The key problem, according to Lilla, is modern liberalism’s embrace of identity politics, which involves serious political disadvantages both tactical and strategic, or of both style and substance. At the level of tactics or style, identity politics fosters a spirit that is insular and irritable, preachy and off-putting. Its character is exemplified in the “social justice warrior” who loves moral purity and disdains compromise. This approach either ignores (at best) or insults (at worst) those who do not hold one of the preferred identities that contemporary liberalism thinks are its job to protect and exalt, with the result that many voters are driven away who would be necessary to any workable liberal governing coalition.
The liberals do not believe in discussion or compromise. Nor can they believe that any reasonable person can disagree with liberal positions.
Hillary’s screed, about how Trump supporters are racist, sexist, xenophobic, Islamphobic, etc. perfectly sums up the liberal attitude.
The liberal attitude is that those with differing views are bigoted, hateful, intolerant in some way, and thus, not worthy of discussing issues with.
I can think of some examples.
If you opposed homosexual marriage, you are homophobic. End of discussion.
If you oppose abortion on demand, you hate women. End of discussion.
If you oppose the whole global warming thing, you hate science, you are flat earther, you don’t care that mankind is imperiled. End of discussion.
If you oppose illegal immigration, you are xenophobic. End of discussion.
If you oppose Muslim immigration, or oppose Muslim terror, you are Islamophobic, because you will get lectured that not all Muslims are terrorists, and that the terrorists are not representing true Islam. Again, end of discussion, because you are some kind of bigot.
In all these sorts of discussions, the discussion ends because the liberal, from his perch of perceived superiority, decides you are not worthy of even discussing any of these issues, BECAUSE YOU ARE WRONG. YOU ARE HATEFUL. YOU ARE BIGOTED.
That horses*** attitude is what we are up against with liberalism.
Which ultimately results in the decision to alter opinions by force. They nevet start out shooting and hanging dissidents but it’s always where they end up.
Ultimately, while Lilla currently might be right, the demographic trends are on the SJW’s side. There will be too many non-whites who buy into the arguments of identity politics and those who are alienated by these tactics will be far outnumbered by its adherents.