Natura naturans

Nature naturing, nature doing with nature does.

One of my problems with liberalism is that it has a particular kind of hatred for human nature. Now human nature is ambiguous at best, so I am not complaining from the viewpoint of a happy Unitarian or other somesuch. As Neibuhr said, original sin is what allows men to imagine their own perfection and what makes it impossible for them to achieve.

I am thinking of the hectoring schoolmarmish horror with which liberals often greet what I consider to be natural human responses. Take fear of strangers. It's very common. And there's good reason for it. But under the liberal regime it becomes "xenophobia." Because their very highminded morality imagines that strangers --the right kind of course-- should be welcomed, indeed, privileged, the natural response is condemned, pathologized, rendered practically unthinkable, unsayable.

If we extend this to race or ethnicity, the game is clear. But a game it is. Because, of course, if Hispanics or Blacks --or Somalis or Yemenis-- move into a mostly White neighborhood, unhappiness with the upsetting of the status quo is evil racist xenophobia. But if Whites move into a Black or Hispanic neighborhood, that's classist gentrification, etc.  As I say, it's a game.

So perhaps I should clarify. Liberals don't hate human nature, just the human nature of certain humans.
And that is what it's all about.