"Ecumenical Niceness"

It's what social scientist Charles Murray disparagingly calls that which afflicts far too many American elites.  So tolerant are they, he says, that they cannot bring themselves to “preach what they practise”.

I like it.

For a pleasant diversion, but with a very serious underlying theme nevertheless, enjoy this interview with Murray-as-article by Edward Luce of the Financial Times.  One particular little gem by Murray from the piece:

There’s a big difference between being good and being nice.  Being good involves tough choices – tough love. Ecumenical niceness is just pabulum. It’s as if, in all our interactions, parents are trying to stop our kids eating food off the floor, when that is what would inoculate them against far costlier things later on in life.