Lauren Southern and Cloistered Virtues - Ron Dart

I cannot praise a fugitive and cloistered virtue, unexercised and unbreathed, that never sallies out and sees her adversary, but  slinks out of the race where that immortal garland is to be run for, not without dust and heat

John Milton
Areopagitica

We are living (nothing new about this) in the midst of yet another series of intense culture wars. The liberal progressives have their Sanhedrin and ruling ideology that brooks little or no opposition. Much of this tribe holds the reins of power at universities, culture, media and political parties of the center-left. This liberal Orthodoxy has a certain way of interpreting history and contemporary events that reflect the ideological premises of liberalism. The conservative clan is often seen as the polar opposite of the liberal tribe and many of the hot button issues in the cultures are held high by them, such a clan, cannon loaded, firing multiple shots across the liberal bow. Needless to say, such opposite positions on virtually most issues can be confusing for those seeking some sort of compass to guide them in the heat of the culture wars, slinking out of the race an indulgent and narcissistic pose and posture—it takes deep courage to remain in the fray when the dust and heat overwhelm the soul, mind and imagination. The treatment of Jordan Peterson, in the last few years, illuminates, in utmost clarity, the nature of the culture wars and treatment of those who go into the lion’s den of liberal orthodoxy—Sanhedrin can be quite vicious, heresy and heterodoxy still very much alive.

There are those who uncritically bend the knee to the progressive left just as there are many who uncritically genuflect to the conservative right. There are many who begin on the left, see the dilemmas of it and turn to the right. There are others who begin on the conservative right, then turn left. Such transitions often still reflect the need to belong to a tribe with some sort of certainty but the content simply shifts even though the need for certainty does not.  William Wordsworth, as a young man, idealized the French Revolution only to distance himself from it when he saw the once oppressed oppressing others (left going right). Martin Buber, when young, for a short period of time, joined Theodore Herzl in his Zionist ideology (right going left) only to part paths with him when he realized powerlessness once attaining power creates other victims. St. Paul, once an aggressive persecutor of Christians, changed his mind and came to see things differently (persecutor becoming persecuted). Wordsworth, Buber and St. Paul once took positions that they came to see as questionable and grew into deeper, more nuanced and thoughtful ways of approaching complex human reality (both the inner and outer life)

Lauren Southern has been on quite a public political journey for the last five years. I have journeyed with her on some parts of such a pilgrimage. The fact that universities, media, higher culture and center-left political parties embody and reflect (often quite uncritically) a programmed ideological agenda that often silences legitimate questions or opposition (and many come to see this) means that, in reaction, many turn to an idealized version of the political right. Jordan Peterson, for example, reflects a perspective that dares to critique liberal orthodoxy (and is caricatured and dismissed regularly and routinely for doing so). This does not mean he is an uncritical fan of the ideological right (alt-new or lite right).  Lauren Southern, in the last five years, has certainly been on the front stage as a significant activist of the far-right and she has seen it for what it is in a way few have or ever will see. The cloistered virtues of those who retreat from the fray or into ideological tribes (of the right or left) were, for a time, Lauren’s temptation and addiction of sorts (Lauren’s bent more to the right). But, like Wordsworth, Buber, and St. Paul (I could mention many others) Lauren has come to see the human journey is more complex than formulas, clichés and slogans that distort reality and reduce political positions to homogenous and sanitized comic book versions of life in which either-or melodramas dominate rather than thoughtful and meaningful human dialogue.

The recent release of Lauren’s “Why I Left, Why I’m Back” sums up, in less than 20 minutes, her reasons for leaving her right of centre commitments and her feeling her way forward to the next step of the journey. The fact Lauren has been much more public than most (certainly no cloistered virtue now of right, retreat or left) means, with this recent video, the progressives are out for her head again and the right feels betrayed by her. But, thoughtful people (unlike brittle ideologues) see and in their deeper seeing, change their minds and in changing their minds, bring greater light and less heat to our culture wars. Do watch this video by Lauren and post reflective comments.

amor vincit omnia

Ron Dart              

Comments

[Ron Daft]

Rather than Ron Dart's attempt at white washing Southern, here's a new video about her and Christchurch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4lUlPRmszQ

[Fravel John]

Nice treatise on your journey. I am excited to see you make new tread marks on our culture. I enjoyed the work of your past. I know what is to come will be simple yet profound. Lead. Do not follow, except for Christ.

[Don McNally]

Nicely done Ron and Lauren. I would say we have our next Lorna Dueck here in the making. Grace and peace Lauren as you come to terms with the gift that is in you-- your calling as documentary journalist.

[Alex]

Thanks Ron for the encouraging post and video. The world needs articulate and nuanced thinking more than ever and it's so refreshing to see real humility and courage.