Philosopher John Gray discusses the erosion of freedom of thought and expression in liberal societies, the potential conflict between China and Taiwan, skepticism towards green policies, refusal of collaboration in historical events, the political situation in Russia, cancel culture in universities, and the difficulty of practicing tolerance and disagreeing well in modern society.
Liberalism is in decline and faces challenges from alternative models like the Chinese model.
Depoliticization of issues as uncontestable rights has led to the politicization of courts, polarizing politics and limiting consensus.
Green policies should prioritize adaptation to climate change over attempting to achieve minimal impact on carbon levels, considering economic costs and limited job creation.
Deep dives
Liberalism in the Past and Future
The philosopher John Gray discusses the decline of liberalism and the challenges it faces in the modern world. He argues that the era of liberalism based on tolerance and negotiation has passed, with current liberal societies morphing out of existence. Gray highlights the emergence of alternative models of society, such as the Chinese model, which challenge the universal acceptance of liberal values. He also criticizes the impact of cancel culture and ideological conformity within liberal societies, which erodes freedom of thought and expression. Gray sees little hope for a return to the past and suggests that enclaves of liberalism may be the future.
The Need for Political Action and Compromise
According to Gray, earlier generations of liberals recognized the need for continuous political action, discussion, and compromise to maintain liberal societies. He critiques the recent trend of depoliticizing issues by establishing them as uncontestable rights, which has led to the politicization of courts. Gray argues that this polarizes politics and limits the possibility of reaching consensus. He warns of the dangers of politics turning into a battle of enemies rather than opponents, leading to potential conflicts and even civil warfare. Gray suggests reinventing spaces for tolerant and free expression to preserve elements of a fading liberal civilization.
Challenges of Green Policies and Climate Change
Gray questions the efficacy of green policies, arguing that they were launched prematurely and without necessary infrastructure and technology. He emphasizes the economic costs and limited job creation of these policies, suggesting that adaptation to climate change should be prioritized over attempting to achieve minimal impact on carbon levels. Gray highlights the risk of runaway climate change and the need to focus on adaptation rather than futile attempts to stop it. He criticizes the triumph of therapeutic thinking in climate policies and the lack of political legitimacy for disruptive measures that affect people's lives and incomes.
The Loss of Intellectual Diversity in Universities
Gray discusses the decline of intellectual diversity and tolerance in universities. He criticizes the dominance of poststructuralist and postmodernist ideologies that reject the existence of truth and undermine the pursuit of knowledge. Gray argues that the repression of dissenting perspectives and the enforcement of ideological conformity have stifled intellectual debate. He supports initiatives to encourage respectful disagreement and restore tolerance on campuses, but he laments the loss of good manners and fair play that were once taken for granted.
Rebuilding a Mixed and Realistic Liberalism
Gray cautions against a romanticized return to classical liberalism and highlights the need for a mixed and realistic approach. He argues that the rejection of religious and metaphysical foundations has led to the rise of hyper-liberalism, which lacks moral humility. Gray suggests that rebuilding liberalism requires acknowledging the dissonance of human experiences and values and embracing tolerance as a solution. He also proposes exploring new political structures, such as electoral reform, to create incentives for new ideas and break the dominance of existing party frameworks.
