You can find the other essays in this series here: Equality, Tabula rasa, Neoteny, Status, Science In the last two essays on leftist psychology, the key point has been to show how common leftist beliefs are covers for deep-seated feelings of resentment and inferiority. Though these beliefs may seem benign on a superficial level, it has been my aim to show how they are used as weapons against those that the left hates. Underlining this style of reasoning is the assumption that the left is primarily motivated by resentment, and that leftist ideology is about playing out revenge fantasies. It is trivial to see how this reasoning applies to the various client groups that the left courts the favor of, such as non-whites, women and sexual deviants. It is not as easy, however, to see how it applies to some of the most fanatic adherents of the left – affluent white liberals. Let us therefore begin by listing a few sources of resentment that may apply to affluent white liberals, in order to see that what has been said so far about the mindset of the left is still applicable to this group of people.
I think it’s also possible to view the neuroticism/oversocialization relationship as bi-directional.
It’s certainly true that being required to suppress natural instincts may generate neuroticism, but I think there’s also a degree to which neuroticism stemming from other sources may lead towards oversocialization.
For example, fewer and fewer women have husbands that provide for and protect them. Such an isolated, unnatural, and vulnerable position may cause neurotic tendencies that incentivize these women to seek protection from other actors. By acting as paragons of state ideology and performatively demonstrating their loyalty to the regime, they can reassure themselves that they’re on the side of power, and thus feel some semblance of safety and security.
The same is probably true of young men who do not have strong maculine friend groups, people who do not have strong family ties etc.
This would also imply that dissidents will eventually need to be able to project strength and the power to protect to capture these groups.
Great essay.
I think it’s also possible to view the neuroticism/oversocialization relationship as bi-directional.
It’s certainly true that being required to suppress natural instincts may generate neuroticism, but I think there’s also a degree to which neuroticism stemming from other sources may lead towards oversocialization.
For example, fewer and fewer women have husbands that provide for and protect them. Such an isolated, unnatural, and vulnerable position may cause neurotic tendencies that incentivize these women to seek protection from other actors. By acting as paragons of state ideology and performatively demonstrating their loyalty to the regime, they can reassure themselves that they’re on the side of power, and thus feel some semblance of safety and security.
The same is probably true of young men who do not have strong maculine friend groups, people who do not have strong family ties etc.
This would also imply that dissidents will eventually need to be able to project strength and the power to protect to capture these groups.