Right and Left

I like the values of the Left. I support their desire to actively care for the weaker members of society. And yet I often end up being wary of them in practice. I think the Left is often so devoted to its values and strategies, that they fail to see or care when those values are getting in the way of the goal they claim to be working towards. They ignore the plain facts and just repeat their mantra (that their values are achieving their goals) in a louder voice. In contrast, the Right often seems to be more aware of reality and more open to making pragmatically useful decisions. Maybe this is because they set out with more modest aims.


with thanks to Noel Pearson for catalysing my thinking about this (N Pearson, Up From the Mission [Melbourne: Black Inc., 2009], 247.)