Outrage supposedly felt on
behalf of others is extremely gratifying for more than one reason. It has the
appearance of selflessness, and everyone likes to feel that he is selfless. It
confers moral respectability on the desire to hate or despise something or
somebody, a desire never far from the human heart. It provides him who feels it
the possibility of transcendent purpose, if he decides to work toward the
elimination of the supposed cause of his outrage. And it may
even give him a reasonably lucrative career, if he becomes a professional
campaigner or politician: For there is nothing like stirring up resentment for
the creation of a political clientele.
Antiracism is a perfect cause for those with free-floating
outrage because it puts them automatically on the side of the angels without
any need personally to sacrifice anything. You have only to accuse others of it
to feel virtuous yourself. There is no defense against the accusation: The very
attempt at a defense demonstrates the truth of it. As a consequence of this, it
is a rhetorical weapon of enormous power that can be wielded against anybody
who opposes your views. It reduces them to silence.
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