And Thus, a Century of 'Progressivism' Comes Full Circle

Past performance is no guarantee of future results:

[A] phalanx of progressive reformers saw the home as the front line in the war to transform men into compliant social organs. Often the answer was to get children out of the home as quickly as possible. An archipelago of agencies, commissions, and bureaus sprang up overnight to take the place of the anti-organic, contra-evolutionary influences of the family. The home could no longer be seen as an island, separate and sovereign from the rest of society. John Dewey helped create kindergartens in America for precisely this purpose—to shape the apples before they fell from the tree—while at the other end of the educational process stood reformers like [Woodrow] Wilson, who summarized the progressive attitude perfectly when, as president of Princeton, he told an audience, “Our problem is not merely to help the students to adjust themselves to world life…[but] to make them as unlike their fathers as we can.”

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— From Jonah Goldberg’s 2008 book, Liberal Fascism.

“Suddenly everyone stood – began to applaud – to cheer – and to smile. The children waved. In a box to the right – smiling and applauding the audience – as well as the artists on the stage – stood the great Stalin. I remember the tears began to quietly flow. and I too smiled and waved. Here was clearly a man who seemed to embrace all. So kindly – I can never forget that warm feeling of kindliness and also a feeling of sureness. Here was one who was wise and good – the world and especially the socialist world was fortunate indeed to have his daily guidance. I lifted high my son Pauli to wave to this world leader, and his leader. For Paul, Jr. had entered school in Moscow, in the land of the Soviets… In all spheres of modern life the influence of Stalin reaches wide and deep. From his last simply written but vastly discerning and comprehensive document, back through the years, his contributions to the science of our world society remain invaluable. One reverently speaks of Marx, Engels, Lenin and Stalin – the shapers of humanity’s richest present and future. Yes, through his deep humanity, by his wise understanding, he leaves us a rich and monumental heritage. Most importantly – he has charted the direction of our present and future struggles. He has pointed the way to peace – to friendly co-existence – to the exchange of mutual scientific and cultural contributions – to the end of war and destruction. How consistently, how patiently, he labored for peace and ever increasing abundance, with what deep kindliness and wisdom. He leaves tens of millions all over the earth bowed in heart-aching grief. But, as he well knew, the struggle continues. So, inspired by his noble example, let us lift our heads slowly but proudly high and march forward in the fight for peace – for a rich and rewarding life for all.”

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Paul Robeson in 1953, losing himself in the hallucinogenic reverie of a full Stalingasm.

Flash-forward to today:

Sorry, mom jeans do not a dad make. But Think Progress’s cult worship causes Sonny Bunch of the Washington Free Beacon to juxtapose with this:

And as Iowahawk asks, “If they’re my parents, how come I’m the one paying their allowance?”

And if they really are America’s parents, when will they ask their kids to hike up their pants and turn their damn boom boxes off?

Related: Woodrow Wilson, “Schoolmaster to the World,” in which Christopher Caldwell deconstructs the original president who thought it was necessary to destroy America in order to save it. And note how well this quote…

“I shall not be a constitutional governor,” he said, “because there is one thing that a man has to obey over and above the State constitution, and that is his own constitution.”

…Dovetails with Mr. Obama being asked in 2004 by a religion reporter with the Chicago Sun-Times, “what is sin?”, and replying, “Being out of alignment with my values.”

We are the solipsists we’ve been waiting for!

Since at least 1913, come to think of it:

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