My Disagreements with the Activist Left are about De-polarization and Free Speech

It's certainly not just arguing over ideology and philosophy

Tara: I'm actually very frustrated that the left seems to keep misunderstanding where I'm actually coming from. Sometimes, they even mistake me for those who pretend to be centrists but actually always sides with the right on purpose. Given my strong opposition to the 'populist right', I'm certainly not one of those people. But the left keeps misunderstanding me.

Katie: As I've said before, maybe it's because you keep criticizing the left all the time. The left already feels defeated, and fearful of the rise of the far-right. They're not going to take constant criticism well at the moment. Perhaps you just need to understand this.

Tara: I understand how they feel. But that doesn't mean I can stop critiquing where the left is going wrong. What I'm ultimately trying to do is to reduce the polarization, so that the center can hold. I believe that individual freedom is safest when a moderate politics prevails. As I've said before, a strong moderate presence in the political landscape is essential for safeguarding free speech. The problem with the activist left is that its tactics, based on its theory and worldview, are leading to more polarization. They have been both radicalizing young people to refuse to compromise, and also providing fuel for right-wing culture warriors. This is why I can't just stop critiquing the left.

Katie: Is your objection to the activist left based primarily around differences in ideology and worldview then? If so, how is it any different from all the pointless culture war-style debates out there? I mean, how is it different from those jumping up and down about people saying 'Seasons Greetings' instead of 'Merry Christmas'?

Tara: My objection to the activist left is because their ideology and their tactics are fuelling polarization, and in many cases, harmful to free speech. This, in turn, poisons the discourse, prevents a true understanding of the issues, and leads to either stalemate or bad outcomes. While I have fundamental philosophical differences with them, my objection is ultimately not rooted in philosophy, but rather rooted in practical outcomes. I personally believe that pointless squabble about language and philosophy, like the Merry Christmas vs Seasons Greetings example that you cited, are counterproductive. But being concerned about practical results, especially in terms of polarization, free speech and policy outcomes, is actually another thing. I think this needs particular clarification and emphasis.

This is why, going forward, I intend to describe more clearly where exactly my disagreements with the activist left's ideology are, and why I'm disagreeing for the sake of practical outcomes. I hope that this will show that I'm not arguing for the sake of language and philosophy. What I wish for most is a turnaround in the polarization of the Western political landscape generally, as well as the restoration of a healthy marketplace of ideas. Going forward, my critique is going to be focused on this vision, and what we need to do to get there.