Why I feel a bit out of it

Sam Smith - For the first time I can remember I feel somewhat at odds with a lot of liberal talk. It's not that I oppose the goals, but rather I find myself uncomfortable with some of the approaches and language being used to reach them. 

For example, the huge preference for the phrase "anti-racism" as opposed to something like "improving ethnic relations" or "defunding police" instead of, say, "bringing police back into the community." 

 I view the purpose of politics and social change as being to improve the life of all, not merely to punish or restrict those of contrary intent. It's not just about doing away with evil, but about creating something much better. 

My guess is that part of the problem is that while liberals generally were greatly increasing their educational levels - witness the growth of those with law degrees in recent decades - they were also increasing their tendency to choose analysis over action and to seek legal and procedural, rather than cultural, change. 

As an anthropology major and the graduate of a Quaker high school, I tend to view positive change as something that happens for cultural reasons. As I described it a while back:

Although Quakerism may seem just an esoteric religion to many, it in fact has a strong pragmatic side. For example, unlike most religions that put virtue ahead of action, the Quakers were more like existentialists – emphasizing actions reflecting their virtues. Thus the Quaker meeting that ran my school had come out against slavery in 1688.

The Quakers also believed in reciprocal liberty, the idea that if I am to have my freedom you have to have yours even if I don’t agree with all of it. Thus the Quakers got along with other cultures – such as Pennsylvania Germans and native Americans – far better than say, New England pilgrims even worked with other religious groups.

As for anthropology you learn that laws don't necessarily change habits - witness, for example, our national use of illegal drugs despite the vehement legislative opposition. Thus, even banning racism doesn't assure positive intercultural relations.