I do think that Moldbug argues that progressivism is about favoring the new.
So much the worse for Moldbug, at least if he makes a strong claim along those lines rather than something weaker and less controversial like “people who identify as progressive tend to be more positive about new things than people who identify as conservative”.
But I haven’t devoted a lot of time or thought to Moldbug, or to neoreaction generally.
I’m slightly lost track of what, if anything, we are actually disagreeing about here. I think it may at this point simply be about why various words have the definitions they do, which probably isn’t something that’s worth putting much further effort into.
You said you doubt that anybody thinks otherwise. I wanted to illustrate that there are people who do think otherwise. That’s means talking about the issue matters.
Sorry, I wasn’t clear enough: What I’ve largely lost track of is what “the issue” actually is. I do understand that at this particular point in the thread we’re talking about whether and to what extent progressivism is about liking new things. But I’ve forgotten (and haven’t much motivation to go back and figure out) why—if at all—that question is relevant to anything that matters. I’m pretty certain (and I’d guess you agree) that on the whole being a “progressive” (in the sense in which that term’s used in present-day US politics) is about other things more than it’s about liking new things.
But I’ve forgotten (and haven’t much motivation to go back and figure out) why—if at all—that question is relevant to anything that matters.
Understanding the political thought of the last few decades is useful and showing preconception to be wrong is also useful.
Particularly it’s useful to understand that the relationship of self identified progressives towards liking new things changed in the last 50 years.
So much the worse for Moldbug, at least if he makes a strong claim along those lines rather than something weaker and less controversial like “people who identify as progressive tend to be more positive about new things than people who identify as conservative”.
But I haven’t devoted a lot of time or thought to Moldbug, or to neoreaction generally.
I’m slightly lost track of what, if anything, we are actually disagreeing about here. I think it may at this point simply be about why various words have the definitions they do, which probably isn’t something that’s worth putting much further effort into.
You said you doubt that anybody thinks otherwise. I wanted to illustrate that there are people who do think otherwise. That’s means talking about the issue matters.
Sorry, I wasn’t clear enough: What I’ve largely lost track of is what “the issue” actually is. I do understand that at this particular point in the thread we’re talking about whether and to what extent progressivism is about liking new things. But I’ve forgotten (and haven’t much motivation to go back and figure out) why—if at all—that question is relevant to anything that matters. I’m pretty certain (and I’d guess you agree) that on the whole being a “progressive” (in the sense in which that term’s used in present-day US politics) is about other things more than it’s about liking new things.
Understanding the political thought of the last few decades is useful and showing preconception to be wrong is also useful. Particularly it’s useful to understand that the relationship of self identified progressives towards liking new things changed in the last 50 years.