Blog post title
Toilet Paper and Conservative Values
I have been asking myself “Why are people so worried about running out of toilet paper?” and I think now I know the answer.
Conservatism places responsibility on the individual, preferring small government and “getting out of the way” of business. It says that this is a meritocracy where the hardest working will succeed and those who are struggling probably aren’t trying hard enough.
Neoliberalism leaves everything up to The Market, saying that people’s intrinsic value is essentially equivalent to their net worth. Again, if you’re not rich, try harder.
People don’t like Liberals because they don’t like being told off for using the wrong language or “othering” certain groups. It takes effort to be inclusive. You have to resist your base instincts that might be screaming “Danger! Danger! I can see somebody who looks different! Run away or attack them!” and learn how to widen your circle of empathy beyond the types of people you grew up with to include people who look weird or do weird stuff.
https://grandpodcast.com/episode-114-overton-window.html
On the podcast (Episode 114) I wondered, since this is not an insignificant amount of cognitive effort, where that brainpower is going in people who choose not to be inclusive. Our feeling is that this brainpower is being directed toward a more competitive drive - that of figuring out ways to “get one over” on the next person. Instead of trying to include more people in order to be stronger as a group, the conservative mindset involves looking for the cracks, finding ways to get ahead,.
In the recent UK General Election there was an overwhelming shift to the right with the Conservatives taking a large victory [show chart]. British people, apparently, are increasingly adopting this mindset which is being reinforced daily in speeches from Boris and his gang.
“Just apply some elbow grease and you’ll succeed”
We know, as liberals, that not everything is a matter of elbow grease. Where you start makes a huge difference and many people suffer from setbacks completely beyond their control (e.g. a family member gets a major illness or has a bad accident and suddenly requires your full time care). We know that we should have a state that will catch us when we fall instead of “getting out of the way” if we are one of the few people who is lucky enough to get rich. Alain De Boton explains it quite well here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbpY-2nOYRI&
So why are people hoarding toilet paper? Because they’ve been told for years that they should take personal responsibility for their wellbeing. That life is a zero sum game and if you don’t get one over on the other guy, you’re an idiot and you deserve to lose. People aren’t being told to think about others, except in terms of how to get something from them. People’s sense of civic responsibility has dissolved in a sea of conservatism.
We liberals didn’t need a global pandemic to know what is right, but there couldn’t be a clearer demonstration that “personal responsibility” is a conservative myth that keeps the poor poor and the rich rich.
THE ONE PERCENT OH NO