Glenn Greenwald is now being linked to and referred to by conservative sites who almost entirely disagree with his liberal views, mostly because he tries hard to get the facts right and pushes back against the liberal sources that want none of it. Is there a pattern that conservatives that move in the liberal direction are largely those who moved into liberal environments and gradually go native (Chuck Todd, David Brooks, Jennifer Rubin, Mitt Romney) while liberals who become more conservative (sometimes not very conservative) have first been elbowed out onto their own resources, no longer protected by the tribe, and resolve to shoot as squarely as they could, whether anyone gave them a job or not? (Alan Dershowitz, Sharyn Atkisson, Matt Taibbi, Greenwald, David Horowitz - and me). BTW the standard online explanation of liberals going conservative is that they don't exist, and it is essentially Russian disinformation. I really hope that is not a general view among liberals but only some loud online voices, because that is a frightening level of paranoia and denial of reality.
Anyway, Greenwald writing about the White House riot. He doesn't at all like the protestors, but his harshest words are for those writing about them.
I used to not read him, but now I see him differently. Is it him? Is it me? I think it's both of us.
ReplyDeleteChristopher Hitchens was of the left to right sort. I met him once, briefly. He was a worthy writer.
ReplyDeleteWhile not exactly comparable, the contrast between the reception that Greenwald, Taibbi, Bari Weiss, and others are getting, and the fate (as well as the motivation for transition) of Steve Schmidt, George Conway, and others of the 'Lincoln Project' is striking.
ReplyDeleteAnother point for the propositions conservatives look for converts, and liberals look for heretics.
My conclusion is that Greenwald is getting older, so he naturally is becoming more conservative. So is Taibbi. And of course, the acceleration of change in the Progressive/Liberal world should be concerning to anyone who is a true believer in those core principles
ReplyDeleteI have always learned from my youth in the Massachusetts that Progressives and Liberals are mostly dishonest, but I try very hard not to pre-judge. Instead I listen to the words - which is often the 'tell'. And once the words are out there, I look at the actions for confirmation. I do this for both the Conservative and Liberal/Progressive sides. The former generally makes it through the first gate, not always. The latter rarely does, because words are weapons for them.
I find that Conservatives are generally more open and respectful to diversity of opinion and experience, and they tend to honor intellectual honesty when they see it. Not all conservatives, of course - there are always dragons in the ranks on both sides.