The original identity politics
Obama deals with the “Oh no identity politics ew ew we’re all individuals and only individuals matter” trope a lot more briskly than I did.
Tip Jar
Obama deals with the “Oh no identity politics ew ew we’re all individuals and only individuals matter” trope a lot more briskly than I did.
It’s also done a lot more harm than a tweet from an entitled racist, sexist, or homophobe.
He’s right; white supremacy, male supremacy, and the like are identity politics. I won’t pull a Jason Stanley and compare them to contemporary “identity politics” based on Critical Theory, but one thing they do have in common with those is a disdain for the concept of individual liberties for all. Which is not the same thing as the Objectivist claim that we’re all disconnected individuals and any “collectivism” is suspect.
The best arguments against contemporary “identity politics” point out that its practitioners have basically given up the fight for equal rights in favor of a fight of narrative against narrative, in which empirical evidence is suspect and tribalism is Uber alles.
It’s easy to forget how impressive Obama can be, just as a speaker, almost regardless of what he says.