Identity Is Everything

 

In the political domain, altruists and Leftists define identity politics as who we are as part of an intersection of various racial, sexual, ethnic, gender, class, and religious groups, all of which inform who we are as individuals.

 

In the political domain, egoists and conservatives define identity politics as who we are individuals in terms of our commitment to individual-living, individuating, choosing to serve God as a living angel, and working hard to improve over a lifetime intellectually, spiritually, morally, technically, physically, and artistically. The intersection of groups that one belongs to are interesting and influential, but their impact on the content of our character is accidental rather than essential—what we do with what God and nature bequeathed to us is the main interest.

 

If one’s identity politics are collectivist, then one’s moral system is altruist-collective, a fanatical ethical orientation that disallows egoist-individual moral concerns as even a minor, secondary desired influence on how we think and behave. That makes one hate the self, others, and God, so one has chosen an evil, unfulfilling lifestyle.

 

If one’s identity politics are individualist and capitalist, then one’s moral system is egoist-individual, an inherently moderate moral stance (Randians have not gotten this far—they are still too anti-altruistic) under which egoist-individualist moral choice and behavior is our primary moral standard, but the egoist is complex in his thinking and must be, so he makes room for altruist-collective moral rules, as a secondary and minority moral standard, to influence his thinking.