See,
Yascha Mounk, “How to Argue Against Identity Politics Without Turning Into a Reactionary” New York Times, September 22, 2023 ( 3:00 p.m. ET).
New York Times note: Mr. Mounk is the author of the forthcoming book “The Identity Trap: A Story of Ideas and Power in Our Time,” from which this essay is adapted.
Yascha Mounk provides a calm and fair analysis of the dilemmas faced by liberals or progressives who are deeply uncomfortable with the current vogue of identity politics in academia, non- profits, and icreasingly in corporate America.
Eschewing the term “woke”, he refers to this phenomena as “the identity synthesis”, and suggests ways concerned liberals and progressive can engage in discussion of these troubling issues
without being apologetic or falling into the trap of joining extremist right-wing critics of what they call “woke” culture.
This article and his forthcoming book should facilitate honest discussions on issues related to “the identity synthesis”. His approach represents a far more promising avenue than doe that consists in demonizing and ridiculing those who hold opposing views.
The publication of Mounk’s forthcoming book, The Identity Trap: A Story of Ideas and Power in Our Time, is certainly an event to look forward to.
The Spirit of Voltaire
