Better the Battle of Ideas than the Battle of Identities

The following is an essay based on an updated transcript of my opening remarks at the Battle of Ideas 2019 where I spoke on a panel on the topic of, “Individuals Vs Identities: Can we move beyond Tribal Politics?”

I feel the sentiment is more relevant now than ever.

Identity over Individuality & Suffering over Achievements

How has our cultural discourse come to the stage where, at a recent wedding, I found myself lampooned as a racist by a gay couple for quoting Martin Luther King?

“I have a dream that one day people should be judged by the content of their character rather than the colour of their skin”, I was told, is something that “known racists” say, during a conversation about whether white people could ever be the victims of racism.

I can’t quite remember how we got on to the topic as I was leaning quite heavily into my Irish identity at the time, but I was told that I could never understand as I am a cis-gendered, straight, white male.

I asked how they know if I’m straight…or cis-gendered for that matter?

THIS actually curried me some favour. As if to have minority status in my sexuality or gender would make me more moral and more deserving of an opinion on racial issues.

I could see the cogs turning in their brains in real time, “AH…he might be a victim after all? Let’s deduct some points in…