On the recommendation of a friend, I have been reading The Descent of Man by the artist, sculptor and transvestite Grayson Perry. My friend said to me “if you want to understand modern feminism read this book.”

The book is a mess of internal contradictions. For example, in one chapter, Perry talks about how forced gender roles are terrible. But in the very next chapter, he is explaining how ‘female’ characteristics are inherently positive.

However, there are some interesting points that Perry brings up in his book. There is a theme running right through Grayson Perry’s logic that ‘the future will be a more feminised society.’ In fact, this mantra underpins most of the points that he makes throughout the book. If I had to sum up The Descent of man in a sentence I would say “The era of the strong male figure is disappearing fast, men need to adapt or suffer a lifetime of depression and wasted opportunity.”

Since the late nineteenth century, the challenge for the big ideologies has been to promote their vision of ‘the future’.  Fascism, communism, nationalism and social democracy are all horrific political ideologies. However, they all promised that their ideology alone was the key to unlocking a prosperous future. The communists of the nineteenth century guaranteed a more egalitarian society built on scientific principles. Similarly, the USSR went to extreme lengths to show the world that communism was just as capable of providing new and cutting-edge innovations just like the capitalist west. The Space Race being the most notable example of this.

The modern ‘social justice’ movement is no different. They vow that their vision of the world is the only one that is capable of taking the next step on our journey of human progress.

The nature of modernity is flux and change. Most of the monster ideologues of our recent history have sought to hinder and slow down the maelstrom of the modern world. The social justice oath to equality is just another attempt to pull the brakes on human ingenuity and endeavour.

Imitating the big ideologies of the twentieth century, the social justice movement promises that it alone holds the keys to the future. Yet, just like communism, fascism and nationalism the chronic flux of modernity will be their undoing.

To Mr Perry’s credit, I would not lump him in with the SJW crowd. He raises many important points that I will address in later articles.Yet, there is something oddly familiar about the way he addresses the future. I am really just using this book as a jumping off point…