Essence of the Self Congradulatory Left

...the Left, at least since the 1840s or so, has been a much smaller social and, especially, intellectual movement, able to conceptualize philosophically and historically the nature of the capitalist transformation of its time, and to approach it critically. In other words, the Left examines capitalism from the standpoint of such critical ideals as justice and freedom, rather than from the point of view of immediate self-interest.
http://www.tikkun.org/magazine/index.cfm/action/tikkun/issue/tik0411/article/041111b.html

The left, since Marx of the 1840s, was the dominant intellectual force in the world up unitl the election of Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan in the late 70s and early 80s. To the horror of the world it piled up more body bags in the 20th Century than any other odious theory in history.

To say that the left was critiquing "the point of view of self interest" in the name of "justice and freedom" is, quite frankly, begging the question. It would be more accurate to say the left critiqued justice and freedom in the name of a redefined 'cosmic justice' [the antithesis of justice] and slavery.

Indeed, what the left amounted to was an attempt to install Plato's police state. Far too often they succeeded.

Today, having decisively lost the intellectual argument against capitalism (no, not 'redirecting it') the left too often simply opposes America.

This is why, for example, feminists are silent about the improvement in the lives of women that have resulted from the liberation of the Taliban. Their hatred of America is far stronger than any love or concern for real live women.

Peace