Abstract

Using Bret Easton Ellis’ nonfictional book White as an example, this article examines how criticism of liberalism is made plausible by the thesis of a culture war in the polarized U.S. society since the election of Donald Trump. In the U.S., identity politics are blamed for this increasing polarization. Thus, Ellis justifies his departure from liberalism with its supposed transformation into left-wing reactionism that places political correctness above freedom of speech and art. In turn, he stages himself as a neutral observer of political events and justifies his supposed objectivity as a condition for political and aesthetic freedom: he wants to be able to empathize with all points of view and regard them as equal. But in this way, he adopts – whether intentionally or not – narratives that the Alt-Right uses strategically to justify right-wing narratives of conversion and to combat progressive liberalism.