Although many blame former President Donald Trump for the recent polarization of Western society, it did not start with him. The political divide we now reside in is the result of a process that has been going on for decades. Everyone is being called something right now, whether it be fascist, Nazi, communist, socialist, or extremist. It feels as though the middle ground no longer exists. However, just as things are never always black or white, neither is everyone always residing at extremes. Identity politics created by the media and politicians has pushed a narrative on the public that is not meant to simply reveal division, but rather, create it.
Labels are easily applied, however they are not easily removed. Political labels are used to advance political agendas. The truth about various ideologies are often hidden, disguised in words meant to deceive. For example, many on the left label conservative right-wingers as fascists, even though fascism is about majority control and libertarianism and conservatism are about individual freedom. The extreme right ends with a complete absence of government, which is anarchism. The left-wing extreme ends in totalitarianism and fascism.
Only conflict can live in these extremes. Debate and moderation are only possible in the middle ground. With extremist labels being attached to everyone, it’s important to understand where your own ideologies actually exist and where others actually exist, despite the labels being applied. For example, communism and fascism each contain slight variants of the same evil. Both ideologies are correlated equally with national socialism, and all three are totalitarian in nature. These three ideologies can become so extreme that they merge in the same spectrum of hate and control.
Both left- and right-wing ideologies can succumb to moralism. This does not refer to individual morals, but to placing your own morals on others and expecting them to live by those morals. Moralism claims to not want to control the lives of others, but insists all others adhere to their moral code, even when they do poorly at it themselves. Moralism’s reach grows wider as it moves toward totalitarianism and then servers suddenly when all morality is lost. When this begins to happen, morality is used as a tool to push conformity of belief and action, until it is no longer needed. “Not all morality is political correctness, but all political correctness is guised as morality,” say the hosts. Political correctness is about political goals and it is a pathway toward totalitarianism.
In the episode, the hosts compare the ideology of extreme moralism to the progression of the medical mandates applied during the pandemic. Despite the mantra of “15 days to flatten the curve” and the imposed lockdowns, prominent politicians were seen attending large parties and not social distancing. People were forced to wear masks, while Dr. Anthony Fauci would take his mask off if the cameras weren’t on him. The morality applied to the masses, but not to the ruling class. At first, these rules were justified because the ones making them said it was the right thing to do, but as time went on and the measures clearly weren’t working, they were upheld through coercion and force.
The hosts believe that the mask and vaccine mandates are part of a larger move toward infringement on individual freedoms. There are two groups that lead this effort, one on the right and one on the left. On the left, the ideologies that lead to infringement of individual rights adhere to various elements of Marxism, ranging from left-wing moralists to communists. This group believes in a welfare state and redistribution of wealth, as well as promoting social justice and inhibiting free speech through the application of political correctness. They believe in higher taxes and engaging in taxation to obtain goods and services from others through the government. This ideology is against free markets and believes the economy can be controlled through legislation and regulations. They elevate the group over the individual. They also see international law as superior to national law. Social globalism through centralized government is a goal for this ideology. These beliefs currently have a strong foothold in the Democrat party and are a driving force behind Democrat politics.
The other prominent group driving the infringement of individual freedoms are the neoconservatives. This ideology ranges from right-wing moralists to fascists. They are pro-interventionists and view America as the world’s policeman. At its foundation, this belief system actually traces back to liberal leanings. The original neoconservatives were moderate or hawkish Democrats who grew tired of the socialist tendencies in the Democrat party. Today, this group engages in economic globalism and is pro corporate America at the expense of small business. This group has overseen the goal of centralized banking and dominant multinational corporations. Neoconservatives are willing to sacrifice citizens’ civil rights for increased government control in the name of safety. Globalism achieved through globalization is a primary goal for neoconservatives.
Both Republicans and Democrats alike can drift towards totalitarianism and reside primarily in the extreme wings of these two ideologies. Most people however are not extremists, although they can be influenced by fake news. Whether it’s Russiagate, environmental doom, or COVID-19 death rates, the public continues to be pushed into corners and divided through false information and media narratives. “When confronted with the actual facts, the public tends to take the sensible path,” the hosts say.
In the episode, Carlson and Mahncke provide a helpful chart to assist viewers in identifying their own ideologies, as well as the ideologies of other people and political factions. They encourage people to determine to themselves where others’ belief systems actually fall, and let the accumulation of people’s actions, not politicized words and labels, speak for themselves.
Watch the full episode for more in-depth information, and share this article so others can be informed on this important topic.
