Generation Y Radicals

From the desk of Svein Sellanraa on Mon, 2011-01-10 08:53

Just before the Christmas holidays, the Norwegian students' union decorated a hallway in my school with propaganda posters, the overarching theme of which was that students should know their rights. One poster informed me that the temperature in a classroom is required by law to be between 25 and 28 °C, while another detailed the very specific circumstances under which teachers are allowed to expel students to the principal's office. At around the same time a friend of mine, who is active in the students' union, opined that the youths who were then rioting in London over tuition fees had every right to throw bricks and smash plate-glass windows – after all, he said, education is so important. Later in the conversation, a girl who is also active in the students' union said that it was not ultimately the rioters who were to blame for the riots, but David Cameron's government – it had (according to her) enacted stingy Thatcherite policies, predictably causing misery, unrest, and righteous indignation. She said this as if it were a self-evident truth disputed only by the very evil and the very stupid.

Last week my English class watched the HBO documentary Little Rock Central: 50 Years Later, which is about day-to-day life at a high school in Arkansas on the fiftieth anniversary of its racial desegregation. (History lessons in Norwegian schools are mostly about racism or genocide, and consist mostly of film-watching; other movies in the curriculum include Hotel Rwanda and Michael Moore's Capitalism: A Love Story.) I don't know precisely how many times the word “shocked” and its variants was used in the ensuing class discussion, but the number was considerable. Everyone who said something about the documentary – and here too the union reps did most of the talking – was shocked; shocked by the self-destructive way in which the black students at the school lived, shocked by the continuing presence of “institutional racism” (which was unspokenly taken as the only possible explanation for racial disparities), shocked by the behavior of the whites (who were naturally to blame for the inadequacies of the blacks), and by a myriad other things.

I am telling these anecdotes because I find them highly instructive. More precisely, they show that the generation of Norwegians which is now reaching adulthood belongs to an entirely new class of people. That sounds a tad pretentious, so let me explain further.

I have written before about the cultural hegemony the Left exercises in Norway, and about how it has turned universities and schools into indoctrination camps. The generation of Norwegians born in the late 1980s and early 1990s is the first to have lived its entire life in the shadow of this hegemony. Most every teacher, government official, journalist, celebrity, or family member they have encountered spouts the same leftist talking points; most everything they have read, watched, and listened to to has been carefully bowdlerized to make apparent the wickedness of Western culture, the division of history into oppressor and oppressed, and the goodness of egalitarianism. The members of Norway's Generation Y are not the first to embrace the views of the postmodern, politically correct Left – that dubious honor belongs to their parents and grandparents –, but they are the first to absorb it by osmosis. Given the state of Norwegian schools and culture, most of them have probably never even heard of Lukács, Adorno, or Marcuse. They are not only committed to the Cultural Marxist Weltanschauung, but unaware that there is any alternative to it. The upshot of this is that they are not usually bad or stupid people, just grievously misinformed. None of the anecdotes I give here are intended to mock or humiliate the people they depict, many of whom I consider friends. The fault lies not with them, but with the sociopathoid armchair Berias responsible for their indoctrination.

Norway's Gen-Y radicals are utopians. By this I do not mean that they want a perfect society. They are rarely utopians in that sense, just as they are never radicals in the sense of wanting to overthrow the existing order. Like most of the post-Marxist Left, they have abandoned the pipe-dreams of the first socialists; if they believe in the “end of history” at all, they think of it in terms of managerial welfare-state democracy, not a property-less Eden. No, they are utopians in the sense that they believe social problems to be the result of faulty institutions and social structures, and thus also solvable through the modification of those structures. For them, human society and human nature can and should be engineered. This strips the individual of moral responsibility, promotes a sterile, teleological view of society and an interventionist, utilitarian view of the state, and begets the opinions that hierarchy is always unfair and arbitrary, that crime is never the criminal's fault, and that every social institution hides a Darwinian struggle for “resources” between faceless, impersonal forces.

The radicals also have a hefty sense of entitlement. They do not request things -- they demand them. They are perpetually shocked, indignant, and concerned about something. Their shock, indignation, and concern is most frequently directed at Racism, Poverty (which they are demanding – demanding! – be Made History), War, and all the other Important Causes. These evils, they reckon, are best controlled by expanding the State, dismantling what remains of the European heritage, and empowering left-wing internationalist institutions like the EU and the UN. Like China's Maoists the Gen-Y radicals pursue a perpetual, institutionalized revolution in which all humanity is subsumed into isms, ologies, and bureaucratic duckspeak. Like Italian Fascists they are vitalists who value mass political action for its own sake. (I remember an acquaintance who in December 2009 considered going to Copenhagen and protesting the climate summit; she didn't make it clear why she thought the summit should be protested, and I don't think she quite knew -- the important thing was that going to marches and protests is the sort of thing socially conscious and morally upstanding people do.) And like the Brezhnev era's "conservatives in the Kremlin" they see themselves not as reconstructive radicals, but as defenders of an ongoing revolution.

Now it's easy to dismiss all this as curmudgeonly complaining about the kids these days. There are three reasons why this would be a mistake. First, I am one of the "kids these days." Second, my complaints are not, to labor a stereotype, about garish clothes, loud music, or uncouth manners -- they are about the blinkered way in which young people think about politics. Third, my umbrage is not ultimately directed at those young people, but at the 70s radicals and welfare-state bureaucrats who have indoctrinated them. It is they who are ultimately at fault, and the victory of their cause testifies to the susceptibility of all men to comfortable lies and convenient illusions.

Generation Y Radicals

Submitted by marpag on Tue, 2011-01-11 23:07.

Excuse me for being so petty but "between 25 and 28 C". Is this really true? Those classrooms must be stinking of sweat.

Kappery

Submitted by Atlanticist911 on Tue, 2011-01-11 20:07.

Indeed, neither Kappert nor Kappery(something both Capo and myself have been known to indulge in from time to time) are irrelevant to this discussion.

Off-topic example.

@ Capo, Seigetower and All (except Kappert). Visit www.finallyequal.com

@ Kappert. Google 'The Adventures of Handiman Part 1' on Youtube.

"Let's get busy".

 

 

 

 

Losing Team?

Submitted by Capodistrias on Tue, 2011-01-11 17:03.

Alex1 said:

"We are the first drops of the coming wave. With the right mindset and forceful action we will be on the forefront of coming events. That in mind it is important that we lose the mentality of the conservative generation that precedes us. They still have the mindset of a losing team complaining about unfairness after the game."

Hey sonny, dissin your elders who have kept the faith is not normally the route to the front. Otherwise, welcome to the melee, and remember this: If you don't quit, you can't lose and for our team, metaphysically speaking, there is no "after the game."

Not Relevant?

Submitted by Capodistrias on Tue, 2011-01-11 16:06.

@Seigetower

Neither Kappert nor Kappery (what I indulge in) are irrelevant to this discussion. Excuse me Seigetower but you write much too well and nobly to be effective against a foe like Kappert. Just think of me as your Sancho Panza in your quest to:

"Defend Christendom. Defend Jewry. Oppose socialism in Europe."

You can thank me at Kappert's Baptismal Font.

 

 

The task at hand

Submitted by Alex1 on Tue, 2011-01-11 15:14.

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Greetings Svein, Southern Cross and other peers,

 

I normally don’t write many posts on blogs but after reading Sveins essay and Southern Cross’s reply I do have something to say. First of all, I want to salute you for your determination and tenacity. I consider you, future representatives of my generation, as distant compagnions de route. We are the first drops of the coming wave. With the right mindset and forceful action we will be on the forefront of coming events. That in mind it is important that we lose the mentality of the conservative generation that precedes us. They still have the mindset of a losing team complaining about unfairness after the game. Understandable as it is, this should not befall us. The future is bright, opportunities abound if we take them. Secondly, we should lose any inhibitions and come out forcefully for our opinion knowing that facts are on our side. We have to realization that the liberal card house will fall at the first blow of the truth and all we have to do is point to the ruins that surround us. What we need is the feeling that we are part of a coming tide. Thirdly, we should not lose ourselves in theoretical debate or spend all our time on wasting ink. Books enough but it won’t be these that will grant us success. We need to be out in society, making alliances with others, tapping in to frustrations amongst other youths and not locked up on blogs with people that already agree with us. Lastly, we have to lose the left-right, progressive-conservative outlook. We do not want things to stay as they are but we want them to change, we should not want a return to the past but should want a return to sobriety. Therefore the old jargon is obsolete. It is not  ‘us’ against ‘them’. We should see ‘them’ as us but stuck in a liberal matrix. We have to offer them the red pill, not shower them with scorn.

 

I strongly believe that change is at hand. Liberal ideology is on a collision course with reality, and as always reality will win. Let us hope it is not too late. It will be up to us to determine the outcome and we have to be conscious of the task at hand. I congratulate Svein with the work on his blog and wish all of you  the best for the future.

 

Kind regards,

 

Alex

 

Kappert

Submitted by siegetower on Tue, 2011-01-11 12:41.

As usual Kappery proves their irrelevance, with constructive observations coming from other European young people (Alex1 and Southern Cross), arguably the target audience for this essay.

And well written it is. Reminding us that there is hope for humanity, that people of character still exist amongst a sea of young Epsilons. (Epsilon=Brave New World reference)

Greetings Svein! Thank you for

Submitted by Southern Cross (not verified) on Tue, 2011-01-11 11:19.

Greeting Svein!

Thank you for this enlightening piece. As a youth objecting to the mass-mind, multi-cult, the socialist state and the numerous other liberal heresies, I am pretty much of the same opinion. Unfortunately, much of what you mentioned as hallmarks of Norwegian PC could also apply to my country, France. We have been fed the same nonsense about human rights, atheism, "tolerance" and so on. However, there is also some resistance. I, for one, was educated in a Catholic high school and people were far more reluctant to swallow all this liberal fudge. Many of my closest friends are now avowed exponents (or even members) of the National Front. As for genuine conservatism, there is nothing like it in France, even though there are some encouraging hints from some parts of the National Front (from Bruno Gollnisch to begin with), French conservatism remains desperately poor in limb as in spirit. I have already had a look at your publications on Alternative Right and your blog, this is definitely good work, and I certainly appreciate the fact Russell Kirk inspired you as he is probably the man who swayed me (truly, it is a pity his masterpiece The Conservative Mind is little read), beside Edmund Burke and many others. We the younger generation have had a harder ride as we try to shake off the shackles of liberalism imposed upon us by a lunatic fringe (I very much doubt people, as a whole, are so versed in liberalism or even enthralled by it), but it shows there is still some strong spirit left in us, for we stood our ground against the moulding urges of the Hobbesian Leviathan (now a reality in both Norway and France where more than 50% of GDP is levied in taxes).  

Best regards,

Southern Cross

The Future New Normal

Submitted by Alex1 on Mon, 2011-01-10 20:42.

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I live in Belgium and I think I can relate completely with what you say concerning the indoctrination and the fact that there is a complete isolation from opposing views. Yet I do see glimpses of change on the horizon. What is striking to me is that those having the most indignation are usually the lesser minds who I don’t see making big careers and holding important positions. Secondly, I see tiredness with the old ideas. Many youths may still agree with them in public, but seem to know that those ideas are for the most part ideals, nothing more. There is no proclamation or strong conviction, they are just morally obliged to hold them. Thirdly, I see many of the more bright and ambitious starting to venture outside their small (given) box, curious of the world outside. Among these youngsters ridiculing the Soixante-huitards (tr. Sixty-eighters) and their naïvité has even becoming somewhat fashionable. And it is easy to see why. My generation all know people their age living on welfare while berating the rich or productive, youngsters with potential throwing away their lives because they are allowed to ‘experiment’, they grow up with discrimination and intimidation by the supposedly oppressed minorities, they see people capitalizing on failure, victims spending more time in the police station than the culprits, classrooms out of control because teachers don’t have any tools left to enforce discipline, sexuality as consumption and marketing, and it makes them wonder. It makes the old ideas ‘rich is bad, poor is good’, ‘white is racist, colored is oppressed’, ‘Christianity is stupid while other religions are filled with ancient wisdom’, and of course the favorite ‘ all authority is oppressive and wicked’, do seem out of touch and ridiculous. Despite the total control of the media, academia and arts by the progressive-inclusive-multicultural-internationalist-left, their high-time has passed. Reality will prevail over ideals for all to see. Those yelling “discrimination” and “solidarity” every time something happens will become a loud but disrepute clique. Young people are holding their  ideas against the lamp and finding them wanting. This can lead to apathy or confusion. They know laisser-faire morality doesn’t bring happiness but are hesitant to change direction after  years of indoctrination. It is up to young politicians to capitalize on this. All it takes is somebody who will forcefully and convincingly articulate an alternative to change course. Those convinced of a return to frugality and rigor while having an eye for the immaterial aspects of life like tradition and values will hold the key to leadership in the future. Not a return to the past but a return to sobriety. You can see this happening already all over Europe. The so called populists are the first shoots of the future. They are of course only the coarse prototypes of things to come. New movements will grow and ripen as more young people disillusioned by the ideas of their parents join. What is now seen as a monotheistic right-wing bloc will diversify and in the end become the new spectrum. This will not happen overnight but we won’t be graybeards when it does either. It took decades (if not centuries) and two World Wars for the left to reach their hegemony, it won’t take that long for them to lose it. Economic crisis, political squabbling  and immigration will only speed up the realization that the current disintegration follows from the old ideas and  new approaches are needed. I will conclude by saying that the “shocks”, “demands” and “indignations”  are like the screams of a dying man, the last stand before the end. Rejoice in them.

 

as usual

Submitted by kappert on Mon, 2011-01-10 17:33.

As usual, Capo d'Istria gets it wrong! I'm not a headhunter, nor do I engage in violent acts or personal insults. Probably it's wishful thinking of National Rifle Association members or - GLOCK "Safe Action" pistol addicts.

No Pitchfork for Kappert

Submitted by Capodistrias on Mon, 2011-01-10 14:03.

Don't worry S. Sellaraa, Kappert will storm the Bastille without you. How many heads should Kappert bring back for you?

Oh wait, I guess Kappert wants your head! Welcome to Kappert Isle.

Gen Y

Submitted by kappert on Mon, 2011-01-10 13:24.

Reading the title I thought it would deal with the Tucson shooting and the easiness how young people can get murderous weapons. But no, of course it deals with Norwegian youth and their way to 'think about politics', marked by Communist Weltanschauung producing 'anecdotes' like protesting against university fees and climate change. Throughout the text it is not clear what the author's position is; obviously Svein does not protest, only dismisses information on racism (the inadequacies of the blacks), claims to know about Darwin, Marcuse, and Brezhnev and considers Generation Y as utopians. In the end we finally get a clue, telling us that his umbrage is directed at the 70s radicals (sociopathoid armchair Berias) and the welfare-state gang. That could bring us back to Tucson.

RE: kappert

Submitted by Svein Sellanraa on Mon, 2011-01-10 18:29.

Kappert, I would like to carry on a conversation but could not understand anything of what you wrote. Could you by any chance make your English better? Best, S. Sellanraa

understanding

Submitted by kappert on Mon, 2011-01-10 19:06.

I'll try to be as clear as possible. In your article, you describe what you do not like about Norwegian youth by stating some possible reasons from your point of view, but you do not say what/how you wish them to be, apart from a small hint of 'how they think politics'. Being yourself a child of the welfare state, you might explain your views.