006: Against the Politics of Cruelty — with Alan Elrod
Sep 28, 2026 · 45 min · 10 segments
What happens when political cruelty becomes a style—and eventually a habit? Aaron and Jason are joined by **Alan Elrod**, columnist at *Liberal Currents* and founder of the Pulaski Institution, for a…
What happens when political cruelty becomes a style—and eventually a habit? Aaron and Jason are joined by **Alan Elrod**, columnist at *Liberal Currents* and founder of the Pulaski Institution, for a conversation about “dirtbagism,” political cynicism, sincerity, and the emotional foundations of liberal politics. They begin with Alan’s critique of a style of left-wing politics that treats cruelty, transgression, and contempt as acceptable—or even politically useful—so long as they are deployed in service of the right cause. But the conversation quickly broadens into a deeper question: Can we separate the way we practice politics from the kind of politics we ultimately create? Alan argues that politics is about much more than policy. It is also made up of affect, aesthetics, relationships, and habits of attention. The ways we speak about opponents, the communities we build online, and the emotions we cultivate all help shape our political world. The conversation turns from dirtbagism to the surprising virtues of “cringe”: earnestness, enthusiasm, sincerity, and the willingness to care openly about things without worrying about appearing cool. Aaron connects this to the tradition of the New Sincerity and to the dangers of political doomerism, while Jason asks whether a more emotionally positive liberal politics can actually compete in an environment dominated by outrage and antagonism. They also discuss why policy success alone is rarely enough to sustain a political movement; how social media can erode empathy and our sense of other people as full human beings; the importance of in-person civic life; and why rebuilding liberal democracy ultimately requires learning to live alongside people with whom we profoundly disagree. The episode ends with a case for understanding ordinary community life—book clubs, art nights, conversations with neighbors, participation in local institutions—not as something separate from politics, but as part of the practice of building the kind of society liberalism needs. **Topics include:** Dirtbag politics and the appeal of cruelty; sincerity and “cringe”; political emotion and affect; cynicism and doomerism; social media and empathy; why policy is not enough; community and civic life; justice versus vengeance; political reconciliation; and liberalism as a practice of living together. **Alan Elrod** is a weekly columnist at *Liberal Currents* and runs the Pulaski Institution, a nonprofit focused on democracy in America’s heartland. Learn more about *The Inner Life of Liberalism* and support the broader Liberal Practice project at liberalpractice.org *Produced by Landry Ayres*
What happens when political cruelty becomes a style—and eventually a habit? Aaron and Jason are joined by **Alan Elrod**, columnist at *Liberal Currents* and founder of the Pulaski Institution, for a…
