The article of the year - 2019

I would be remiss if I didn't link to Gary Saul Morson's clarifying article from the October 2019 issue of The New Criterion, "Leninthink."

It is quite a long read, but the information is so important that it is well worth the time. It gives insight into the political debates of today.

It is the best article I read on the internet in 2019.

Putting Conservatives in a Box—A Case Study: The Pantone Color of the Year

For leftists, politics is personal, and like religious people, they look for opportunities to evangelize. I work in the publishing industry, so I pay attention to things like Pantone’s color of the year announcement. This year, I was disappointed to see that Pantone chose Classic Blue (19-4052) as the color of the year for 2020. I was disappointed because it seemed like a definite endorsement of the Democrats in an election year.

To be sure, the announcement from Pantone said absolutely nothing about the 2020 presidential elections.

A timeless and enduring blue hue, PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue is elegant in its simplicity. Suggestive of the sky at dusk, the reassuring qualities of the thought-provoking PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue highlight our desire for a dependable and stable foundation on which to build as we cross the threshold into a new era. Imprinted in our psyches as a restful color, PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue brings a sense of peace and tranquility to the human spirit, offering refuge. Aiding concentration and bringing laser like clarity, PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue re-centers our thoughts. A reflective blue tone, Classic Blue fosters resilience. As technology continues to race ahead of the human ability to process it all, it is easy to understand why we gravitate to colors that are honest and offer the promise of protection. Non-aggressive and easily relatable, the trusted PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue lends itself to relaxed interaction. Associated with the return of another day, this universal favorite is comfortably embraced. “We are living in a time that requires trust and faith. It is this kind of constancy and confidence that is expressed by PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue, a solid and dependable blue hue we can always rely on. Imbued with a deep resonance, Classic Blue provides an anchoring foundation. A boundless blue evocative of the vast and infinite evening sky, Classic blue encourages us to look beyond the obvious to expand our thinking; challenging us to think more deeply, increase our perspective and open the flow of communication.” —Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the PANTONE Color Institute

Maybe my initial, gut reaction of disappointment was just me being overly sensitive from years of working in a liberal workplace and industry. So I Googled “Pantone color of the year 2020 democrat,” and I discovered several news outlets had already asked the company about the possibility of a political message in the color of the year, and the spokeswoman assured the reporters that there was no political message intended. Reading through some of the comments below the article, liberals were quick to scoff at conservative commenters and tell them that they were too sensitive.

But when I looked at articles from liberal websites, the writers had no doubts that the blue was chosen to be a political statement, and they were very happy about it.

Here are three representative articles from links on the first page of my Google search:

Jezebel: “If I’m thinking politically, maybe a blue color alludes to a Democratic victory. In that case, forget anything negative expressed here. Go blue!”

artnet news: “Move over millennial pink, and make way for the color of the Democratic Party.”

Mashable: “Pantone's 2020 Color of the Year carries more than one message.”

And here is an example of what liberals thought of the Pantone color of the year when they were talking amongst themselves:

So the box that conservatives find themselves in is being lectured on one hand (“How can you think that the professionals at a non-partisan organization like PANTONE would let themselves make decisions about their work because of politics” or “You right-wing crazies see conspiracies around every corner”) and the reality that these things come up all the time, always in one direction. It’s like the deep state, but in the business/professional world.

But as has been pointed out, politics is downstream of culture, so as long as those who are powerful in government, business, the academy, or the media want to inject their politics into their work, then they are going to do that. I guess I would like it to be without all the lies.