i read a big long tumblr post last night that drew a line straight through the various christian awakenings / enlightenment epochs on through modern culture and the general ubiquity of purity tests, where people having to say the right things, have the right takes on various topics, or else they're cancelled. basically this:
then:
"aha, look i am righteous, unlike those sinners over there. you know that i'm going to heaven because of my righteous behavior. you see, the world is clearly divided between the good and the bad, the righteous and the sinners, and here are my credentials as one of the good ones."
now:
"here is a fresh hot take, along with an acknowledgement of intersectionality, which I can use to underline my hot take, and also, uhh, land back!, and also punching nazis is good! i say the right things so i can't be one of the bad ones"
being the same process.
i don't know how i feel about it, but i'm still thinking about it 12 hours later
