Why the Alt-Right is Too Alt for Me

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Internet subcultures are so often exaggerated in scale and importance by the mainstream – offline – media that most reasonable folk tend instinctively to dismiss reports of their influence as hyperbole. Such was the case when Hillary Clinton devoted almost an entire speech to warning America of the insidious agenda of the ‘alt-right’, an internet coalition of racists, misogynists and Islamophobes allegedly in cahoots with the presidential campaign of Donald J. Trump.

Strangely, and unlike so many cyber phenomena reported in the media, the tribe to which Ms Clinton referred is notable for being very real, or at least very widespread. Though there is no single agenda or set of principles agreed upon by the alt-right, there is certainly a general Weltanschauung strong and clear enough to gravitate like-minded people towards it. This worldview is well-described in the following YouTube comment taken from under a video of the Clinton speech: “We (the alt-right) are anti neo-libs. That is the only reason we are alternative. Neo-libs/cons have been the conservative mainstream since 9/11. We are a backlash against that. Neo-cons are not real right.”

By ‘neo-libs’ and ‘neo-cons’ (Neoliberals and Neoconservatives) the commenter is likely referring to a consensus known elsewhere as the ‘New World Order’, the 1%, or (vaguely) as ‘Zionism’.

Rumours of a ‘New World Order’ have gained currency on the right-wing fringe in recent years

These labels, although having little to do with each other in fact, are used as synonyms for the force that is actively shrinking the world into a liberal, multi-racial, multi-cultural free-trade zone, in yet another word – the force and ideology of globalisation.

The idea that conservatives should be pro-globalisation is actually a very recent one. Traditionally, as the alt-right notes, right-wing political thinkers have been strongly nativist and culturally protectionist. The shift in conservative thought, beginning during the Reagan-Thatcher era, to laissez faire globalism is attributed retrospectively to the influence of non-native forces, often (predictably) to that of the Jews (sometimes referred to in euphemism as ‘capitalists’/’big business’/’bankers’/’the banks’).

The alt-right wishes to return the conservative movement to where it was before that transition; before economics became more important as a right-wing principle than blood, soil and culture; that is, before paleo became neo.

The alt-right has no single birthplace, but there are nevertheless a few websites and forums indelibly associated with it. Prime among these sites is the Japanese-cultural forum 4chan and in particular the /pol/ (politically incorrect) messageboard. Here, a right-wing political consensus has become entrenched, often (but not always) expressed with dark humour, that has subsequently bled out into the wider internet universe, evidenced by the broad use of memes like Pepe the Frog as well as words and phrases like ‘degenerate’ and ‘dindu-nuffin’ (the latter invention being used to refer sarcastically to African-American criminality).

The English-language messageboard 4chan is commonly associated with the alt-right

The alt-right is connected to, but distinct from, the ‘Dark Enlightenment’ phenomenon I have written about previously. Unlike the latter, the alt-right is more realistic and less philosophical. While the Dark Enlightenment recommends absurd initiatives like the abolition of democracy and the return of divinely-appointed’ Kings, the alt-right prefers to concern itself with more achievable and substantial ideas, such as the abolition of third-world (non-white) immigration, building an opposition to political Islam and degrading the influence of certain varieties of feminism. This down-to-earth-ness is a large part of the reason the alt-right, unlike the Dark Enlightenment, has become a force to be reckoned with.

I have no idea whether this site would or should be considered part of the alt-right blogosphere. I only know that it has never been so described – and certainly not by me. I am, in my estimation, far too moderate, too much of a bleeding heart, to integrate smoothly into that crowd.

Though I recognise that races exist, I have never been a racist or a racial nationalist. Though I accept that certain varieties of feminism have inflicted great damage upon Western civilisation, I am not opposed to the idea of sexual equality, nor dismissive of the disadvantages women still face around the world on account of their being female. Though I recognise that he has joined the right side of the Syrian civil war and made constructive and wise comments about the bombing of Libya, I do not support or make excuses for the authoritarian, anti-democratic administration of Vladimir Putin. And so on…  The alt-right is simply too alt for me.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is beloved by many on the alt-right

Is the movement as dangerous as Hillary Clinton is making out? The answer depends almost entirely on who is asking the question. If you’re a white, Christian, heterosexual male resident in the Western World, then the risk this movement presents to you is minimal. If, however, you are Jewish, homosexual, black, south Asian or atheist, I would be very cautious about taking the movement to heart.

There are decidedly ugly currents within the alt-right that are not adequately represented by its spokespeople. Milo Yiannopoulos, a Jewish-Greek homosexual, may well be regarded as the crown prince of the movement at present, but it does not follow that the general masses huddled under its banner agree with his lifestyle or look kindly upon his ethnicity. On the contrary, more often than not, the alt-right foot-soldier is loudly hostile to both Jews and homosexuality. If you require evidence of that, just spend an hour or two browsing the /pol/ board on 4chan yourself.

Anti-Semitism in particular runs through the alt-right like colours run through a stick of seaside rock. It is both below and behind it, providing a vital support to the worldview espoused by its adherents. The West is being taken over by foreign elements, they agree, because a hostile elite is conspiring against the natives. One need not refer to the hostile elite explicitly. Innuendo will do. Innuendo did the job in the thirties, too (sorry, Godwin).

A variant of the anti-Semitic ‘happy merchant’ meme

I do admit that the alt-right is correct on some very important issues. On Islam, for example, the movement is reliably clear-headed and refreshingly consistent. On the virtues of a Trump administration, too, the movement is providing a much-needed counter-force to the almost universally anti-Trump mainstream media. The problem is the movement doesn’t seem to possess any kind of intellectual brake. It swerves habitually all over the place, sometimes finding itself on a main road and sometimes blindly ploughing through a field. This youthful unpredictability might make hopping on-board an attractive prospect for political thrill-seekers, but not for anyone else.

I suppose, if we must manufacture labels for ourselves, I am more of an alt-liberal than an alt-rightist. And I am not alone in that. There must be millions of people like me, scattered around the political spectrum, living unhappily in temporary ideological accommodation. It is high time we had a real home to go to.

D, LDN

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Korea: Trip Report.

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Asia, Asia vs Europe, Asian Century, Busan, Conformity, Defend the modern world, End of America Era, Europe, Gangnam, Hyundi, K-POP, Kimchi, Korea immigration, Korean Model, Korean Visa, Law and Order, Music, Psy, Seoul, SIlkworm, Spice

So I’ve been in Korea for a week, partly as a vacation and partly as a trip to explore the prospect of work and/or emigration. All in all, it’s been highly enjoyable. My hotel was great. Local transport has been first-class. The weather is too much for an Englishman of course, but then we’d probably find Finland oppressively balmy so I won’t dwell on that.

I’ve wanted to visit Asia (by which I mean East-Asia) for quite some time. Having earned a degree in International Politics, I have more than once dipped my head into articles predicting the collapse of the Western era and the inauguration of something longer lasting and less round-eyed.

Most enquiries in this vein concentrate on the rise of China, which is understandable but nevertheless provides a restricted view of what is happening. Looking at things more broadly, one can clearly see that it isn’t just the Chinese but the Asian cultural model that is working better than the Western equivalent, at least as it relates to economic well-being. Distinctions between Korea, China, Japan and Singapore are hardly thin on the ground, and some have even translated into bloodshed in the past, but more unites than divides these societies and they remain kindred, just as former combatants in the West like France and Germany, Britain and Italy etc… are nevertheless of the same type.

The Asian social model can be summarised by the following priorities:

1. Personal Health. 2. The absence of ideological politics. 3. A passive foreign policy. 4. Low to zero immigration. 5. The principle of orderliness as integral to social membership/denial of social membership for bohemian or unorthodox personalities.

These five principles explain much of the distinction Korea enjoys.

Health in particular is central to public life here. Korean foods, even snack foods, advertise themselves primarily by reference to their nutritional content. A pot of Gummy bears at the supermarket was branded ‘Calcium and Vitamin D health bears’. Korean Red Bull-type energy drinks are infused with Ginseng, vasolidating herbs and assorted minerals. It is very difficult to buy a bottle of water from a vending machine that isn’t either packed with health-boosting additives or spiked with nootropics.

In keeping with this expectation of fitness, health-deviants are treated with a routine contempt. Outside the airport, the booth known as the ‘smoker’s booth’ was actually a transparent box making those who ventured inside look like captured zoo animals. Obesity is rare among the young. Drug addiction meanwhile leads directly to unemployment. Alcohol is widely promoted but usually only privately and moderately consumed. Homeless people (if they exist) seem to be invisible. I was never once approached by a beggar, drug pusher or prostitute.

It seems in Korea, the fat and bones of modernity have been excised completely from the meat.

For these reasons and more, Conservatives tend to love Korea, and many wish to redesign the West according to its socio-economic model. Even on the ethno-nationalist right, the country has its admirers. Fruitloop Viking Anders Breivik made numerous references to the country in ‘2083’, and some of the fanatics on Stormfront.com suggest postponing the Rahowa genocide of Asians indefinitely or even endorse a strategic (but temporary) Asian-Aryan alliance against the Jewish-led army of Niggers and Spics. In the subculture of race-hate, this is no small compliment.

Having been here a week, it is very difficult to revise my draft evaluation of Korea as clean, hyper-modern and inspirational. Having said that, am I sad to leave? Not really.

For all its shiny modernity, Korea (and Koreans) lack something vitally important – salt. Before you call for men in white coats, let me explain…

VDare columnist John Derbyshire likes to use an expression to both summarise and satirize the liberal rationale for multiculturalism. He calls it the ‘salt in the stew’ argument. This view holds that societies made up of only one type are boring and tasteless and that a small amount of diversity makes them more palatable, much like salt does to staple foods. Of course, as Derbyshire never fails to note – ‘if you add too much salt then you’ve wrecked the stew’, but you follow his point.

You really couldn’t find a better illustration of a blandly saltless stew than Korea. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not suggesting the country import a boatload of Somalians and Pakistanis, but a few Germans, Australians, Jews and Italians wouldn’t go amiss. Even in Seoul, it took me an absurdly long time to find a shop selling non-Korean food and the dodgy looks one receives for not being Korean are impolite and intimidating. Isolation of the foreigner seems almost traditional here, and so those lacking Korean genetic markers tend to band together by necessity. When I ended up sharing a lift with an American, we greeted each other like long-lost friends.

It’s true of course that the West can learn a lot from Asia. As demographics shift in Europe and America in the future, we will quickly get used to a feeling of selective envy towards our East Asian friends. Complaints about the high-wall of Asian immigration policy may become commonplace in Europe and Asian cultural chauvinism will rise a matching pace. But for now, don’t despair. We still possess an edge. Our music is better. Our sense of humour is too. Our literature (especially in England) is of a higher order and the same is true of our television, news coverage and commentary. Given our better-developed tradition of individualism, we are also more artistically creative than Asians, and most Asian cultural exports (K-POP, drama, comedy etc…) are just factory bootlegs of our own initiatives.

Still, if you’re tempted to visit Korea (or Japan, which is also on my visit list), you probably won’t regret it. It’s a good country to experience for a week or so, and you may well leave comforted that although some of the stereotypes of Asian excellence are well-founded, the West still remains in front.

For now at least.

D, LDN.