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Against the New Normal: The Battle for Britain’s Cultural Identity

by Will Jones
15 February 2022 5:41 PM

We’re publishing today a piece by Dr. John Marenbon, who is a Fellow of the British Academy, Senior Research Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, and Honorary Professor of Medieval Philosophy. It is a critique of the ‘New Normal’ that Dr. Marenbon argues has emerged in the past two years as “a set of views about discrimination, prejudice, culture and guilt” under which “white, heterosexual men began to be obliged to feel guilty for being themselves”. These views moved from “being the preserve of some in the media, politics and the universities to becoming, at least nominally, the accepted way of thought in public life in Britain and the West more generally”.

He distinguishes two intertwined strands of the ‘New Normal’: the social and the historical/cultural, both of which he says are pernicious and based on falsehoods. Here’s an excerpt:

The cultural strand was thrown into prominence in June 2020 when Black Lives Matter protesters in Bristol removed from its plinth a 19th-century statue of the local philanthropist, Edward Colston, who made his fortune in the slave trade at the end of the 17th century. They then defaced it, rolled it through town and threw it into the sea. Although some politicians and commentators condemned the criminal violence of this action (others condoned it), there was hardly a voice among them in favour of retaining the statue, despite its status as a memorial to the historical culture (17th and 19th century) of Bristol. Indeed, in the wake of the Colston episode, statues countrywide became objects of suspicion, as the authorities quietly removed to the obscurity of museum storerooms those whose subjects did not meet today’s norms of behaviour. Slave-trading has come to be regarded as a communicable disease, infectious not just for hours and days but for centuries, if even the slightest traces of it remain on artefacts from the past. Thus the silver on Cambridge college High Tables has been summoned before commissions of enquiry, and items donated by students with families involved in the slave trade judged unfit for use. Even Scotland’s second greatest philosopher, David Hume, has not escaped: Edinburgh University’s ‘David Hume Tower’ has now been more prosaically renamed ‘40 George Square’ following the philosopher’s defenestration, on the grounds that he used racist language, by the appropriate cadres (the university’s Equality and Diversity Committee and its Race Equality and Anti-Racist Sub-Committee).

Just as the social strand threw into prominence an organisation, Black Lives Matter, which antedated the events following George Floyd’s murder, so the cultural strand has given wide currency to a slogan, already popular among radical groups: ‘Decolonise the curriculum!’ Previously uttered as a complaint by student activists, this injunction has now set the wheels of university (and school) authorities in motion, and although they may be unsure about what it means, few in the arts and humanities question that it is a valuable aim, to be pursued without delay or reflection.

But is the New Normal really new? The discussion about discrimination, both sexual and racial, was already widespread in the 1970s, and since then thousands of pages have been written by legal theorists especially, but also by philosophers, on affirmative action. The beginnings of its cultural strand can also be seen half a century ago in the opposition to the Western Civilisation courses, which had been widespread in U.S. universities, and more widely in calls for curriculum reform over the last two decades.

As a collection of arguments, the content of the New Normal is indeed far from novel. What is new is that the views are no longer presented as arguments, to be accepted because they are rationally convincing or countered with other arguments and new evidence. They have become an orthodoxy, and are on their way to becoming an unchallengeable one.

Public dissent from this New Normal is rare. A few brave politicians have refused to take a knee. Others, and no doubt a majority of the public, including many of those who have publicly professed faith in the new gospel, are waiting quietly for it all to pass. The danger is that they are waiting in vain. A new dogma, which is accepted for political reasons and to avoid contention, though mouthed at first without conviction, rapidly acquires the familiarity of habit and in the end is accepted as unquestionable truth.

Worth reading in full.

Tags: BLMCancel CultureRacismWokeryYear Zero

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86 Comments
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huxleypiggles
huxleypiggles
9 months ago

Too many commentators resolutely refuse to accept that Britain’s destruction has been planned for and has been actively pushed since that satanic Next Tuesday Bliar arrived on the scene. There will be no ‘return to growth’ because growth is not part of the reset / Agenda 2030. This country is being actively and deliberately dismantled and frankly nothing short of a national uprising will stop it. The majority of the population have their heads up their backsides and cannot even imagine what is really going on let alone see any of it. Maybe once the death count starts to rise some will wake up particularly if we have a nasty winter.

The likelihood of a new Scamdemic, which I am sure is on the way, will unfortunately not be enough to waken the masses. Perhaps the blinkers will come off when food shortages and sky high fuel bills start to bite.

Totalitarianism has taken charge. It’s grim now but will become progressively worse as the next few months unfold.

12
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Mogwai
Mogwai
9 months ago
Reply to  huxleypiggles

Hear hear, hux. You’re right. Britain is done and has one foot in the knacker’s yard. Meanwhile, I saw this and thought of you as you’re obviously on the same page as the author. None of this will be news to you but may be of interest to other peeps. I keep an open mind but find I still require more evidence to support this theory;

”For many years now I have offered a specific theory on the true agenda behind open border policies in western countries and I believe this theory answers most of questions surrounding illegal immigration.
The common claim within the Liberty Movement is that this is all part of the “Cloward-Piven Strategy”: A social engineering method which uses large scale relocation of migrants into a society in order to destabilize that nation. The goal is to import people with a incompatible or hostile ideology and, eventually, the target culture will break down and be forced to accept a new system of governance (i.e. from free markets and liberty to communism and slavery).
If western populations are unified in opposing the globalist ideology then the task of deconstruction becomes impossible for them. So, they simply destroy the west from within by introducing millions of people that will NEVER assimilate or unify.
My theory goes beyond the Cloward-Piven explanation, though.

I think there is a deeper and even more sinister purpose to the introduction of third world migrants to the US and Europe.
I summarized my position in my article ‘Cultural Replacement: Why The Immigration Crisis Is Being Deliberately Engineered’ published in January. I noted:

“I have mentioned this in previous articles and I continue to believe that one of the main purposes for the establishment to leave borders open and entice illegals to enter is to create a migrant army; a situation in which millions of illegals will be offered easy citizenship in exchange for service. I also believe that this migrant army will be used against the American public (the real citizenry) to impose martial law measures in the wake of a national disaster…”

In other words, my argument was that migrants from the third-world are not merely being used as unwitting tools for cultural saturation of the west. They’re not being shipped in by the millions to simply live off the fruits of our labor and our ancestors’ labors. I believe they are being brought into the US, the UK and Europe as enforcers for the establishment.
Think about it – They are essentially bought and paid for. They are mercenaries recruited with offers of easy citizenship, government handouts and the opportunity to brutalize the very western (and generally white) populations they despise. And, they are allowed to do this while hiding behind government law enforcement agencies for protection.
Third world migrants are hired muscle for the political elites. They can terrorize the populace, and if the native population takes action to defend itself the government can step in, call them hateful racists and declare martial law. It’s a win-win. The migrants then help with the enforcement of that martial law as the government doubles down on two-tier policing.”

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/britain-proof-globalists-plan-use-migrants-mercenary-army-against-west

6
-4
huxleypiggles
huxleypiggles
9 months ago
Reply to  Mogwai

Thanks Mogs. This is exactly the drum I have been banging for many months now.

3
-2
Mogwai
Mogwai
9 months ago
Reply to  Mogwai

Also, remember the short clip in Ireland of the lady being escorted off the land by a couple of balaclava-wearing heavies with foreign accents? Maybe they were Georgian. Why is there a load of Georgian migrants in Ireland?

”Another military style plantation full of foreign men. This site is run by Georgians and in particular self proclaimed Georgian Mafia member, Ilia Mtsariashvili.

Ireland is under attack and our politicians and authorities are enabling it.”

https://x.com/Mick_O_Keeffe/status/1824090246281048304

4
-1
Mogwai
Mogwai
9 months ago
Reply to  Mogwai

Yes it seems the government are enabling it, going by this screen shot;

”As the Gardai continue to assault members of the public who engage in protest surrounding the illegal entry into the country of economic migrants who proclaim to be “refugees”

The Government is busy making sure Ireland is a destination of choice for these economic migrants, as they introduce laws to recognise foreign drivers licences from places like Georgia

This country is already unrecognisable from what it was 20 years ago, however, I believe the next 5 years will determine the fate of this country for the foreseeable future.”

https://x.com/TraceyOMahony81/status/1823786289474269219

4
-1
huxleypiggles
huxleypiggles
9 months ago
Reply to  Mogwai

I am fairly certain I was one of the first here on DS to make the point that the illegals were in fact an army which would be used against the native population. I have been making this point for at least three years. It is so obvious.

3
-2
LwM
LwM
9 months ago

“Labour’s policies are, with a few exceptions, growth-destroying”:
Sadly, that has been the case in every period of Labour government in my lifetime. Quangos are one of their worst money-wasting inventions. Yesterday I was contacted by one for what seemed pointless reasons. And they are responsible for so much red tape and
excessive paperwork.

4
0
MajorMajor
MajorMajor
9 months ago

Why would Labour even want to return to economic growth? What benefit would a prosperous, wealthy Britain offer to them? As far as I can see, in order to maximize power, an impoverished population dependent on state handouts is far easier to control.

6
-2
sskinner
sskinner
9 months ago
Reply to  MajorMajor

I have met quite a few Labour voters that wish to end capitalism.

“The best way to destroy the capitalist system [is] to debauch the currency.”
Lenin

5
-2
huxleypiggles
huxleypiggles
9 months ago
Reply to  sskinner

Which is why public sector workers are being awarded ridiculous pay rises. The intention is to drive inflation while at the same time stoking unrest.

Too many people are writing off Labour as incompetents but when their actions are viewed as being deliberately destructive everything they do marries up. Same as the Tories who as a party were actively working for their own destruction. It is all so blatant.

Last edited 9 months ago by huxleypiggles
8
-2
sskinner
sskinner
9 months ago
Reply to  huxleypiggles

“The way to crush the bourgeoisie is to grind them between the millstones of taxation and inflation.”
Lenin
The bourgeoise being anyone with the temerity to work to improve their lot.

5
0
MajorMajor
MajorMajor
9 months ago
Reply to  sskinner

Oh, I don’t doubt that.
Having spent the first 24 years of my life in a socialist/communist country, at least I know what the workers’ paradise was like. They have yet to discover.

2
0
ByTheCoast
ByTheCoast
9 months ago
Reply to  MajorMajor

I think that this is what is behind removing the winter fuel allowance and making it means tested. Labour activists around here are pushing pensioners to apply for Pension Credits so that they qualify for the winter fuel allowance, creating another group of people dependant on means tested state handouts. What’s the betting that Labour will then ramp up the cost of domestic gas by shifting some of the costs of implementing net zero from electricity to gas. Then they’ll increase the fuel allowance to compensate for rising fuel bills, but only for the ‘most needy’. 

1
0
True Spirit of America Party
True Spirit of America Party
9 months ago

A number of flaws here:

1) Social democracy is not inimical to growth. It is actually ESSENTIAL to it in the modern world.

2) Growth is not a free lunch, it imposes its own externalities as well, particularly upon the environment. It should always be a means to an end, never an end in itself, lest it become an “own goal”. After all, per Edward Abbey, “growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the cancer cell”, which eventually kills its host.

3) A Monetarily Sovereign government that issues it’s own currency can NEVER default unless they willingly choose to. Even Trump admitted that in a “gaffe” back in 2016, where he literally said “just print the money”.

4) Rodger Mitchell’s “Ten Steps to Prosperity” will get growth going again:

https://mythfighter.com/2021/12/30/the-five-lies-that-have-destroyed-the-american-dream/

Paging Dr. Firestone!

https://www.josephmfirestone.com/2018/05/28/will-overt-congressional-financing-ocf-cause-more-inflation-than-the-covert-congressional-financing-ccf-method-used-now/

Last edited 9 months ago by True Spirit of America Party
0
0
transmissionofflame
transmissionofflame
9 months ago
Reply to  True Spirit of America Party

The article in the first link seems to have a puzzling obsession with money/currency. Surely meaningful material prosperity comes principally from work directed at activity that produces things people need or want- innovation and natural resources also play a part but they both involve work. To maximise prosperity you want to construct a system that encourages work, innovation and use of natural resources that produce things people want.

1
0
huxleypiggles
huxleypiggles
9 months ago

https://johnwaters.substack.com/p/why-ireland-matters-to-the-tyrants

This is a much more involved article than above. It is a very long read but decidedly worth it, allow about thirty minutes. What is outlined and written of about Ireland is clearly being mirrored in England.

If the Davos Deviants, or the ‘Combine’ as John Waters refers to them can subdue Ireland and the English they reckon the rest of the world will be a piece of cake. We are the testing grounds.

2
-1
RTSC
RTSC
9 months ago

You cannot have the Net Zero Lunacy and growth.

Moynihan’s article was spoiled by referencing AstraZeneca and bemoaning its decision to base in Ireland.

It killed thousands and injured millions with its poorly-tested Covid Jab. It should be forced to pay compensation and be bankrupted.

0
0
Myra
Myra
9 months ago

I wonder how Argentina is doing? Will be interesting to see.

0
0

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