Kesher Talk

Political clarity, social confusion. While in bookmark-clearing mode I read through the comments over by Matt Yglesias about John Derbyshire's admission of his fondness for metropolitan bohemia, most of them attempting to label this particular intersection of political and social predilictions: bobo conservative, Telegraph Tory, blue-blood republican, Metropolitan conservative, Conservative In Name Only.

Derbyshire's essay was published shortly after the blog debate on political labels organized by Michael Totten and inspired by Gary Farber. (Michael and others have posted subsequent thoughts on the topic.) Although that discussion ranged over many aspects of the labeling problem, no one really examined the fact that most people organize their social lives around their hobbies, cultural activities, and domestic concerns, not around their politics.

In fact, many people - especially young adults - derive their political views from the social group wherein they feel the most comfortable. They want to feel part of a larger community, and the jargon, in-group jokes, soundbites, clothing styles, music tastes, et al, that identify this community assume a common underlying world view. They then adopt the politics that allow them to have companionship while enjoying their tastes, even though in most cases one is not dependent on the other.

Derbyshire says he really feels at home with urban bohos, even though their politics repel him. But he isn't the only person who feels a conflict between one's politics and one's cultural tastes. The crunchy conservatives are staking out their turf, and a few pro-war patriotic noises have been heard from the alt music scene. One wonders how many of the People in Black moseying about your average Soho gallery opening think that our intervention in Iraq was necessary for American security and the ultimate stability of the region, but are afraid to stick their necks out. One wonders how many Good Ole Boys moseying about your average Des Moines Wal Mart think the war was an unecessary expression of a disastrous foreign policy, but are afraid to stick their neck out.

These are stereotypes of course, but stereotypes are reinforced when people deform either their tastes or their beliefs to fit into a community. Most of us are much more varied and strange than that, and we need to challenge our communities to stretch to fit around us.

UPDATE: Armed Liberal responds. I hope people talk about this more. We make jokes about how college students go to demos to get laid, and bemoan the fact that supporting Israel is considered nerdy and being pro-Palestinian is considered cutting-edge. The need for community and social acceptance are huge factors in shaping political movements, and the anti-idiotarian movement (for lack of a better term at the moment) also fulfills a social need. There must be a way to leverage this to our advantage.

posted by Judith @ 5/27/2003 08:20:51 PM