Political virtue from sincere belief.

More on the psychology of leftism . . . . The following describes one aspect of the phenomenon as being predicated on a notion of superior beliefs and greater moral insight:

[DIFFERENT EMAILER] I think that certain there is a certain type of "leftishness" that predicates its view of the world on some special insight into reality which one can only share or not. I think, for example, this was the principle informing such sixties talk as "raising one's consciousness," or such notions that one is "good" by virtue of mere sincerity or proper beliefs, regardless of one's actions. If one shares the insight or subscribes to it, one is part of the virtuous elect; if not, one is evil. Civil discourse by contrast, presupposes . . . at least some degree of modesty in insisting that one is right, that there is a possibility that one is wrong.

Anonynmous correspondent in "Right and left: my sad experience." Althouse, 1/31/06.

Where is Dr. Sanity when we need her? Is the left's belief in their own lovely sincerity an example of the "belle indifference" to which she refers? Are we seeing an excessive focus on one's own sincerity (and consequent personal worth) and a concomitant denial of insincerity and worthlessness when it is unmistakably manifested in obvious enemies?