The Toronto Star has once again graced us with its wisdom. In a piece penned by one Craig A. Johnson—presumably not the sort of chap who'd last five minutes in an Alberta oil patch—the Star wrings its hands over the left's tragic loss of young men to the dastardly right. "The left needs to learn how to talk to young men—or it will keep losing them," wails the headline, as if these wayward lads are lost puppies rather than thinking adults who've had quite enough of being lectured on their "privileges" while scraping by in Trudeau's inflation-ravaged economy.But let's peel back the layers of this sanctimonious onion, shall we? Johnson's thesis boils down to this: Young men, especially those pesky cisgender, heterosexual, white ones, are fleeing the left because progressives keep insisting they're the root of all evil. They're told their privileges are "unjust and should be dismantled," even as they stare down barren job markets, unaffordable housing, and a dating scene where swiping right feels like a cultural revolution against them. And who can blame them? In the Star's worldview, these fellows are supposed to nod along meekly while the left prioritizes everyone else—women, racial minorities, sexual minorities, and let's not forget the "moneyed classes" who somehow always end up funding the whole charade.Of course, the real hilarity here is the left's barely concealed contempt bubbling to the surface. They can't hide their hatred for white people, can they? It's like watching a vegan at a barbecue trying not to sneer at the steaks. Young white men, in particular, are the ultimate villains in the progressive pantomime: oppressors by birth, beneficiaries of some invisible patriarchy that's apparently thriving even as manufacturing jobs vanish and universities churn out degrees in gender studies that lead straight to barista gigs. Johnson admits it outright—the left's message is that these lads are "members of a privileged class," yet many "feel barely in control of their own lives." Well, no kidding! When your government is busy importing cheap labor to undercut wages, enforcing DEI quotas that skip over you, and turning every institution into a therapy session for historical grievances, it's hard not to feel like the odd man out..And here's where the mockery turns delicious: The Star isn't really mourning the loss of these young men as equals or potential leaders. Oh no. They want them back, alright, but only as brainwashed foot soldiers—quiet, passive, and perpetually apologetic. Vote for us, they whisper, but don't you dare aspire to lead. Stay in your lane, lads; we'll handle the revolution. It's the same old leftist playbook: Co-opt the masses, but keep the reins firmly in the hands of the enlightened elite. Remember how Trudeau's Liberals love to parade "diversity" while ensuring that real power stays with the Laurentian insiders? These young white men are supposed to swallow the pill of self-abnegation, supporting policies that dismantle their own futures, all while cheering from the sidelines as the left crowns new heroes.Johnson nods to the right-wing "podcasters and politicians" who've swooped in like knights errant, selling the idea that conservatism is the true counterculture. He doesn't name names, but we all know the suspects: Jordan Peterson, preaching personal responsibility in a sea of victimhood; Andrew Tate, for better or worse, tapping into raw masculine frustration. These figures aren't perfect—far from it—but they at least acknowledge that young men aren't the enemy. They offer agency, not endless guilt trips. Contrast that with the left's approach: "Abandon hope, ye who enter here, unless you're willing to flagellate yourself for sins you didn't commit."In Alberta, we've seen this farce play out up close. While the Star frets from its Toronto ivory tower, our young men are dealing with the fallout of federal green zealotry that's gutted the energy sector. Jobs lost, families strained, all in the name of "just transition" that feels more like a just eviction. And when these lads turn to conservative voices—say, Danielle Smith or Pierre Poilievre—who promise to unleash opportunity without the woke asterisks, the left cries foul. How dare they reject our benevolent brainwashing?.But the jig is up. The left's attempt to "learn how to talk" to young men is doomed because it stems from disdain, not dialogue. They don't want conversation; they want compliance. Brainwash them into submission, sure—teach them to parrot the party line on equity and inclusion—but heaven forbid they step up as leaders. That role's reserved for the ideologically pure, the ones who've mastered the art of virtue-signaling while cashing government grants.In the end, Johnson's plea is less a roadmap than a requiem for the left's fading grip. Young white men aren't lost; they've simply woken up. They're rejecting the passive posture the progressives prescribe, choosing instead to build, lead, and thrive. And if that terrifies the Toronto Star crowd, well, pass the popcorn. In Alberta, we're just getting started.
