The two most written about emotions in the arts are love and hate, but I'm convinced neither is the most powerful of human emotions. That belongs to spite, in my opinion.
As I've written before, spite can drive a person to do things that run completely contrary to their moral philosophy, upbringing, or even religious beliefs. It can make a peaceful man violent, a gentle woman vindictive, or a member of the LGBT community root for the people who openly want to murder them.
I've written about the effect of spite on people before. Spite is a big part of what's fueling Donald Trump's popularity, for instance.
But spite has become such a presence in our society today that I'm not entirely sure it's just the right who experience it. The social justice or "woke" left has pushed people very, very far over the course of the last decade, creating something of a harsh pendulum swing in various parts of the right.
You'll notice this trend happening most on X where people are more free to speak their minds and have the biggest audience while doing so. This, mixed with a hefty dose of spite, has created the rise of anti-PC talk.
At any given, moment, you'll notice there are people online using words like "faggot," "gay," or "retarded." Words are typically associated with people being offended and pearl-clutching. You'll also notice that when these things are said, they aren't greeted with revulsion or rejection of any kind...at least not by and large. These are often supported and cheered on.
For instance, the rise of Valentina Gomez is one such person. Gomez has been releasing campaign ads for her run as Missouri's 41st Secretary of State. Her ads are custom-tailored to get the left's hairs standing on their neck. Moreover, while there's some pushback, quite a bit of people are coming to offer Gomez their support and cheer her on.
For instance, check out her campaign ad calls her opponents "weak and gay."
The weak and gay don’t phase me. I cannot be cancelled. God and too many patriots are backing me. America First 🇺🇸 MAGA
— Valentina Gomez (@ValentinaForSOS) May 19, 2024
Song by: @ForgiatoBlow47 pic.twitter.com/GtCiYG3gdN
In another ad, she calls musician Lupe Fiasco "weak and gay."
🚨@LupeFiasco is weak and gay. You should thank me for making you relevant again, after 15 years of not producing a hit. @elonmusk thank you for buying @X Long Live Freedom🇺🇸 thanks @Sony for being a fan pic.twitter.com/9RZ5cf1tn8
— Valentina Gomez (@ValentinaForSOS) May 17, 2024
You'll notice that these videos are very well received.
Does that mean that Gomez has a chance of winning? Many would say she's not a serious enough candidate to do that. Time will tell, but even if she doesn't win, if she gets a significant enough amount of the vote it will be a testament to just how fed up people are with the woke left.
Why is this so attractive to so many people?
Spite.
The woke left pushed the pendulum so far that people are hungry for the return swing at this point. Truth be told, it's hard to blame some of these people. Many are seeing this pushback as a sign that the tyrannical grip of the social justice left is weakening and they just don't have the power they used to.
While this would be a great indicator, I'm not entirely sure this is the greatest thing, at least not over a long enough timeline. I see it more as someone attempting to force the proverbial pendulum swing than letting it occur naturally, which I would say it already is beginning judging by recent events both in the realm of global politics and culture.
But one thing should be understood. This is the left's creation and it's hardly equal to what the left has pushed. A few non-PC words are nothing compared to the attacks on children and parents, groups, riots, and cultural destruction pushed on us by the radical left.
I'm not saying these anti-PC folks are doing the best thing for society. I would say that shock for the sake of shock has a really short shelf life if history tells us anything. Moreover, saying anti-PC things isn't a policy position or indicative of how well someone will hold an office. People shouldn't base their desire to vote for someone solely on how well they piss off the left, as fun as it is to do so.
However, this reaction is probably more natural than not. Even if they don't want to go as far as Gomez, nearly everyone is sick and tired of the left's "morality" policing.
We'll see how many people are so sick of it that they're ready to just start spouting off whatever offends them for the sake of offending them. If Gomez does well at all, it'll be a strong rebuke against the woke left and an indication of just how spiteful people are.
