Commentary
The positive reception of President Trump’s video address at the Davos conference indicates a shift away from wokeness, political correctness, and other restrictive ideologies. This change marks the breakdown of long-standing barriers that many have criticized.
Future historians will likely examine the reasons behind the sudden self-criticism and self-hate that temporarily plagued Western society. The post-World War II era saw the rise of democratic values and freedoms in the Western world, led by the United States against the backdrop of the Cold War.
Despite facing challenges from totalitarian regimes, the Free World made significant progress in promoting democratic ideals globally. The fall of the Soviet Union and the decline of international communism marked a strategic victory for the West.
However, new challenges emerged in the form of climate activism and extreme political ideologies. The climate movement, once a noble cause, was co-opted by the left to further anti-capitalist agendas. This shift led to increased regulations and costs for Western nations, while major polluters like China, India, and Russia remained largely unaffected.
President Trump’s criticism of the “Green New Deal” and the climate movement at Davos was a welcome stance for skeptics and those wary of the movement’s exaggerated claims. As public opinion turns against the excessive costs and regulations imposed in the name of climate change, it appears that the crisis may be coming to an end.
In Canada, unfounded accusations of deliberate harm against indigenous peoples have gained traction, with extreme claims of mass graves and cultural genocide. Despite the lack of evidence supporting these allegations, they have stirred controversy and prompted calls for further investigation.
Hardly any of these allegations have been substantiated with solid evidence. Yet, the former chief justice and the outgoing prime minister have accused the Canadian people and their European ancestors of cultural genocide, a term that doesn’t actually exist and is more accurately described as cultural assimilation, which was never officially enforced in this country.
Meanwhile, in the United States, activists have resurrected issues related to slavery as a form of retaliation against the dominance of white America. Claims of underestimated proportions of slavery have surfaced, despite the country’s extensive efforts to promote equality for formerly enslaved minorities. The US now finds itself accused of new forms of racist oppression.
Both the United States and Canada, in their media, public discourse, and academic circles, have placed themselves under scrutiny for “systemic racism.”
Our societies’ achievements have made them susceptible to accusations of moral arrogance and forgetfulness. However, such accusations have been excessive, and as human nature tends to eventually grow weary of self-reproach, the tide is turning against the culture of guilt that has been enforced through diversity, equity, inclusion, and environmental, social, and governance initiatives.
The current dismantling of ideologies such as the “green terror,” wokeness, discussions on racial privilege, and efforts to enforce unmerited outcomes is a reflection of the changing attitudes within the new majority of the United States. Canada is also experiencing a similar shift, albeit at a slower pace.
Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
