# Identity, politics, and the in-fighting of the left **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 9, 2019, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identity-politics-and-the-in-fighting-of-the-left/843199 "2019-11-09T10:42:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2020, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identity-politics-and-the-in-fighting-of-the-left/843199/141 "2020-07-10T13:02:08Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > Taking them down from both Netflix and Hulu is pretty major though (and pretty fucking ridiculous). I seriously don’t understand why they don’t just take down all of the early seasons of the Office? Just too popular and too many episodes, or what? Not that I want to give them any ideas! But it strikes me as odd and inconsistent. Do you think maybe, just maybe, that these big corporations do this stuff because they have calculated that they will make more money by removing the episode than they would by not removing it? I mean, you don’t think Netflix and Hulu are removing episodes out of some sort of social concern, do you? ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2020, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identity-politics-and-the-in-fighting-of-the-left/843199/142 "2020-07-10T23:53:18Z")
HMHW, a big “like” for that whole post. > [@Slash1972](#): > > Do you think maybe, just maybe, that these big corporations do this stuff because they have calculated that they will make more money by removing the episode than they would by not removing it? I mean, you don’t think Netflix and Hulu are removing episodes out of some sort of social concern, do you? I think there’s a mix of things at play. When Woody Allen’s publisher pulled his book, it wasn’t because they thought they wouldn’t make a profit from it but because the young woke staffers working at the publisher revolted. We are seeing this more and more as what used to be written off as extremism found only on college campuses has worked its way into the younger ranks of the professional class as these students graduate and bring their Jacobinism into the workplace. Then there is the concern corporations have over being attacked on social media and having their brand suffer, which–yes–could hurt their bottom line. That doesn’t make the phenomenon a good or value-neutral one. It was also such a craven financial calculus, on the right-hand side of the ledger, that kept NFL teams from giving Colin Kaepernick a job even as other quarterbacks who are obviously inferior to him were hired. Were you fine and dandy with that? ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2020, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identity-politics-and-the-in-fighting-of-the-left/843199/143 "2020-07-11T00:20:22Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > Were you fine and dandy with that? I’m unaware of where I said I was “fine and dandy with that” Only that I said most corporations make decisions based upon their bottom-line, even if it is pulling a book because it costs too much to replace young woke staffers who revolted. While only a movie, Fight Club has a great scene where the narrator explains the cost-calculus performed to decide on whether or not an auto company issues a recall. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2020, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identity-politics-and-the-in-fighting-of-the-left/843199/144 "2020-07-11T00:22:56Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > I’m unaware of where I said I was “fine and dandy with that” I didn’t say you did. I asked you whether you were. ETA: My assumption, actually, is that you were not–and I’m pointing out the inconsistency if my assumption is correct. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2020, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identity-politics-and-the-in-fighting-of-the-left/843199/145 "2020-07-11T00:27:26Z")
I’m unaware of any inconsistency in any statements I have made. Can you point it out? ---
**Author:** ![DemonTree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/demontree/32/8646_2.png) [@DemonTree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DemonTree)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2020, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identity-politics-and-the-in-fighting-of-the-left/843199/146 "2020-07-15T13:31:27Z")
Bari Weiss, one of the signers of the letter on justice and open debate, has resigned from the New York Times with a letter blasting them for creating an illiberal environment and allowing workplace harassment of anyone who disagrees with ‘woke’ thinking. > **[Resignation Letter — Bari Weiss](https://www.bariweiss.com/resignation-letter)** ---
**Author:** ![Lantern2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lantern2/32/3010_2.png) [@Lantern2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern2)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2020, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identity-politics-and-the-in-fighting-of-the-left/843199/147 "2020-07-15T15:11:40Z")
I do think one effect of the “awokening” of institutions like the NYTimes and universities is that they will steadily lose credibility with the majority of the population which is non-leftist. That Bari Weiss resignation letter is a good example. I cannot think of another media employee who has resigned from a major institution with that kind of broadside. The right is jumping all over it of course but a number of centrists have also supported Weiss. Weiss is herself a fairly dubious figure who first became well-known as a student [activist](https://theintercept.com/2018/03/08/the-nyts-bari-weiss-falsely-denies-her-years-of-attacks-on-the-academic-freedom-of-arab-scholars-who-criticize-israel/) at Columbia who launched attacks on Arab and Muslim professors who were critical of Israel. However her critique of the NYTimes rings true and compared to 10 years back its editorial pages certainly seems more stridently leftwing than they used to be. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2020, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identity-politics-and-the-in-fighting-of-the-left/843199/148 "2020-07-15T15:16:02Z")
> [@Lantern2](#): > > Weiss is herself a fairly dubious figure who first became well-known as a student [activist](https://theintercept.com/2018/03/08/the-nyts-bari-weiss-falsely-denies-her-years-of-attacks-on-the-academic-freedom-of-arab-scholars-who-criticize-israel/) at Columbia who launched attacks on Arab and Muslim professors who were critical of Israel. And tried to get Erin Biba blaclisted for tweeting the word Fuck. Weiss complaining about cancel culture is the pot calling the kettle super black. But I am of the opinion that conservatives simply don’t think their attempts to punish people for views they don’t like isn’t cancel culture. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2020, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identity-politics-and-the-in-fighting-of-the-left/843199/149 "2020-07-15T15:20:59Z")
I generally find myself at odds with many/most right wing views. There are elements I may from time agree with but on the whole, I do not. That said, thoughtful conservative views, even those I disagree with, are a vital part of quality journalism. I would not, for example, watch the Fox News clown show, nor listen for a hot second what Rush or some other right wing radio jerk-off had to say. But I don’t mind reading an opinions, like Bari Weiss, I disagree with. If nothing else, it sharpens my arguments and gives me insight to whatever fresh hell may be around the corner. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2020, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identity-politics-and-the-in-fighting-of-the-left/843199/150 "2020-07-15T15:24:47Z")
I will point out that conservatives Ross Douthat and David Brooks have been at the Times for a quiet a while and don’t seem to be going anywhere soon. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2020, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identity-politics-and-the-in-fighting-of-the-left/843199/151 "2020-07-15T15:33:08Z")
It’s noteworthy that Weiss says “it shouldn’t have to take courage to be a centrist at NYT.” Not conservative, but merely centrist - that was enough to get her called a Nazi by her peers. ---
**Author:** ![orcenio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/orcenio/32/1036_2.png) [@orcenio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/orcenio)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2020, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identity-politics-and-the-in-fighting-of-the-left/843199/152 "2020-07-15T16:16:42Z")
1. Be given the biggest megaphone in the world as NYT editor. 2. Write and commission shitty pieces on the quiet righteousness of right-wing anti-SJWism. 3. After many years -and paychecks- publicly cancel yourself for “wrongthink” (she uses that word). 4. Collect right-wing praise for being canceled while valiantly fighting SJWs in the culture wars. 5. Future? Collect a paycheck as an anti-SJW warrior from some right-wing media venture company backed by billionaires. You guys have an election year during one of the most deadly pandemics the world has seen, which is being bungled by the most incompetent President alive. The whining of an entitled, self-righteous, right-wing, culture warrior is the last thing from real news. ---
**Author:** ![Kearsen1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Kearsen1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kearsen1)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2020, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identity-politics-and-the-in-fighting-of-the-left/843199/153 "2020-07-15T16:38:10Z")
I’m thinking you didn’t say shut up and listen because you aren’t man enough to say what you mean and take said punishment resulting from it, so you couch it in your words and terms to give you plausible deniability. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2020, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identity-politics-and-the-in-fighting-of-the-left/843199/154 "2020-07-15T16:43:07Z")
…LOL. You are responding to something I posted **last year.** I cannot remember the context of the discussion and have no desire to re-read the thread to find out. So the only thing I know is that you think I am “not man enough”: which, out of context I find absolutely hilarious 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Kearsen1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Kearsen1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kearsen1)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2020, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identity-politics-and-the-in-fighting-of-the-left/843199/155 "2020-07-15T16:44:16Z")
Hey gotta watch what you say in this cancel culture! A year ago is nothing compared to what they are doing these days Have I missed you change your opinion on this? ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2020, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identity-politics-and-the-in-fighting-of-the-left/843199/156 "2020-07-15T16:45:30Z")
…I literally don’t know what the fuck you are talking about. Would you like to start again? ---
**Author:** ![DemonTree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/demontree/32/8646_2.png) [@DemonTree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DemonTree)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2020, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identity-politics-and-the-in-fighting-of-the-left/843199/157 "2020-07-15T16:59:33Z")
In the top right of the comment is a link you can click to see the previous comment it’s replying to. New message board feature. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2020, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identity-politics-and-the-in-fighting-of-the-left/843199/158 "2020-07-15T17:02:43Z")
…I know that. It links to a conversation I had last year. I can’t remember what that conversation was about and don’t particularly care to review the rest of the thread to try to remember. But Kearsen1 thought it was important enough to not only reply to that post, but to state that apparently “I’m not man enough” to say what I meant. So its over to them to explain exactly what that comment was all about. ---
**Author:** ![Kearsen1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Kearsen1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kearsen1)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2020, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identity-politics-and-the-in-fighting-of-the-left/843199/159 "2020-07-15T17:56:59Z")
I’m reading through the entirety, I will let you know if I find anything else objectionable 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2020, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identity-politics-and-the-in-fighting-of-the-left/843199/160 "2020-07-15T18:07:11Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > It’s noteworthy that Weiss says “it shouldn’t have to take courage to be a centrist at NYT.” Not conservative, but merely centrist - that was enough to get her called a Nazi by her peers. As others have said, just because you declare yourself to be something doesn’t make it true. It’s almost cliched how easy it is to consider yourself a centrist due to how crazy some other people on your side are, especially in the digital age. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identity-politics-and-the-in-fighting-of-the-left/843199.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identity-politics-and-the-in-fighting-of-the-left/843199.md?page=9)