Ahead of June’s EU election, we’re again seeing alarmist rhetoric about far-right insurgents. But the authoritarian turn is happening already — driven by the conservative forces at the heart of the European institutions.
That’s because it’s a slightly less paranoid extension of the same moral and political philosophy: protect the social primacy of privilege. The difference is just that centrists feel more secure in protecting it by offering concessions within their ability to do so without impacting their personal comfort significantly, whereas conservatives openly defend it like rabid dogs. Or I guess, like territorial homo sapiens.
The end result is very different, but the belief system we have to tackle is essentially the same. Me First and the Gimme Gimmes. Memorable name for a punk band, terrible basis for a society.
That’s because it’s a slightly less paranoid extension of the same moral and political philosophy: protect the social primacy of privilege. The difference is just that centrists feel more secure in protecting it by offering concessions within their ability to do so without impacting their personal comfort significantly, whereas conservatives openly defend it like rabid dogs. Or I guess, like territorial homo sapiens.
The end result is very different, but the belief system we have to tackle is essentially the same. Me First and the Gimme Gimmes. Memorable name for a punk band, terrible basis for a society.