The Equality Trap
Summary
Critiques James Lindsay’s “Woke Left vs Woke Right” syllogisms as shared category error: conflating moral equality with empirical sameness of outcome. Both caricatures wrongly equate equal rights/worth with equal results. Real debate: Does inequality of results indicate systemic injustice (progressives) or natural consequence of diverse talents/choices (conservatives)? Correct framing: Equal dignity under law is compatible with unequal outcomes. Question is whether disparities arise from freedom versus coercion/structural exclusion.
Key Concepts
- Moral vs empirical equality – Conflating normative status with descriptive outcomes
- Caricature syllogisms – Both Left/Right strawmen commit same error
- Fair rules of the game – Central question: Were outcomes produced under just conditions?
- Equal dignity + unequal outcomes – Expected equilibrium in free societies
Tags
political-philosophy, equality, liberty, justice, critique, outcomes