Why I’m not on the left.

The left is an empire built on formalism.

It is built around the idea that good people who state good ideas with good intentions can change society in a good direction. That looking good and thinking good is being good.

It may be because I’ve got the agreeableness of a someone who’s perpetually stepping on a piece of Lego, but I don’t buy it.

There are 4 points of potential/certain failure in that equation. ^

Good people - people are neither good nor bad, but subject to myriad evolutionary pressures, signaling, biases, incentives, in-group/out-group dynamics, etc.

Good ideas - a good idea is measured according to its effects. This almost never happens in politics even if it were easy. The effects of policies are hidden or weaponized by partisan interests every time.

Good intentions - a system that trades in immense power and wealth doesn’t select for sweethearts. They are churned out at the first hint of weakness.

Good direction - We’re at the point where the “good direction” is typically either a sort of tribute payment or concession to a constituency or a promise of a pause or reduction on the extortion for another.

It may be because of the fact that I grew up in a place where these games were played with the subtlety of a kick in the nuts, but I cannot unsee the nature of man.