UPDATE: Elon Musk, whose political positions have generally been moderate, at times even slightly left-wing, is now a “right-winger.” Per Daily Wire: “‘I have voted overwhelmingly for Democrats, historically,’ Musk acknowledged. ‘Like I’m not sure, I might never have voted for a Republican, just to be clear. Now this election I will.”
Several academic and polling studies have shown an increasing divide between the political right and political left in the US. The studies indicate that that the divide has expanded largely because the left-wing has moved much further left. Case in point: it would have been unthinkable in 1990 for Democrats to openly call themselves socialists or express admiration for communist dictatorships, but that’s all cool today. As the leftward shift has occurred, demand for ideological conformity among the left has increased. Hence the invention of cancel culture: you must hold our opinions or you’re a bad person who we must humiliate, dox, and destroy. Centrists and moderates are now suddenly finding themselves labeled by leftists as “right-wing” or even “extreme right-wing.”
Comedian Ryan Long did a good skit about what it’s like to be moderate or even non-political today:
British actor/comedian Russel Brand, who has a long history of supporting traditionally left-wing views, was surprised to find he is now considered “right-wing.”
Bill Maher, long labeled liberal or even libertarian, has now been cancelled, because the same views he has held for years are suddenly “right-wing.” As he explains in this short bit: “the party of FDR and JFK and is turning into the party of LOL and WTF.” This echoes Reagan’s famous comment years ago that “I didn’t leave the Democratic Party; the Democratic Party left me.”
