The moral abyss we're being herded in to by the media and political parties of the 1950s

Neoliberalism, in my opinion (IMO), has been a growing backlash against progressivism (or, as I could phrase it, against decency, fairness, and inclusion) since the 70s. That backlash reached, I thought, its nadir with the election of former US POTUS45 . . . but it keeps getting worse. 

The revelations about #45’s actions during the attempted insurrection keep getting more disturbing (e.g., see here). The use of transphobia as a tool of hate by neoliberals (e.g., see this) and conservative media (see here, here, here, and here) is also a massively growing problem. 

We look, IMO, like we’re being herded back into the fascist/nazi style scapegoating, othering, and hate of Europe in the 30s. 

And it has to stop - or we, as a species, will, given that this stupidity is inextricably entangled with climate and pandemic denialist conspiracy fantasies. 

There are a range of political and human rights activities people can take - beginning first and foremost by being aware of what is being done (no more heads in the sand!), closely followed by challenging (quietly and calmly, if need be) the lies that are being spread - whether about election results or minorities, and then communicating with elected representatives to let them know you don't want them going into that sort of moral abyss. 

Moral abyss. 

I suspect that’s a phrase I’ll be using in my emails to politicians from now on - we’ve been there over the climate crisis for some years now, and it seems like other issues will start dragging us down further into that moral abyss. 

I have been reflecting on this, aided by reflective pieces such as this, and my opinions are: 

• the right wing extremist parties, such as the Republicans in the USA, the grossly misnamed “Liberals” in Australia, possibly the Conservatives in the UK, and sundry local players like Orbán in Hungary, are heading down a path of ideological hate of anyone and anything different to the superficial imagery of the 1950s - including all forms of progressivism. Voting for them will no longer a matter of policies, but ideology - and emotional incompetence * ;
  
  
• They are being partly aided, partly directed, by conservative media - with Murdoch being the most egregious example of that (but not the only influence).
  Murdoch, according to this, is motivated not only by power and greed, but by the same sort of ideological nostalgia (the phrase ideological romanticism would almost fit, if it didn’t involve such vicious savagery) that the aforementioned right wing extremists have - and an out-of-touch-with-reality view that left progressivism is getting too much press!
  The role of social media in the conservative media's reach is also being DANGEROUSLY under-acknowledged!
  
  
• The other factor being ignored or underplayed here is moral character.
  
  It’s fairly common to talk about critical thinking (and I strongly recommend Brendan  Myers’ free online course “Clear and Present Thinking” on that aspect), but it has become unfashionable to talk about people’s character - in part, in response to the misuse of such terminology by the nazis and fascist of 1930’s Europe, but as was shown the war crimes trials afterwards (including of Eichmann), and the analyses by Arendt and Gilbert, character is a part of this, and that, in my opinion, also raises the issue of how we raise children.
  
  Hate is TAUGHT.
  
  There has been progress on this - e.g., respect for women programmes, the abortive Safe Schools programme, and concern - some misplaced - about a range of influences (parents, peers, teachers ... and media & social media) on children (for some good news, see this). That needs to be made more effective, which includes every  single  advance  being  planned to cope  with  the inevitable  backlash;
  
  
• We cannot do stupid things like complain about predictable backlashes - we know they will happen, plan accordingly.
  And we have to make sure media enquires include social media influence as well - readership of print and online copy is, in many ways, the least of it.
  

 

 * See: 

• https://karlamclaren.com/;
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Karla-McLaren/e/B001K8986S%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share;
  
• https://www.psychpoint.com/mental-health/articles/what-is-anger-a-secondary-emotion/;
  
• https://smile.amazon.com/Emotional-Intelligence-Matter-More-Than-ebook/dp/B002ROKQNS/ref=sr_1_6;
• https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Emotional_intelligence&oldid=1086962807;
• https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-emotional-intelligence-2795423;
• https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/emotional-intelligence;
• https://psychcentral.com/lib/what-is-emotional-intelligence-eq;
• https://www.helpguide.org/articles/mental-health/emotional-intelligence-eq.htm; and
• https://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/programs/bullystoppers/Pages/adviceemotionalintelligence.aspx.

and then consider the role of things like personal sexual/gender insecurity in homophobia/transphobia, and possibly other similar phobias.