[dionidium]

The phrase du jour is, "freedom of speech isn't freedom from consequences," but this merely begs the question. The whole point is which consequences for which actions and who gets to decide? (Who in their right mind thinks, "a literal mob" is the right answer to that last question?) And it's a very weird status quo where something you said in private or in a forum or at a party 10 years ago -- let's even assume it was something genuinely offensive -- can be used as evidence that you shouldn't be allowed to have a career in the present day.

Another phrase lefties love is, "I don't know how to convince you you're supposed to care about other people." Whenever I see some regular Joe fired from his forklift job because he isn't totally up-to-date with elite social norms around discussing race or gender -- or how about people literally calling CPS on "bean dad?" -- I just think, yeah, I don't know how to tell you that you shouldn't take pleasure in that outcome. Apparently people genuinely do get off on getting guys like that fired and, again, I don't know what to say that would make them just a little less bloodthirsty, because it's in fact very easy for me to empathize with that guy.

[code_runner]

To each their own, but I think the phrase “people on the left” may be better than “lefties”.

Lefties gives me the impression I know your opinion and political views well before the end of your thought. It weakens an argument that I actually agree with… even though I’m a lefty.

[dionidium]

That's fair enough. I struggle with what to call them. I have been broadly "on the left" my entire life and I don't want to cede the terms "on the left" or "progressive" to these folks.

[lapcat]

> Whenever I see some regular Joe fired from his forklift job because he isn't totally up-to-date with elite social norms around discussing race or gender

How often have you seen this?