Intellectual Discourse Highlights Right-Wing Critiques of Empathy and Rise of Postmodern Conservatism

A recent social media post by user Silver Rose has drawn attention to two significant intellectual works exploring contemporary right-wing thought: Cathy Young's analysis of the "Right Wing war on empathy" and Matthew McManus's book on "postmodern conservatism." The tweet, which stated, "I touch on both @CathyYoung63 piece on the Right Wing war on empathy and @MattPolProf book on “postmodern conservatism,”" underscores a growing public interest in the philosophical underpinnings of current political movements.

Cathy Young, a prominent libertarian/conservative journalist, addresses the "bizarre" trend within the MAGA movement to critique empathy, often labeling it as "suicidal empathy." Her article, "The Bizarre Right-Wing War on…Empathy?" published in The Bulwark on April 21, 2025, details how figures like Elon Musk and Christopher Rufo have popularized this concept. Young observes that the right's assault on empathy frequently carries a misogynistic subtext, as empathy is often perceived as a feminine trait.

Young's piece highlights instances where empathy, particularly concerning immigration or judicial decisions, is denounced as a weakness, citing attacks on Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett for perceived empathy. She notes that this anti-empathy discourse can serve as an excuse for cruelty, drawing parallels to historical totalitarian ideologies that similarly vilified human kindness. The article suggests a deliberate effort to create a "permission structure to dehumanize others."

Complementing this discussion is Matthew McManus's 2020 book, What Is Post-Modern Conservatism: Essays On Our Hugely Tremendous Times. McManus, a political scientist, argues that postmodernism has significantly influenced the contemporary right. He identifies key features of this phenomenon, including a dismissal of rational standards for interpreting facts and values, and an appeal to a traditionally powerful identity as a source of truth.

McManus's work posits that postmodern conservatism often presents a contradictory ideology, simultaneously asserting the strength of traditional identities while claiming victimhood from perceived enemies. He notes that despite being reactionary, this strain of conservatism effectively utilizes hyper-modern media to disseminate its political ideology. The book delves into how this approach contributes to a crisis of knowledge and the rise of identity-oriented movements.