The Far-Left May Well Help Trump Win This Year
But there's a silver lining here for us too
About a decade ago, I started to become concerned about the mainstreaming of a certain brand of far-left cultural radicalism, steeped in postmodern critical theory. As a classical liberal, I became alarmed at the oppressor vs oppressed worldview, the anti-free speech sentiment, and the extremist ideas and tactics that were only helping the far-right. Later, I became, by default, part of an 'anti-woke' movement, where we tried to dissect and expose the flaws of far-left cultural philosophy. Through all this, I have always maintained that the most important people to win over are the center-left, if we are to win the debate against postmodern critical theory. Over the past two years, the anti-woke narrative has been increasingly controlled by extreme right elements, to my dismay. If anti-wokeism is seen as right-wing by default, then we have no hope of getting the center-left to listen. If anti-wokeism is hijacked by the illiberal right, we would have lost a really good opportunity to expose the critical anarchist far-left.
However, this year, we actually have another way of, hopefully, finally getting through to the broad center-left out there, about the evils of postmodern critical theory and its associated activism, and it has nothing to do with the lately disappointing anti-woke movement. Instead, it's about the upcoming Biden-Trump rematch. Between now and November, supporters of Biden and Trump alike are going to argue heatedly with each other, and almost as importantly, within their own camps. By now, almost everyone is familiar with the 'MAGA vs Establishment' narrative on the Republican side. However, on the Democratic side, there is an even more interesting dynamic: the far-left trying to use any excuse they can to refuse to support Biden. Now, this has gotten the center-left really frustrated and scared, because they really don't want to see Trump in the White House again. In other words, the center-left and far-left are at odds right now.
By the way, between Biden and Trump, I'm with Biden, and this is the same as four years ago. I have never been a fan of Trump, and I don't think I'll ever be. Biden might not be perfect, but at least he won't act like a bull in a china shop, and that fits well with my moderate-liberal philosophy. But my own political preferences are not the focus of this article. Rather, the point is that, in a heated election year, where the far-left appears to be OK with making the center-left suffer what they most fear, we have a very good opportunity to show the center-left that the far-left are not their friends. Never was, and never will be.
Our role here is simple: we just need to highlight the differences between the mainstream center-left version of 'progressive', and the far-left accelerationist extremism posing as 'progressive', bringing what we learned from the 'anti-woke' movement to good use. After all, these differences are actually at the heart of the center-left's and far-left's vastly different approaches to this election (as well as 2020 and 2016 before this). Pointing out the fundamental differences here would therefore serve to provide important background information to the debate. And just doing this will be enough to break the lie that all 'progressives' are the same.
And if, at the end of all this, Trump still wins (an outcome I personally don't want but one we need to be prepared for anyway), then we need to make the far-left take their fair share of responsibility (which is likely to be 'the lion's share') for the result. We must not let the far-left escape responsibility, like they did back in 2016. If the far-left is brazen enough to successfully bring the center-left to tears come November, then we must make sure they pay the price for it. If we successfully get the center-left to finally divorce the far-left for good, then all is not lost (at least for 2028 and beyond).
TaraElla is a singer-songwriter and author, who is the author of the Moral Libertarian Manifesto and the Moral Libertarian book series, which argue that liberalism is still the most moral and effective value system for the West.
She is also the author of The Trans Case Against Queer Theory and The TaraElla Story (her autobiography).