This is spot on. More and more people are beginning to understand that we are witnessing is not a political ideology but a religion. As such it will go through a similar cycle like Puritanism, Evangelical Christianity, etc.
Meanwhile the conservative right seems to be going the traditional religion route. Along with a desire to be free to hate disadvantaged and vulnerable groups, and anyone arbitrarily deemed different?
This is what it looks like from where I sit, anyhow.
The emergence of a non-secular religious order from the left is a relatively new thing in America. Whereas on the ultra right you see hatred for people who look different, on the ultra left you see the same hatred for people who THINK different.
Look at what happens when one of their own happens to disagree with them. They are immediately branded “X-ist” and casted out. An example is lifelong feminists who are being branded TERFs for the sin of questioning what’s happening in womens sports.
I know plenty of Democrats who are not woke. I know plenty of republicans who are not religious zealots. It is important to note the distinction between these groups. PG’s essay is about the emergence of a new such group in the US which is both fascinating and dark.
Why is this? I would say it's because cynical, corrupt politicians on the left are misusing your very human and worthwhile desire to help people who are less fortunate than you, in much the same way that cynical, corrupt politicians on the right are misusing other people's very human and natural desire to not have their lives micromanaged to the nth degree.
Furthermore, it is defeatest and nhilistic to then conclude that we're all just pawns and screwed no matter what.
I do like your analysis on the root causes - protecting people vs. life micromanagement, it succinctly sums up the fundamental difference in ideology.
Traditionally conceived "spiritual" religions seem very similar to me.