Make Motherhood Normal Again
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TL;DR
- The O.J. Simpson verdict in 1995 illustrated how liberal circles prioritized ideological narratives over evidence, a pattern now seen in reactions to the Lindsay Clancy case.
- Liberal feminism has been accused of denigrating motherhood, while the online right is criticized for facilely venerating an idealized version of it.
- The author argues that both sides have created an 'age of feeling' where personal emotions and political affiliation dictate views on motherhood.
- Gloria Steinem is cited as a figure whose ideology diminished the social value of motherhood by contrasting it with women's self-actualization.
- The article criticizes the online right, specifically Matt Walsh, for dismissing postpartum depression as selfishness, contrasting with liberal responses to Clancy's case.
- The author advocates for a balanced view of motherhood as both difficult and valuable, urging a return to sanity in public discourse.
- Social media and ideological siloing are blamed for the current impoverished discourse surrounding motherhood.
- The author explains the complexities of the Clancy case and the polarized reactions to her children's deaths to her own children as a way to foster critical thinking.