Tomlinson Talks Why the Blank Slate is to Blame for Mass Migration and Hate Speech Laws
Jan 6, 2026
A history of the blank slate idea and how it shaped liberal claims about human interchangeability. A tour through Locke, Rousseau, and modern critics who tie that anthropology to mass migration and censorship. Debates over culture versus nature, state power, and whether liberalism inevitably demands cultural remaking. A call to reject blank slate thinking in favor of cultural self‑determination and borders.
01:09:49
Blank Slate Defined As Political Premise
- The blank slate claims humans are interchangeable, shaped only by experience and culture.
- Connor Tomlinson argues this belief underpins liberal and Marxist projects to erase differences via state power.
Journalist Exchange Shows Ideological Blindness
- Tomlinson cites the Paola Ramos vs Simona Malcolm Collins exchange where one denies genetic differences between races.
- He uses the exchange to show how ideology can blind people to empirical facts about human variation.
Locke's Tabula Rasa Fuels Liberal Universalism
- Tomlinson traces the blank slate to John Locke's tabula rasa and his political premises about equality.
- He argues Locke's anthropology enables liberal claims that any culture can adopt liberalism given the right conditions.
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Intro
00:00 • 23sec
What is the Blank Slate?
00:23 • 55sec
Blank Slate as Basis for Equality Claims
01:18 • 1min
Viral Exchange: Denying Biological Differences
02:29 • 3min
Pattern Recognition vs Ideology
05:29 • 32sec
Blank Slate in Media Debates
06:00 • 3min
Blank Slate Drives Global Governance Faith
09:12 • 60sec
Origins: Locke's Tabula Rasa
10:12 • 2min
Locke's Political Implications
11:54 • 3min
Liberal Promise and Communist Critique
14:50 • 2min
Blank Slate and Open Immigration
16:41 • 2min
Hazony's Critique of Locke
18:34 • 3min
Cultural Foundations Overlooked
21:33 • 47sec
Nature vs Culture in Liberal Thought
22:20 • 3min
State's Role: From Prosperity to Cultural Remaking
25:04 • 1min
Leviathan: Surveillance to Secure Equality
26:33 • 2min
Rousseauian Roots of State Intervention
28:36 • 7min
State as Reconditioner of Minds
35:26 • 1min
Liberalism's Cultural Policies Explained
36:35 • 58sec
Democratism and the Return to Nature
37:33 • 3min
Deliberative Democracy vs Populism
40:51 • 4min
Case Study: Zoe Williams on Asylum Protests
45:21 • 3min
Is Leviathan Inevitable for Liberalism?
48:20 • 4min
Chambers on Liberal Hypocrisy
51:54 • 2min
State Policing Personal Life to Secure Equality
54:03 • 4min
Blank Slate Links to Migration and Censorship
57:47 • 29sec
John Gray's Preference for Leviathan
58:16 • 5min
Post‑War Consensus and Anti‑Nationalism
01:03:37 • 2min
Policing Hate vs Addressing Migration
01:05:54 • 3min
Rejecting the Blank Slate
01:08:40 • 2min
Outro
01:10:13 • 30sec
#51564
Sex, Culture, and Justice
Clare Chambers
In 'Sex, Culture, and Justice: The Limits of Choice,' Clare Chambers explores the tensions between individual autonomy and social justice in the context of gender and sexuality.
Chambers critiques liberal approaches that prioritize individual choice without adequately addressing the ways in which social norms and power structures shape those choices.
She examines issues such as pornography, prostitution, and cultural practices that perpetuate gender inequality.
Chambers argues that a just society must intervene to challenge oppressive social norms and ensure that individuals have genuine opportunities for freedom and equality.
The book offers a nuanced perspective on the complex relationship between individual liberty and social justice.
#2380
• Mentioned in 19 episodes
The Social Contract
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
In 'The Social Contract', Jean-Jacques Rousseau outlines a theory of government where the legitimacy of political authority stems from the consent of the governed.
The book begins with the famous line 'Man is born free, but he is everywhere in chains,' highlighting the tension between natural freedom and the constraints of societal laws.
Rousseau argues that a legitimate state is formed when citizens enter into a social contract, surrendering some of their natural rights in exchange for civil rights and the protection of the general will.
The general will, a collective idea of the common good, is central to Rousseau's theory, and he advocates for a system where the people, as the sovereign, make decisions directly and where laws ensure liberty and equality.
The work has been influential in shaping modern political thought and has played a significant role in the French Revolution and the development of democratic principles.
#1598
• Mentioned in 26 episodes
Return of the Strong Gods
Nationalism, Populism, and the Future of the West
R. R. Reno
In 'Return of the Strong Gods,' R.R.
Reno argues that the post-war consensus, which aimed to create an 'open society' free from the dogmas that led to World War II, is breaking down.
He contends that the strong gods—powerful loyalties to nation, clan, and religion—are returning as people seek meaning and community.
Reno traces the historical roots of this shift, critiquing the relativism and multiculturalism that have eroded traditional values.
He advocates for a return to classic human values such as patriotism, family, and historic Christianity, warning that the absence of these strong gods could invite darker alternatives.
#993
• Mentioned in 37 episodes
The Open Society and Its Enemies
The Spell of Plato
Karl Popper
Written during World War II and published in 1945, 'The Open Society and Its Enemies' is a seminal work in political philosophy.
Karl Popper critiques the theories of teleological historicism espoused by Plato, Hegel, and Marx, arguing that these theories undermine individual freedom and pave the way for authoritarian regimes.
The book defends the open society and liberal democracy, emphasizing the importance of critical rationalism, individual freedom, and the ethos of scientific inquiry in politics.
It also discusses the challenges facing open societies, including totalitarianism, dogmatism, and relativism, and advocates for a piecemeal approach to social reform.
#5639
• Mentioned in 9 episodes
Essay Concerning Human Understanding
John Locke
Published in 1689, 'An Essay Concerning Human Understanding' is a comprehensive work that challenges the notion of innate knowledge.
Locke argues that all knowledge is derived from experience and reflection, and he divides experience into two categories: sensation (information from the external world) and reflection (the mind's operations on those sensations).
The essay is structured into four books, addressing topics such as the rejection of innate ideas, the theory of ideas, the role of language, personal identity, and the limits and nature of human knowledge.
Locke's work had a significant influence on modern Western philosophy and continues to be a cornerstone in discussions of epistemology and the philosophy of mind.
#58518
Discourse on Inequality
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Jean-Jacques Rousseau's 'Discourse on Inequality' examines the origins and foundations of inequality among humans.
Rousseau posits that in the state of nature, humans are inherently good and equal, but the development of society and private property leads to corruption and inequality.
He critiques the artificiality and moral degradation of civilized life, arguing that it alienates individuals from their true selves and fosters competition and domination.
Rousseau traces the evolution of inequality through various stages of social development, from the establishment of property rights to the rise of political institutions.
The 'Discourse on Inequality' is a foundational text in political philosophy, influencing subsequent thinkers such as Karl Marx and contributing to debates about the nature of human nature and the sources of social injustice.
#648
• Mentioned in 51 episodes
Why Liberalism Failed
Patrick J. Deneen
In 'Why Liberalism Failed,' Patrick J. Deneen critiques both classical liberalism (often called libertarianism) and progressive/modern liberalism.
He argues that liberalism has created contradictions such as fostering material inequality despite advocating for equal rights, discouraging civic commitments in favor of privatism, and giving rise to a comprehensive state system while pursuing individual autonomy.
Deneen contends that liberalism's success is generating its own failure, leading to issues like income inequality, cultural decline, atomization, and the erosion of freedoms.
The book examines the outcomes of the growth of the state, the construction of the free market, and the effects of technology on freedoms and culture.
#5350
• Mentioned in 9 episodes
Conservatism
A Rediscovery
Yoram Hazony
In *Conservatism: A Rediscovery*, Yoram Hazony provides a fresh theoretical foundation for conservatism by tracing its history from the Wars of the Roses to modern America.
He critiques Enlightenment liberalism and argues for a revival of authentic Anglo-American conservatism, emphasizing tradition, loyalty, and societal hierarchies.
Hazony's work challenges the common identification of conservatism with liberalism, advocating instead for a distinct conservative philosophy rooted in historical empiricism and biblical principles.
#1637
• Mentioned in 26 episodes
Two Treatises Of Government
John Locke
Published in 1689, 'Two Treatises of Government' is a seminal work by John Locke that critiques the divine right of kings and advocates for a government based on the consent of the governed.
The first treatise refutes Robert Filmer's 'Patriarcha,' which argued for the divine right of kings, while the second treatise outlines Locke's theory of civil society, the state of nature, natural rights, and the social contract.
Locke argues that legitimate governments derive their power from the consent of the people and that individuals have the right to rebellion if the government fails to protect their natural rights to life, liberty, and property.
His ideas significantly influenced the American and French Revolutions and remain central to liberal political theory.
#200
• Mentioned in 113 episodes
LEVIATHAN
Thomas Hobbes
Published in 1651, 'Leviathan' by Thomas Hobbes is a comprehensive treatise on political philosophy.
The book is divided into four main parts: 'Of Man,' 'Of Commonwealth,' 'Of a Christian Commonwealth,' and 'Of the Kingdom of Darkness.
' Hobbes argues that the natural state of humans is one of conflict and anarchy, and that the best way to achieve peace and security is through the establishment of a commonwealth governed by an absolute sovereign.
This sovereign, which Hobbes terms the 'Leviathan,' has supreme authority over all aspects of governance, including law, religion, and public offices.
Hobbes' work is a foundational text in social contract theory and continues to influence political thought to this day.
#28343
• Mentioned in 2 episodes
The Ideology of Democratism
Emily Finley
In December, Elon Musk posted on X, "The Blank Slate fallacy is the root of much evil."
What is the Blank Slate? Do liberals really believe that all human beings are equal — fungible, indistinguishable, replaceable?
Here's a history of tabula rasa, and why this false anthropology is to blame for intolerable policies like mass migration and hate speech laws.
Watch this video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/lSpE8bvaFo8
For more on the post-war consensus: https://connortomlinson.substack.com/p/are-zoomers-really-the-groyper-generation
Works cited:
- John Locke, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding
- John Locke, Two Treatises of Government
- Yoram Hazony, Conservatism: A Rediscovery
- Patrick Deneen, Why Liberalism Failed
- Jean Jacques Rousseau, Discourse on Inequality
- Jean Jacques Rousseau, The Social Contract
- Emily B. Finley, The Ideology of Democratism
- Clare Jambers, Sex, Culture, and Justice: The Limits of Choice
- R.R. Reno, Return of the Strong Gods
- John Gray, 'Why I am not a post-liberal': https://www.newstatesman.com/ideas/2025/10/how-to-save-british-liberalism
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