The Student Room Group

How have perceived or imagined identities evolved in the 21st century?

From the 90's, into the 21st century. How have imagined identities evolved under Third Way politics?

Women: formerly worshipped by men, now more tantamount to a sacrosanct ideology. To criticise femininity is an act of national blasphemy. Both empowered and oppressed, independent and infantile, it is impossible to discuss the identity 'women' without comparing and contrasting to the identity 'men.' As far as that modern socially acceptable religion otherwise known as feminism is concerned, women are nothing without men.

Students: now deem University to be a rite of passage, thus effectively lowering the standards of a university education. Formerly vociferous proponents of free speech and antagonisers of the status quo, they're now far more likely to be found identifying ways to circumvent everyone else's right to express it. They're also very likely to be found supporting (or at best appeasing) religious conservatism and acting tantamount to 1960's social conservatives, particularly in their attempts to ban what they deem to be 'puritanical behaviours.'

Old working class: now universally derided as bigots (typically by students and socialists).

Socialist: once of the working class, now of the middle class. Formerly about prioritising the poor, now about exploiting the poor for political capital (see dead three year old children). Socialism has evolved into identity politics; gender, sexuality, culture and ethnicity are now proxies for the 'class war.' Still universally regarded positively, particularly by the MSM (The BBC), despite a mountain of evidence to the contrary. Collectivism has died as an economic model, but been prioritised as a social model.

Centralisation of power in the hands of the few to exert control over the many is still deemed to be a 'moral good' (see the EU), despite plainly being, as Hayek puts it, the road to serfdom. Those who subscribe to the 'left' still derive a sense of moral superiority or self-righteousness from their positioning, to the extent it excuses the most immoral or inexcusable behaviours.

Fascist: still forms the bedrock of our morality, in as much as it amounts to everything we shouldn't be. Still universally deemed to be a right-wing ideology, despite the fact it's anything but. Still universally leveraged as a primary weapon (typically by people who veer towards genuine fascism) to make people conform to the delicate sensibilities of the few (more collectivism).

Individualism: once deemed the bedrock upon which western civilisation prospered, individualism is now synonymous with selfishness. Selfishness - self-interest - is now synonymous with greed. Altruism is now the 'state of nature' as far as many are concerned, when all observable reality (appended to a little bit of individual thought) would indicate otherwise. Altruism is deemed to only ever produce positive outcomes, despite causing the banking crisis, the migrant crisis, and a host of despotic regimes in the 20th century.

Migrants: formerly welcome (in the 90's), now deemed to be essential to any sound economic strategy. Their cultures, traits and beliefs are of the utmost importance, even when they conflict with individual liberty. As per women, 'migrants' is now a sacrosanct identity type, to the point any and all criticism of this heavily politicised identity - it has been politicised beyond all recognition, but it's apparently too sensitive to discuss - is met with a charge of racism (see 'fascist').

British: any emphasis of national identity is now invariably accompanied by a range of spurious accusations, including racism and xenophobia. All cultures should be prioritised over Britishness (which has been incorporated into a narrative which treats it synonymously with 'conservatism', which itself is now narrated away as 'selfishness'). Britishness is now weaponised as a source of shame and guilt, where all positive outcomes in relation to the British nation-state are kept away from the public eye (for the purposes of prioritising the 'migrant' identity type, and other cultures).

Liberals: once deemed to be the primary proponents of individual liberty, the majority who self-identify as liberal now treat individuals as categories of people, void of individualism. Individuals must be engineered to conform; individuals must be dehumanised to toe the politically correct line. 'Liberal' is probably the most bastardised identity type of all.
(edited 8 years ago)
A close member of my family was a famous socialist, he was awarded a gold watch by the East german administration due to his services to socialism. He was a very liberal and tolerant person and he would call describe todays socialists as complete cocks.

He was a committed socialist and his views on todays middle class leftists unquestionable defence, protection and pandering to fascist ideologies such as Islam with complete horror and abhorrence.
All liberals should be forced to wear a pink star so we can kick them into the gutter when we see them in the street.
Original post by EccentricDiamond
A close member of my family was a famous socialist, he was awarded a gold watch by the East german administration due to his services to socialism. He was a very liberal and tolerant person and he would call describe todays socialists as complete cocks.

He was a committed socialist and his views on todays middle class leftists unquestionable defence, protection and pandering to fascist ideologies such as Islam with complete horror and abhorrence.


I imagine many among 'generation war' would have felt the same way.

Not that modern socialists - or progressives, the 'social' arm of socialism - give a ****.
In short, this is mostly tinted glasses. Righties have been saying stuff like this for decades.

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