Political life sometimes has an inevitable circularity. Contemporary liberalism would have made more sense in the time of prohibitionists, or the Victorian Era. It shares with them its deep-seated hatred of fun.

Sex, naughty words, and outrageous behavior all have their place, and can all be quite enjoyable. Being a zealous devotee of intersectionality? Not so fun. If H.L. Mencken, the “Joyous Libertarian,” were around today, he might offer that today’s left is unnerved by the same anxiety that disturbed the Puritans so many years ago: “The haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy.”