Thread by @AuronMacintyre

I understand the impulse is to dunk on the NYT as increasingly irrelevant due to the consolidation of progressive power on its opinion page, but I think this is an increasingly desperate cope

Many see this as a betrayal of principle so obvious that the blatant hypocrisy must signal a failed system exposing itself right before it collapses, and that would be nice, but I don’t think that’s the case

The progressives had to feign a belief in free speech when they were still marching through the institutions because most of the country was at a gut level opposed to their positions and they needed a principle that allowed them cover to spread their bile

They never truly cared but as the saying goes “ When I was weak I demanded freedom because it was according to your principles. When I am strong I take your freedom because it is according to my principles “ They are closing the door behind them now that they are in charge.

The NYT will lose nothing by removing the final illusion of intellectual diversity from their opinion page, it is in fact the ultimate flex, showing that they have so much power they no longer have to entertain any opposition

If they do decline in relevance it will only be because the progressive gospel is so prevalent in every part of social life the they no longer require the original organs of dissemination

The hope is that the hypocrisy is so jarring that it will awaken a wide swath of people but come on, how many of your liberal friends will have their illusions shattered by this? I’m guessing 0. Especially after they see what happens if you step off the reservation.

The point is that those who oppose progressivism are largely banking on people acting on increasingly vaguely held principle while the left exercises naked power, and it isn’t hard to figure out who wins that battle.