Mark Piggott

In defence of extreme moderation

Reading Melanie Phillips in this morning’s Times made me really cross. Nothing unusual in that – except I’m cross because I agreed with every word she had to say about free speech, and the lunatic attacks on Canadian academic Jordan Peterson by activists who have the gall to call themselves progressive. Peterson, in case you didn’t know, has argued against proposals that Canada introduce new laws insisting personal pronouns be changed to ze and zir at the request of the addressee concerned. As someone who still thinks of himself as ‘left wing’ (Left and Right being, as I have said here before, somewhat outmoded), I hate agreeing with Melanie Phillips. Of course the route from youthful socialist to ageing conservative is a familiar one, but even aged 50 I don’t feel particularly conservative, either upper or lower case; I feel deserted. I’m in the same place I was 35 years ago, but the crowd around me has retreated to the fringes of the battlefield to shout rude names from the safety of their virtuous towers. The so-called alternative comedians I once admired are in bed with George Osborne and big business. Authors like Ian McEwan smack their lips at the prospect of the death of old people because they might have voted Brexit (what about Remain voters, Ian? Or Brexit voters who fought in the war?) The Guardian and Observer, the first newspapers I wrote for as an angry young Manc, have been overrun by a motley crew of Stalinists, Islamists and elitists, the comments beneath the line seemingly composed by Viz’s Pathetic Sharks.

It comes as no surprise that some young people buffeted by the harsh winds of globalisation are developing an interest in Communism; it’s unforgivable that people of my age and older encourage them in their naivety, make excuses for Stalin, Mao and Kim Jong-un.

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