Especially 1990-2005 was the "end of history" after all - for as many Ls we take nowadays from the position of weakness, the neoliberals seemed unstoppable back then. And if, instead of mounting frustration and anti-systemic anger, you have less and less comrades every year, you're bound to eventually either give up, become a cynic, or get weird with it.
That makes sense, now that you put it that way. They refuse to become the enemy (neoliberal) but their future seems foreclosed (socialism) so the only direction to turn is the past...
Conspiracy theories, the past when everything made sense, nationalism without socialism to reach the goals socialism couldn't deliver on, etc.
Though of course, the seeds of future political itineraries were already present and not fought against when they were leftists. Those who became libs having a strong stance on freedom and democracy and how socialism could expand it, the future fash being content with having a strong and Well-functioning state, etc.
Genuine proletarian desire to overthrow capital is not the first priority of at least a large minority of the left.
It's doomerism, I think. Just like Miyazaki.
Especially 1990-2005 was the "end of history" after all - for as many Ls we take nowadays from the position of weakness, the neoliberals seemed unstoppable back then. And if, instead of mounting frustration and anti-systemic anger, you have less and less comrades every year, you're bound to eventually either give up, become a cynic, or get weird with it.
That makes sense, now that you put it that way. They refuse to become the enemy (neoliberal) but their future seems foreclosed (socialism) so the only direction to turn is the past...
Conspiracy theories, the past when everything made sense, nationalism without socialism to reach the goals socialism couldn't deliver on, etc.
Though of course, the seeds of future political itineraries were already present and not fought against when they were leftists. Those who became libs having a strong stance on freedom and democracy and how socialism could expand it, the future fash being content with having a strong and Well-functioning state, etc. Genuine proletarian desire to overthrow capital is not the first priority of at least a large minority of the left.