In the modern political landscape, the accusation of “racism” has become less of a diagnostic tool and more of a ritualistic incantation. To the casual observer, the frequency and intensity with which modern liberals level this charge against their neighbors, colleagues, and even historical figures can seem baffling. However, if we look beneath the surface of political discourse and into the realm of clinical psychology, a more profound and unsettling pattern emerges. It is not that the world has suddenly become more bigoted; rather, it is that the liberal mind is engaged in a desperate, ongoing act of psychological exorcism.
The Mechanism of Projection
At the heart of this phenomenon lies the classic defense mechanism known as projection. First identified by Sigmund Freud and later expanded upon by Carl Jung, projection occurs when an individual attributes their own unacceptable thoughts, impulses, or feelings to someone else. For the modern liberal, who has built an entire identity around the concept of being “anti-racist,” the discovery of a lingering bias or a stray, politically incorrect thought is not just a mistake—it is an existential threat.
“Projection is one of the commonest psychic phenomena… Everything that is unconscious in ourselves we discover in our neighbor, and we treat him accordingly.” — Carl Jung
When a liberal experiences a thought that contradicts their stated values, the resulting cognitive dissonance creates an intense sense of guilt. To resolve this guilt without having to confront the darkness within themselves, they must find a target. By “casting out” these thoughts onto others, they can maintain their own moral purity while simultaneously assuming the role of the righteous accuser.
| Feature | The Internal Reality | The External Projection |
| Source | Unconscious bias or stray thoughts | The “bigotry” of the opponent |
| Emotion | Deep-seated guilt and anxiety | Moral outrage and superiority |
| Action | Self-reflection (Avoided) | Public accusation (Embraced) |
| Goal | Psychological relief | Social signaling and “exorcism” |
The Ritual of the Accusation
This process is strikingly similar to a religious exorcism. In a traditional sense, an exorcism is a rite intended to drive out a demonic presence from a possessed person. In the secular religion of modern progressivism, the “demon” is racism, and the “possessed” are those who haven’t yet adopted the latest linguistic and ideological mandates.
By accusing others of the very thoughts they themselves harbor, liberals perform a symbolic cleansing. Every time they point a finger and cry “racist,” they are effectively saying, “It is not in me; it is in you.” This externalization allows them to feel a temporary reprieve from their own internal contradictions. The louder the accusation, the more effective the “exorcism” feels.
The Cost of the Shadow
The tragedy of this cycle is that it prevents genuine progress. By focusing entirely on the “sins” of others, the progressive movement has abandoned the difficult work of true self-examination. They have traded the “shadow work” of understanding their own biases for the cheap thrill of moral posturing.
As long as the liberal mind continues to use the rest of society as a canvas for its own unacknowledged prejudices, our political discourse will remain a theater of the absurd. We are not witnessing a fight for equality; we are witnessing a collective psychological breakdown disguised as a crusade for justice. Until the accusers are willing to look in the mirror and face their own “demons,” the exorcism will continue, and the guilt will only grow.
