Opinion: Debunking Progressive Myths and Challenging the Left's Exaggerated Claims

Michael Huemer's latest work, Progressive Myths, seeks to protect readers from what he dubs the "progressive mind virus"a condition, according to Huemer, that "dulls one's ability to seek truth" and encourages people "to align with a subgroup rather than society as a whole." Although he situates this phenomenon primarily on the political left, his overarching point is nonpartisan: "Understanding the truth is essential if we are to address real, concrete problems."

In his book, Huemer scrutinizes the dubious statistics, selective data, and anecdotal claims that progressives use to convince Americans to transfer more authority to the governmentfor purposes such as correcting historical wrongs, addressing systemic inequalities, or preventing catastrophic events. Despite having argued in his 2013 book The Problem of Political Authority that governments are morally indefensible, Huemer maintains that the United States remains "one of the freest, most egalitarian, and most progressive societies in history," flaws included.

Huemer punctuates a long series of overblown warnings from progressive voices with a dry reminder: "Just in case you missed the theme here: None of those things happened." He cites examples such as scientists in the 1970s predicting an imminent ice age and the 1989 United Nations forecast that global warming would submerge entire countries by 2000.

However, Huemer may overstate the influence of progressive dogma. Ordinary citizens often dismiss ceremonial land acknowledgments, are unfamiliar with concepts like "stereotype threat," and place their trust in personal doctors rather than ideological pronouncements.

Author: Riley Thompson