Young Radicals Fabricate Conflict

In this episode, Claire Lehmann and Zoe Booth discuss the concept of confected radicalism, which refers to young activists who seek radical causes despite the success of past movements. They explore the example of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras and the controversy surrounding the participation of police officers. The conversation delves into the different orientation to activism among the younger generation and the lack of interest in building alliances. They also discuss the tension between mainstream acceptance and the desire for radicalism. The episode concludes with a discussion on the need for a fight and the risk involved in activism.

00:00 Introduction to Confected Radicalism
00:54 Confected Radicalism in the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras
03:20 Lack of Interest in Building Alliances
04:15 Homophobia and Institutional Bias
05:14 Tension Between Mainstream and Radicalism
06:39 Desire for Struggle and Resistance
07:07 Existential Threats and Moral Panics
08:01 Examples of Existential Threats
09:29 Individual Responsibility and Progress
10:28 Choosing to Accept Progress or Deny It
11:24 Relative vs Absolute Comparison of Quality of Life
12:23 Fear of Individual Responsibility
13:24 The Need for a Fight and Resistance
15:20 Risk and Skin in the Game
16:18 Live Action Role Play and Becoming What You Hate
19:30 Fascism in Different Sectors
20:56 Suppression of Statistics and Government Misinformation
21:26 Reckoning with Anti-Semitism in Germany
22:23 Soviet Antisemitism and Cultural Blind Spot
23:17 Conclusion

#antisemitism #islam #australia #sydney #lgbt #police #beaulamarre
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Quillette is an Australian-based online magazine that focuses on long-form analysis and cultural commentary. It is politically non-partisan, but relies on reason, science, and humanism as its guiding values.

Quillette was founded in 2015 by Australian writer Claire Lehmann. It is a platform for free thought and a space for open discussion and debate on a wide range of topics, including politics, culture, science, and technology.

Quillette has gained attention for publishing articles and essays that challenge modern heterodoxy on a variety of topics, including gender and sexuality, race and identity politics, and free speech and censorship.

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[Creality.R.Crooks]

"The demand for nazis exceeds the supply."


Never in Godwin's wildest dreams was that line ...

[howardzochlinski]

As an elderly Jew whose life was destroyed by anti-Semitism in academia - love your use of uni - I'd like to know where the written articles can be found.

[KAZVorpal]

Not "alleged killings".
That's not how it works.
He is the alleged killer, but nobody disputes that there were killings.

[andydepissant]

Purity spirals. "I'm so dizzy, my head is spinning. Like a whirlpool, it never ends. I'm so DIZZY..."

[mxvega]

Any young activist who wants a cause, a mantle, a posture, and social cachet is going to hone in on the impossible: closing the gap between what exists now, and the perfect utopian future (undefined), not the improvements to date. The permanent deficit model is so corrosive, and yet provides outrage for life, and a role/purpose/job, while achieving very little.
And the leaders and vanguard are usually wealthy. Call them the Prada-Meinhof Gang.
It's Radical Chic LARPing. If they want to see what real inequality looks like, Moresby is only a short flight away.

[melodyrachel]

Love the new look! And interesting conversation !

[wm]

They - Young People have exalted notions, because they have not been humbled by life or learned its necessary limitations; moreover, their hopeful disposition makes them think themselves equal to great things - and that means having exalted notions. They would always rather do noble deeds than useful ones: Their lives are regulated more by moral feeling than by reasoning - all their mistakes are in the direction of doing things excessively and vehemently. They overdo everything - they love too much, hate too much, and the same with everything else - Aristotle.... its just how people are 🤷‍♂

[AndyColglazier]

Mobphobic. Love it. Right there with you

[benp]

A couple of my favorite ladies. Great conversation.

[steinarvilnes]

The thing is, comparing to your neighbours and people in your country: That is human nature... This is propably directly connected to sexual selection and is thereby quite central. Not having what is "normal" in your society also prevent you form living a normal life, since when something become normal society is structured around people actually having access to it. If you do not have a computer with internet today you lose access to a lot for example.

[iamamish]

Confected Radicalism sounds a lot like Militant Enthusiasm - you should check out Konrad Lorenz - he wrote a book in 1963 about this topic. I haven't yet completed the video, so maybe you already mention him. Apologies if so.

[DinoRamzi]

Hey hey!
Ho Ho!
We need the status quo!

[ludwigr.reindl]

I wonder if confected (performative) radicalism is the same as praxis?

[snowyfictions]

"Something to panic about"

In fairness, these social media communities both Zoe and Claire reference do have things to panic about. My X feed is stacked with stories about unfairness in the justice system, women getting murdered, racial abuse, and other awful things. This creates a sense of helplessness over time, and whilst it's unfair to blame 'social media' or 'outrage' for this, there is a warranted sense of bleakness on both the left and the right. Everytime X shows an awful story about another person getting murdered, I scroll past, but I know that's a real person who should be alive, and isn't, due to a policy decision someone has made. Of course that is radicalising! Existential threats do not always manifest in obvious ways like total warfare. A decline in living standards, over-time, or the sincere belief your vote doesn't matter, is enough to antagonise any human.

I'm on the Right, and there are people who absolutely want others to feel misery and despair. It's difficult to figure out whether they are bad actors or are genuine in their unhappiness. I try to have gratitude for what I have today (a university education, the opportunity to learn languages, a loving and stable family, financial freedom) but this alone does not satisfy my desire for fairness, for justice, for a better world.

[BrianHill]

Feeling righteous is a human need. In many societies this need is mostly satisfied by religion. Part of the hunger for righteous causes is to fill the void that secular society opened up.

[chuongnguyen]

Brain and beauty all mixed into one! Love you guys!

[Sir_TD]

Didn't know Gal Gadot's sister had a Youtube channel.

[tomhalla]

With intersectionality, it is a case of moral accounting done by the innumerate.

[broccolihikicks]

"Raging in the Service of the Machine"

[AF-gdfh]

The branded blankets don't fit with this kind of discussion imo. It makes it look like an influencer trying to sell you stuffs background.