The Problem with Edgelords | (Ep. 420)

In episode 420 of Plodcast, host Douglas Wilson explores the rise of 'edgelords' on the right, drawing on insights from his son-in-law Ben Merkel to argue that a certain type of political personality thrives only in opposition—excelling at guerrilla-style attacks from the outside but failing to govern when in power. He traces this dynamic to the 2024 Trump victory, noting that many who once excelled at attacking the establishment now pivot to attacking the very administration they helped elect, not out of principle but because that’s all they know how to do. Wilson contrasts this with Christian teachings on hate and love, using the Greek word 'maseo' to show that while hatred is a sin, Jesus calls believers to love even their enemies. He examines biblical passages where hatred is both condemned and, in a spiritual sense, redefined as a necessary detachment from worldly attachments. The episode also features a book review of 'How the British Invented Communism and Blamed It on the Jews,' which posits that British intelligence may have indirectly supported the Bolsheviks during WWI to weaken Tsarist Russia, a claim Wilson presents as provocative but worth considering. The episode weaves theology, political analysis, and historical speculation into a broader meditation on power, identity, and the dangers of perpetual opposition.