(Warning: election-season emotional reaction ahead. Probability of craven reversal in a month or so: moderate to high.)
When I read something like this, it makes me realize: there are only so many times I can tell people that I'm a conservative, but not that kind of conservative before it becomes clear that I'm using the wrong word. Like all words, the meaning of “conservative” emerges from a complex communal process. It's not mine to control. So do I spend the next few years putting the word in dissociative quotation marks? Or do I just let it go free, knowing that if the word does not come back, then we were never meant to be together in the first place?
It might be fun to try to keep the word for contrarian purposes, or just out of sheer stubbornness, but: what's the point?
From here on out, if you have to reduce me with your political labels, man, use a phrase like “centrist, with some conservative sympathies.” Or maybe “small-government liberal.” Or “traditionally-inclined pluralist.” Even “center-right” seems like a decent enough label, as it makes intuitive sense to people further left than me, politically, and signals people to the right of me that I am secretly liberal.
Goodbye, conservatism. I'll keep reading your brightest, but I'm getting sick of your movement.
(Thanks to Freddie for putting the question.)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
There's this thing called 'libertarianism' you might try.
I've been looking into it.
The only principle the consevatives have lived by in recent years is the peter priciple.
They have no ideas or solutions only a will to power and a proclivity to unbrideled greed.What a party!
I think you might want to stay away from "center right" that is a term the Hugh Hewitt uses, and I'm guessing that his thinking is a big part of why you're leaving.
Post a Comment