The progressive delusion

We don't all like you and agree with you. That's ok.

The phenomenon of progressive delusion is very much like the phenomenon of Canadian delusion. Both groups go about their lives presuming that everyone not only respects and admires them, but sees them as they see themselves: 100% right.

There is zero doubt in the minds of progressives and Canadians that the entire world envies their intelligence—they are the most informed, the most invested in The Science, the most rational, and the most educated. Not only that, but they view themselves as the kindest, most compassionate, and most polite.

Any of you who grew up in Canada, like me, in 90s, will recall being directed to sew a Canadian flag onto your backpack while traveling, as this would ensure you would be treated better than you would were you assumed to be American. (Canadians are very certain that the world loves them and hates America, just as they do.) There was no evidence that people in other countries treated Canadians differently than Americans—this was purely an exercise in self-praise that Canadians reinforced amongst themselves.

Progressives, similarly, believes the world around them sees things exactly as they do. They have no qualms about announcing their political opinions loudly to anyone, anywhere at all. Because of course their politics are the Good Ones, and they can’t imagine anyone might see things differently. They move about the world confidently, knowingly for certain that no one in their vicinity could have voted for Trump (surely they would be decorated in a MAGA hat and a Trannies Out! tee to advertise), that everyone supports the unhinged anti-ICE protestors, and that the only people who don’t believe that every change in temperature is due to catastrophic climate change resolvable through buying EVs (just not Teslas!) are rednecks who also don’t believe in the Moon landing.

Boy oh boy do I have news for you!

First, of course we didn’t land on the moon you sillies.

Second, not everyone likes you and agrees with you—many are just tolerating you politely because they are nice and open-minded compassionate people who don’t believe it’s necessary to hate others just because they are basic NPCs who are hell-bent on destroying the Western world (but with kindness).

Should a progressive deem not to ostracize, scream at, or punch a person who dares hold non-left political views, they consider themselves very generous. Imagine! They, a Correct and Good, allowing a Hateful, Stupid, and Wrong to share the same (short-lived) air as them.

The assumption that everyone around them bases their lives and relationships on political parties, activist movements, and propaganda that has been consistently wrong for at least a decade is strange. Imagine buying the Covid scam hook, line, and sinker, or repeating “Transwomen are women” ad nauseam for five+ years, and still assuming you and your “side” are right about everything. Imagine continuing to insist that the “good” side is that side that advocated for child sterilization, forced the elderly to die alone in hospitals on account of a cold, and banned people from the internet and public life for speaking truths we all acknowledge are true now, but were not your party line a few years ago.

I hate to break it to you, but you are the bad guys, not us.

We listen to your bullshit all the time and just smile and nod, because getting into political arguments with brainwashed, self-righteous haters who think violence is acceptable so long as it’s against a person you disagree with is not our idea of fun.

We’ve stayed friends with you this whole time despite thinking you’re a bit of a dunce.

We actually don’t need to agree with everything our friends think in order to be friends with them.

We never told you that your endless Instagram stories about fascist America don’t make you look caring, compassionate, and informed, but rather like you have the politics of a teenage girl.

That’s ok. One day when you figure this all out, we know you’ll apologize for acting like you were doing us a favour by sitting at the same table as us, despite our dangerous commitment to democracy and free speech.

Just joking. We know you’ll never apologize.