thought, which are essential for a dynamic and innovative society.
Bureaucratic Enforcement and Stifling Innovation
Large corporations, particularly in tech and finance, have embraced wokeness, not out of genuine conviction but because it serves their interests. These companies, like Google, promote a culture of conformity and risk aversion that stifles innovation and creativity. By creating a bloated bureaucratic structure, they suppress competition and maintain market dominance, leading to stagnation and mediocrity.
Corporate Benefactors of Wokeness
Companies like BlackRock benefit from the bureaucratization of society, positioning themselves as enforcers of social norms and maintaining their market dominance. By promoting wokeness, these corporations stifle innovation and foster a culture of conformity that serves their interests but harms broader societal progress and individual freedom.
The Western liberal-left's relationship with Western institutions is marked by a profound hypocrisy that undermines individual freedom and societal progress. Their selective critique of colonialism and promotion of wokeness reveals a strategic agenda that seeks to undermine Western traditions and values. To counter this trend, it is essential to promote a culture of genuine inclusivity and open inquiry that celebrates diversity of thought and fosters creativity and innovation. By reclaiming the values of individualism and free expression, we can create a society that is truly inclusive and capable of addressing the complex challenges of the modern world.