An irony. Progressivism, statism, and socialism are based on group identity and personal history. They classify people as party members, workers, businessmen, rich, poor, white, black, educated, and/or ignorant, and treat them accordingly, not as individuals.
These hikers see themselves as Progessives. The Iranians see them as Americans. Both have a similar philosophy of society, just a difference of opinion about which group they belong to.












