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| − | ==Overview==
| + | <hide> |
| − | [[category:political philosophies]][[Conservatism]] is a political philosophy whose central theme is the prevention of change in society. It often includes a certain [[reactionary]] element that wishes to revert society to an earlier (supposedly happier) time, or a set of societal norms that existed during that time, but this is not the main thrust of conservatism in general. | + | [[page type::article]] |
| | + | [[thing type::similarity cluster]] |
| | + | [[category:political philosophy]] |
| | + | [[category:ism]] |
| | + | </hide> |
| | + | ==About== |
| | + | [[Conservatism]] is a [[political identity]] whose adherents claim loyalty to a [[similarity cluster|loose collection]] of {{l/sub|belief}}s, but which ultimately amounts to [[authoritarianism]]. |
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| − | The [[conservative ideal]] encompasses what is best about conservatism, and ways in which the idea of conservatism is misrepresented or misused.
| + | It should be understood that [[conservatism]], despite the name, does not [[conserve]] anything except the power of an established hierarchy; see {{l/sub|nym}}ography. It is more or less a policy of lying (to the public and to each other) in support of the agendas of the powerful. |
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| − | Conservatism encompasses a wide variety of possible viewpoints, with different aspects being emphasized in different countries:
| + | A well-known quote by a little-known commentator seems to best encapsulate the unspoken goal of conservatism: |
| − | * [[US conservatism]]
| + | <blockquote>Conservatism consists of exactly one proposition, to wit: There must be in-groups whom the law protects but does not bind, alongside out-groups whom the law binds but does not protect.</blockquote> |
| − | ===Social Conservatism===
| + | <div align=right>— Frank Wilmot<ref name=slate /></div> |
| − | Social conservatives believe that there is "wisdom embedded in [existing] social structures/norms", and that we tamper with those structures at our peril. In other words, the current social norms are the way they are because they have been proven to work over a long period of time, and there is considerable danger if they cease to work properly.
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| − | The implication of this is that we don't know how those norms got the way they are, nor why they work. This is at odds with the idea that we as a civilization have been documenting our own history in considerable detail for many centuries now, and are indeed quite capable of noting which experiments have succeeded, which failed, and which were made popular or unpopular without correlation to (and for reasons other than) their success or failure at their intended purpose. The social conservative attitude essentially favors custom over understanding, shuns experimentation, and fears the possible consequences.
| + | This is consistent with the observation that conservatists seem to operate from a position of "We tell you what to do; you don't tell us what to do". Conservatism operates not from a position of treating people equally and fairly, but the [[/asymmetry|exact opposite]]. |
| | + | ===Mindset=== |
| | + | Conservatism seems to arise from these basic values, which are rarely stated or acknowledged: |
| | + | : '''1.''' It's more important to feel secure than to have an accurate understanding of reality. "What you don't know can't hurt you." "If it ain't broke (for me), don't fix it." |
| | + | : '''2.''' It's basically impossible to evaluate policy on its own merit, so it's best to vote for the candidate you can relate to best. |
| | + | : '''3.''' Winning is more important than truth. (That's kind of a corollary of 2 and, to some degree, 1.) |
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| − | Social conservatives are at odds with social [[liberal]]s on certain issues:
| + | From these basics emerge patterns such as the willingness to support someone who's obviously lying or being hypocritical -- conservative voters don't care about details like accuracy; they just care that he's ''their'' liar/hypocrite, someone they find relatable. |
| − | * [[marriage]] (liberals want to broaden it, conservatives don't)
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| − | * [[death penalty]] (conservatives for, liberals against)
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| − | * [[gun control]] (conservatives against, liberals for)
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| − | ===Fiscal Conservatism===
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| − | Fiscal conservatives are more concerned about unnecessary government expenditure, and tend to prefer solutions where private industry or "faith-based" groups provide the bulk of the funding. For this reason, they tend to seek solutions based in [[free market]] incentives. They also tend to be against government regulation, however, which they unfortunately often seem to forget is a [[free markets require regulation|requirement]] for a free marketplace.
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| − | ===Neoconservatism===
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| − | In the late 1900s and early 2000s, the [[neoconservative]] movement in the {{USA}} captured the loyalty of much of the [[conservative]] population, despite the fact that their aims were in many ways very anti-conservative – e.g. spending unprecedented amounts of taxpayer money on a foreign "[[nation-building]]" [[US-Iraq War|venture]] and imposing government rules on the lives of private citizens to an extent never before seen in the US.
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| − | ==Reference==
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| − | * {{wikipedia|Conservatism}}
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| − | * [[conservapedia:Conservative|Conservapedia]]
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| − | ==Conservative and Fundamentalist Groups/Projects (non-US)==
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| − | *'''Conservative'''
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| − | *'''Conservative Christian'''
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| − | ** [[wikipedia:Christian Voice (UK)|Christian Voice]] (UK)
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| − | ==Related Links==
| + | People who position themselves as conservatist leaders may not actually believe the positions they espouse. The point of advocating a position, in the conservatist social realm, is to unify and engage people to support the leader's quest for power and victory. |
| − | * [http://www.conservativethinking.com/ Conservative Thinking]
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| − | * [http://www.freerepublic.com/home.htm Free Republic]: "the premier online gathering place for independent, grass-roots conservatism on the web"
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| − | ==Blogs==
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| − | * [http://www.antiprotester.blogspot.com/ The Autonomist]: by Rocco diPippo of Warren, RI
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| − | * [http://www.cathyseipp.net/ Cathy's World]: Cathy Seipp is a columnist for National Review Online and the Independent Women's Forum
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| − | * [http://www.rightrainbow.com/ Right Side of the Rainbow]: "News and commentary on law and politics by a right- of-center, gun-owning, gay Texan"
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| − | * [http://sayanythingblog.com/ Say Anything Blog]: not explicitly conservative, but seems to lean that way
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| − | * [http://stoptheaclu.com/ Stop the ACLU]
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| − | ** '''2006-07-03''' [http://blogs.salon.com/0003494/2006/07/03.html Jewish Family “Forced to Move” Over School Lawsuit]: "'Stop the ACLU Coalition' Publicised Home Address, Phone Number
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| − | ==Books==
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| − | * ''The Marketing of Evil'' by David Kupelian ([http://www.amazon.com/Marketing-Evil-Pseudo-Experts-Corruption-Disguised/dp/1581824599/sr=1-1/qid=1168617604/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-8614437-3304823?ie=UTF8&s=books Amazon]): "Americans have come to tolerate, embrace and even champion many things that would have horrified their parents' generation – from easy [[divorce]] and unrestricted [[abortion]]-on-demand to extreme body piercing and teaching [[homosexuality]] to grade-schoolers."
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| − | ** '''Comments''':
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| − | *** Easy divorce has been shown to reduce suicide rates; nobody gets unrestricted abortion-on-demand, though I could argue that it would be a good idea, at least in the first trimester; and you can't "teach homosexuality" – is anyone actually trying to do this? Unless it means "teaching ''about'' homosexuality", which would be an important part of any decent [[sex education]] curriculum (otherwise kids are likely to grow up hating and fearing gay people, which would probably make this book's author happy – or, if the student in question is gay, hating and fearing her/himself, which would probably also make the book's author happy). What's wrong with body-piercing? --[[User:Woozle|Woozle]] 11:07, 12 January 2007 (EST)
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| − | ==News Sites== | + | The existence of large quantities of people of this general mindset represents an ongoing threat to free society. Their desire for simplicity, security, and victory can be weaponized by the powerful to overwhelm more thoughtful voices in any democratic system. |
| − | * [http://www.newsmax.com/ NewsMax]: "America's News Page" (see also {{wikipedia|NewsMax.com}}) | + | ==Pages== |
| − | * [http://www.townhall.com/ townhall.com] is generally described as conservative, but according to {{wikipedia|Townhall.com}} their mission is specifically to aid in "the fight against those who would sacrifice the individual and freedom for political gain and big government." | + | * {{l/sub|pos}}itions taken by conservatism |
| − | | + | * {{l/sub|nym}}ography: the terminological landscape |
| − | ==Publications== | + | * {{l/sub|US}}: conservatist identity in the United States |
| − | *[http://www.nationalreview.com/ National Review]
| + | * {{l/sub|asymmetry}}: the rules do not apply equally |
| − | | + | ===Related=== |
| − | ==Commentary== | + | * The [[conservative ideal]] encompasses what is best about conservatism, and ways in which the idea of conservatism is misrepresented or misused. |
| − | * [http://www.redstate.com/stories/miscellanea/a_reactionary_s_shorter_catechism A Reactionary’s Shorter Catechism] by Paul J Cella | + | * Conservatives tend to be on the political [[right wing]]. |
| − | {{excerpt|[[David Brin]] writes about this [http://davidbrin.blogspot.com/2007/02/challenges-computer-graphic-trailers.html]:}}
| + | ==Quotes== |
| − | This fellow is another species. One that would prefer to stay feudal, terrified, and only half sapient forever -- though with confident expectation that God’s reality is a cramped, short term exercise, and so it does not matter.
| + | {{quotation|[[Evelyn Waugh]] {{needcite}}|[ [[Rudyard Kipling]] ] was a conservative in the sense that he believed [[civilization]] to be something laboriously achieved which was only precariously defended. He wanted to see the defences fully manned and he hated the [[liberal]]s because he thought them gullible and feeble, believing in the easy [[perfectibility of man]] and ready to abandon the work of centuries for sentimental qualms.}} |
| − | | + | ==Links== |
| − | He praises [[elitism]], [[mythology]], [[romanticism]], nostalgia, [[mysticism]], exceptionalism, ritualistic-dogmatic traditionalism, and prejudice in the purest meaning of the word - pre-judice - judging others and all thoughts based upon comfortable, self-serving assumptions and eliminating all processes that test those subjective assumptions against the genuine holiness of the Creator’s greatest work, a thing called [[objective reality]].
| + | ===Reference=== |
| − | | + | * {{wikipedia}} |
| − | Indeed, denial of objective reality or its relevance is the underlying commonality that this fellow howls in perfect synchrony with romantics of the far left, whose praise of ancient mysticism and tribal ways converge eerily on the extreme, with "reactionaries" like this guy.
| + | * {{conservapedia}} |
| − | | + | * <s>{{dkosopedia}}</s>[[category:!dkosopedia]] no equivalent article (as of 2008-03-27); see [[dkosopedia:Special:Search/Conservatism|search]] |
| − | (Naturally, my own theology, that we were meant to be apprentices and knowingly (through [[science]]) begin sharing and completing the art/craft of [[Creation]], would send both types shrieking.)
| + | * {{sourcewatch}} |
| − | | + | * {{rationalwiki}} redirects to {{l/rw|Conservative}}, which contains a good run-down of what "conservative" means in a number of different countries. |
| − | If you have not seen it, do. And know the full range of human personality that makes our task so dauntingly difficult. Trogs who know that 6,000 years of trying their way never got humanity anything but pain, nevertheless bitterly resent us our turn, trying something new and blatantly better.
| + | ===Orgs (non-US)=== |
| − | | + | * [[wikipedia:Christian Voice (UK)|Christian Voice]] (UK) |
| − | No wonder they are fighting back so hard, as we speak. They must re-establish the old way fast, or lose their chance forever, as humanity finally steps into the light.
| + | {{links/smw}} |
| − | {{-excerpt}} | + | ==Footnote== |
| − | {{excerpt|A responding poster on the [http://davidbrin.blogspot.com/2007/02/challenges-computer-graphic-trailers.html same thread] says:}} | + | <references> |
| − | I don't have a link handy but there's been some research [indicating that far-right partisans] don't use their cerebral cortex much when evaluating political statements. Instead another part of their brain associated with emotional rewards lights up whenever they affirm the "correct" side or disagree with the "incorrect" side. I'm sure such a pack mentality came in handy back in the day but it's ill suited to a democracy.
| + | <ref name=slate>'''2022-06-03''' [https://slate.com/business/2022/06/wilhoits-law-conservatives-frank-wilhoit.html The Pithiest Critique of Modern Conservatism Keeps Getting Credited to the Wrong Man]</ref> |
| − | | + | </references> |
| − | I think this is also why we see such an overlap between [[direct creation|creationists]] and people who vehemently object to [[global warming]]. The global warming hypothesis requires them to believe in a moral cause of a nature that they find unpalatable (there's no foreign enemy to blame it on and they're not necessarily the good guys).
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| − | Deconstructing the far right is easy. Just turn their accusations around, most of them in fact apply to them: [[global warming is a religion]] (they're creationists and/or heavily influenced by christian dominionism), liberals are arrogant and ignorant, etc. etc.
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| − | | |
| − | But in fairness we should be deconstructing the loonies on the other side of the political spectrum too. Unfortunately this is a lot harder to do since they're a lot more diversified and neurotic, a Baskin Robbins of ideological weirdness (although a lot of them them tend to have issues with daddy). The end result is basically the same nature of thinking, just with different packaging.
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| − | {{-excerpt}} | |
| − | * '''2006-07-06''' [http://glenngreenwald.blogspot.com/2006/07/thug-and-intimidation-tactics-of-far.html The thug and intimidation tactics of the Far Right go mainstream] by Glenn Greenwald | |
| − | * '''2005-12-05''' [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rick-perlstein/i-didnt-like-nixon-_b_11735.html 'I Didn't Like Nixon ''Until'' Watergate': The Conservative Movement Now] by [[Rick Perlstein]]
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| − | * '''2005-09-27''' J.E.R. Staddon writes: "...there are acres written on conservatism, but one of the best definitions I've seen is that it is a disbelief in utopia, i.e., a disbelief in the "progressive" idea that human beings, and human society, are infinitely perfectible. The problem with belief in utopia is that if you believe it is possible, then you are obliged to take active steps tio bring it about, which usually leads to the death and misery of large numbers of human beings (see Stalin, Mao, the Islamists, etc.)."
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| − | * '''2004-08-18''': [http://sciencepolitics.blogspot.com/2004/08/moral-politics-in-context-of-history.html] In the context of a book review, suggests a brief definition of key conservative values, and then states that they are contradicted by scientific findings, which explains why conservatives tend to be anti-science. (To be investigated: do the given values accurately reflect the conservative worldview? Does science contradict them?) | |
| − | | |
| − | ==Notes== | |
| − | Many conservatives, especially those tending to the extreme (including DiPippo and Horowitz) seem to have it in for ''[[Wikipedia:The New York Times|The New York Times]]'', for reasons on which I'm not entirely clear. The NYT has recently been attacked for publishing photos and addresses of the vacation homes of [[Dick Cheney]] and [[Donald Rumsfeld]]; Rocco DiPippo retaliated by publishing similar information about the NYT's editor Arthur Sulzburger [http://antiprotester.blogspot.com/2006/07/where-does-pinch-sulzberger-live.html] and photographer Linda Spillers, who (with Rumsfeld's permission) took the photo of Rumsfeld's vacation home. The argument is apparently: (1) we are at war (the [[War on Terror]]); (2) providing such information in public is therefore providing aid and comfort to the enemy, (3) which is treason, (4) which is a crime punishable by death. See [http://glenngreenwald.blogspot.com/2006/07/conservative-pundits-reveal-murderous.html Conservative pundits reveal murderous plot by the Travel Section of the NYT!] --[[User:Woozle|Woozle]] 08:32, 13 July 2006 (EDT)
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About
Conservatism is a political identity whose adherents claim loyalty to a loose collection of beliefs, but which ultimately amounts to authoritarianism.
It should be understood that conservatism, despite the name, does not conserve anything except the power of an established hierarchy; see nymography. It is more or less a policy of lying (to the public and to each other) in support of the agendas of the powerful.
A well-known quote by a little-known commentator seems to best encapsulate the unspoken goal of conservatism:
Conservatism consists of exactly one proposition, to wit: There must be in-groups whom the law protects but does not bind, alongside out-groups whom the law binds but does not protect.
This is consistent with the observation that conservatists seem to operate from a position of "We tell you what to do; you don't tell us what to do". Conservatism operates not from a position of treating people equally and fairly, but the exact opposite.
Mindset
Conservatism seems to arise from these basic values, which are rarely stated or acknowledged:
- 1. It's more important to feel secure than to have an accurate understanding of reality. "What you don't know can't hurt you." "If it ain't broke (for me), don't fix it."
- 2. It's basically impossible to evaluate policy on its own merit, so it's best to vote for the candidate you can relate to best.
- 3. Winning is more important than truth. (That's kind of a corollary of 2 and, to some degree, 1.)
From these basics emerge patterns such as the willingness to support someone who's obviously lying or being hypocritical -- conservative voters don't care about details like accuracy; they just care that he's their liar/hypocrite, someone they find relatable.
People who position themselves as conservatist leaders may not actually believe the positions they espouse. The point of advocating a position, in the conservatist social realm, is to unify and engage people to support the leader's quest for power and victory.
The existence of large quantities of people of this general mindset represents an ongoing threat to free society. Their desire for simplicity, security, and victory can be weaponized by the powerful to overwhelm more thoughtful voices in any democratic system.
Pages
- positions taken by conservatism
- nymography: the terminological landscape
- US: conservatist identity in the United States
- asymmetry: the rules do not apply equally
Related
- The conservative ideal encompasses what is best about conservatism, and ways in which the idea of conservatism is misrepresented or misused.
- Conservatives tend to be on the political right wing.
Quotes
[ Rudyard Kipling ] was a conservative in the sense that he believed civilization to be something laboriously achieved which was only precariously defended. He wanted to see the defences fully manned and he hated the liberals because he thought them gullible and feeble, believing in the easy perfectibility of man and ready to abandon the work of centuries for sentimental qualms.
Links
Reference
Orgs (non-US)
