Liberals have a problem with their own goals.

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Donald’s Second Election Trump is an opportunity for all kinds of people to reevaluate their priorities. and for an unknown number of women which appears to result in men resigning, the “4B” phenomenon, which got it Its name comes from twoKorean word that means “no” (in this case, four domains: homosexuality, dating, marriage, and childbirth) emerged in South Korea over the years as a response to the country’s stifling patriarchal system. Marriage is considered a de facto obligation to attain full adult status.

America’s burgeoning 4B movement may be nothing more than a particularly loud TikTok trend with a political edge – and real ambition. “If we can’t control what (men) do in terms of laws and abortion rights, We have to do something for ourselves.” Person 4B Convert tell at new york times Journalist Gina Cherelus “It starts with cutting out the influence of men in our lives. and making sure we took safety precautions as well, visiting OB-GYNs, and making sure we were as prepared as possible come January and the year after.” Another woman explained the impetus for the 4B trip. her help On X: “Girls, we need to start considering the 4B movement like the women in South Korea. and caused America’s birth rate to plummet sharply: no marriage, no childbirth, no dating men, no having sex with men.” We can’t let these people have the last laugh.. .We have to bite back.”

These women are virtuous enough. Trump ran a campaign that focused heavily on men. charming To the young man; Some Trump fans willfully (and happily) Threatened Women in the aftermath of his victory This suggests that making women miserable may motivate some men to vote. And of course, some people benefit too. But 4B’s sudden crazy enthusiasm was still self-defeating. Both are politically unwise and have high personal costs. We might describe the knee-jerk sacrifice of many of life’s essential pleasures, such as love and sex, as “self.”

Conceding valuable political territory where families and children are concerned, and doing so in a cynical and retaliatory manner. It is nothing more than a gift from the right wing. Which is delightful in provoking an emotional response from liberals. Trump himself has always had a knack for this. Since the beginning of his political career One of his key proposals to the Conservative Party was the opportunity to “Own the libs– But right-wing opponents should resist giving Trump’s move the go-ahead. First, overreaction helps conservatives bolster their claims that liberals are. extremist and paranoid; Second, acute warnings are not as sustainable as political stances. Not long after that Living in that state is exhausting and can lead to burnout, apathy, or hopelessness. A better approach is to focus on constructive responses to Trump’s victory. As an activist in Philadelphia I just told you. The Guardian“It is important to focus on the long-term view: our collective history of resistance. collective capacity for recovery and our ability to create change despite systematic undermining.”

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There are other predictable punishments for political extremism. The sudden announcement of self-imposed asceticism is alienating. which threatens to build a broader movement. In the case of 4B, rejecting an entire group of men seems highly inappropriate. One key lesson of the 2024 presidential election is that Democrats should be more careful about inviting men. (especially young people) to join their ideology all along Had Harris not lost that population precipitously to Trump? Her chances of winning would have been much better. And liberals have quite a bit to offer men. If they wanted to: “There are … policy disagreements here that Democrats could exploit,” Richard Reeves, president of the American Institute for Boys and Men, wrote recently in politics– “Republicans are signaling a pro-male stance. But there is no political content. Democrats have existing initiatives that are a good starting point for strong pro-male policies. But they’re not willing to package it like this and could do more.” Reeves points to programs like paid parental leave. child tax credit and expanding educational and vocational opportunities. This is an area where Democrats can improve existing programs to help compliant American men on a number of measures. flounder–

The potential personal expenses are immediate. This rash reaction to Trump’s provocations may only be a temporary catharsis, though. But they can compromise avenues for true happiness. For example, the 4B movement aims to separate personal and political considerations. It’s not just the interests of men. But also women’s desires: “For most women,” journalist Phoebe Maltz Bovy write of all-male feminism that is popular in globe and letter“Wishing for men to leave is not liberation. But it is self-censorship based on sex. It’s taking the thing that is our greatest source of happiness and declaring that we should feel bad about it.” The same goes for 4B’s attitude towards family. “Families are deeply flawed,” author and union leader Dustin Guastella wrote recently. damage“But they remain the best examples of natural social relationships built on selflessness. Providing uncalculated care and brotherhood And they provide something that the luxurious Nordic welfare state cannot: companionship, love, and babies.” These are all things worth striving for. Including the Nordic style welfare state. And working to create a truly equitable and joyful world is something that emerges from a politics that counts as unity. It is not due to anti-production apoplexy.