The Liz Wheeler Show
Ep. 386: Miranda Lambert Is a Huge Brat, Plus Chris Rufo Uncovers How Wokeism Conquered America
Fri Jul 21 2023Description
The episode covers Rebecca's interesting date, Miranda Lambert's concert controversy, the left's influence and institutional capture, restoring autonomy and liberty, balancing libertarianism and moral values, and the role of religion and moral sentiment. It explores topics such as family-centricity, name changes, Catholic groups, selfie controversies, neo-Marxist ideology, DEI programs, systemic racism, white privilege, Republican resistance, Black Lives Matter, education infiltration, restoring autonomy and dignity, universal school choice, liberty and justice, government's role in society, rebuilding institutions, moral arguments, embracing Judeo-Christian morals, shared moral sentiment, faith in the public sphere, Bible study clubs in schools, revolutionary propaganda in curriculum, and parental awareness.
Insights
Institutional Capture and the Left's Influence
The left's influence extends beyond individuals and is deeply embedded within institutions, with DEI programs having roots in neo-Marxist ideology. Republicans have historically failed to effectively fight back against these ideas, allowing them to resurface in recent years through movements like Black Lives Matter and infiltration into education.
Restoring Autonomy and Liberty
To combat America's cultural revolution, decisive action is needed to restore autonomy, dignity, freedom, and equal treatment under the law. This includes changing the structure and dynamic of society, empowering individuals and families, implementing policy solutions like universal school choice, and redefining freedom as treating people as equals.
Balancing Libertarianism and Moral Values
True liberty involves responsibility and the pursuit of happiness and human ideals. Striking a balance between libertarianism and strong-arming society into a vision of the good is crucial. Republicans should actively participate in institutions, ensure their values prevail, make moral arguments, and focus on creating great principles, stories, policies, and lives.
The Role of Religion and Moral Sentiment
Republicans should embrace the morals inherent to Judeo-Christian teaching and not divorce politics from religion. Left-wing ideologies have become a default morality system in institutions, but shared moral sentiment is important in public life. Policies should allow people to live out their faith in the public sphere, including encouraging voluntary Bible study clubs in public schools.
Chapters
- Rebecca's Date and Miranda Lambert Controversy
- The Left's Influence and Institutional Capture
- Restoring Autonomy and Liberty
- Balancing Libertarianism and Moral Values
- The Role of Religion and Moral Sentiment
Rebecca's Date and Miranda Lambert Controversy
00:04 - 07:10
- Rebecca had an interesting interaction with her date's friend who mentioned Liz Wheeler as a conservative media personality without knowing Rebecca works with her
- Rebecca clarified that she is family-centric and explained why she didn't take her husband's last name publicly
- The friend was upset that Rebecca didn't want to travel across the country for free to speak at his Catholic group
- Miranda Lambert scolded two girls at her concert for taking selfies, sparking controversy
- Some people support Miranda, saying it's disrespectful to be on your phone during a concert
- Others argue that documenting oneself at concerts is part of the experience and criticize Miranda's behavior as diva-like
The Left's Influence and Institutional Capture
13:28 - 21:23
- The left's influence is not just a movement of individuals, but a system of incentives within institutions
- DEI programs in modern America have their roots in neo-Marxist ideology
- Herbert Marcuse, a neo-Marxist philosopher, influenced the new left and his ideas were repackaged for corporate America as anti-racism training
- The vocabulary and phrases used in discussions of systemic racism and white privilege trace back to the late 1960s
- Republicans failed to effectively fight back against these ideas due to historical factors and complacency
- These ideas resurfaced with a vengeance in recent years through movements like Black Lives Matter and infiltration into education
Restoring Autonomy and Liberty
20:55 - 28:09
- Taking decisive constructive action is necessary to fight back against America's cultural revolution
- A blueprint for restoring autonomy, dignity, freedom, and equal treatment under the law is provided in the book
- Republicans need to grapple with what a society without communism looks like and change the structure and dynamic
- Trust in the average person needs to be restored by returning power to individuals and families
- Policy solutions like universal school choice can create new counter-institutions beyond bureaucratic control
- Distributing money for school choice creates positive patronage effects and empowers people
- Freedom should be defined as treating people as equals and giving them their liberty back, rather than re-engineering society based on abstract ideals
- Libertarianism doesn't work in the current state-centric society, but we shouldn't throw out the idea of liberty or justice
- True liberty is not anarchy or hedonism, but having a conception of justice that is deeply interconnected
Balancing Libertarianism and Moral Values
27:49 - 35:04
- True liberty is having responsibility and the freedom to pursue happiness, human ideals, and the good
- The government has a role in setting the bounds of society
- Striking the right balance between libertarianism and strong-arming society into a vision of the good is important
- Advice for Republicans: Take control over your own life and community, participate in institutions around you, care about governing more than your opponents
- Institutions are guided by values; Republicans should ensure their values prevail
- There are no neutral institutions; neutrality itself is a position
- The Constitution sets the basic framework, legislators write specific laws and statutes based on moral questions
- Conservatives should make moral arguments again and have a better vision than their opponents
- Rebuilding institutions requires creating great principles, telling great stories, having great policies, and exemplifying attractive lives
The Role of Religion and Moral Sentiment
34:48 - 41:41
- Republicans should not divorce politics from religion, but embrace the morals inherent to Judeo-Christian teaching
- Left-wing ideologies in institutions have become a default morality system
- Shared moral sentiment is important in public life
- Policies should allow people to live out their faith in the public sphere
- Voluntary Bible study clubs with parental permission could be encouraged in public schools
- The author found shocking similarities between old revolutionary propaganda and current public school curriculum
- Parents should be aware of what their children are being taught in schools