What is Conservatism?

I don’t want Mr. Flu to freak out. I’m recommending this article even though Rod Dreher references David French. But the David French aspect is totally irrelevant. Dreher is just bouncing his own comments off of him, perhaps (for some reason) flattering French in the process. But the substance French contributes is not needed.

Let me first say that I think Rod Dreher is quite reality-based when he writes (emphasis, mine):



You can, in fact, just skip this article altogether except for the pieces I’ve quoted. Another profound observation by Dreher:



Precisely, and very well said.



That’s, of course, a superficial and naive analysis of why kids are “trending left.” They don’t “trend left.” They are being actively indoctrinated 24/7 by very zealous forces.

Still, I think the core of this is true: Most on the right aren’t conservative. They’re just anti-Left (to the extent that they are). And I think a Jew, an anti-Frencher, and a Left Coast Resident can probably agree on this central tenant: Most “conservatives” are not conservative at all (and most "Libertarians" are just liberals under another name, for that matter). I started noticing this years ago just as I had noted that most Christians are not Christian at all, or are at best superficially so. For that matter, most Jews are not Jews at all. Their Leftist politics is far more important to them than the Torah.

I have spoken of the reality we face is that we have to actively work to carve out our own sort of “safe space” in this culture of nonstop gunk. Dreher notes the need for this while noting that engagement in politics must continue, even if this is not the cure that ails us. His piece ends with a relevant thought:



No, that’s not enough. Nor was getting online at StubbornThings and simply bitching about things enough. Certainly there are at least three or four major themes that Dreher touches on, and some mixed and mismatched with others. We need to separate but need to remain involved. That Kungian-complex view deserves its own article.

But I just found it refreshing that Dreher had the balls to say what I have long been thinking: Those on the “right” are just posers. I know there are some exceptions here. But to me, if you wear a mask in any capacity other than one that is life-threatening (that is, in a medical setting) then how can you consider yourself anything but the Left’s bitch? But most "conservatives" have gone along without a squawk.

Rimshot. (Where’s my rimshot machine?)

Believe me, my knees are starting to feel it. As is my back. My butt. My feet. My legs. Have I left anything out? But this is something I can enjoy. The pain is irrelevant although I do try to keep my desires within my capabilities. For now, and the foreseeable future, that means walking the bike up particularly steep hills. It’s just not worth the wear-and-tear on the knees. Plus (and especially), a good, rugged walk is also refreshing. Using a different set of muscles is refreshing. I’m trying to adapt as I get older.

Fast Times at Arkansas High sounds splendid. Nothing like those simple (simple?) pleasures that you mentioned.



One reason I still do this here is that you can’t generally stumble upon these kind of blatant truths in that outer world of bullshit purveyors (right or left). Michael Medved at least was honest enough to say that the reason he first got involved in the Leftist movement was because that’s how you got women.

It’s incredibly ironic that feminism freed women to become de facto sexual slaves for men. Men have been enjoying their bounty ever since. The people who pay for this are the millions of aborted children left in their wake. This “freedom” has created a lot of cruddy people, both men and women.



I believe the rise of internet porn, homosexuality, and “Incels,” are because walking the minefield of feminism is just not worth it for many men. And you’re spot on about the wheel having turned 360 degrees. Whatever prudery we might blame our parents or grandparents for, it was nothing compared to the fascistic ideological conformity foisted on us now. And in the case of our parents or grandparents, their views were at least rooted in common sense: Women need to be protected.

And that is still so. It’s just that the government is doing it now. There are some odd aspects of this “protection,” for sure. But basically it’s the government (and “woke” corporations and the media) who sit with a threatening look on the front stoop with a shotgun waiting for Tommy to come pick up Betsy for their date.

In all of the old books and movies, say before 1960, the maxium was,  when there was a crisis always women and children first. This is generally played out as noble or humanitarian but in reality it is a core instinct of all animals, from the Dodo to the highest ape. Instinctively they understand that the hopes for continuing the species always falls on female shoulders. The exception seems to be the novo-human in the 21st century. Traditional male and female roles have been inter-sexualized so much that if we were loading the lifeboats on Titanic today it would surely be, "hold that lifeboat, we need a trans to hold the tiller". (pun intended)

We probably will not live to see the swing back, but if Darwin is just a little bit correct it will be a gene cleansing swing. I actually pity the poor hermaphrodite caught in the middle. (pun intended). 

As side note:
My theses in grad school centered on the early colonial period, 1620-1700. As a part of research for this I spent a lot of time with old colonial records. I assume we all realize, at least intellectually, that birth, marriage and childbirth in those days had a high mortality rate and an infertile couple were fated to a dismal old age at 40+. I assume we all heard of bundling. The practice of an engaged couple sleeping together but each in their own bundle. In theory no sex. The records give lie to that. Time after time a just married girl, 14 or 15 gives birth to a fully grown baby just months after marriage. Apparently, they had a rare gene that allowed them to gestate in only 6 months, sometimes less, and the community had medical facilities to deal with premature births later generations did not have until the 20th century.

This goes to say our grandparents knew full well what was going on. The difference from their times is that everyone understood the consequences and grandpa had a shotgun to make sure the right thing was done.  

In rural communities fertility was a very desired commodity. Women who could not conceive or did not want to were less desirable. Hester did not wear the Scarlet letter because she was unfaithful as much as unproductive. 

I certainly agree with that.



I was talking to my unsuccessful-pot-smoking nephew this afternoon. And although I would categorize him as a feelings-based Christian (as opposed to doctrinal or behavioral), anything I said about how off-base most of Christianity was, he outdid me with his observations from within (such as the focus on audio-visual equipment, sound systems, espresso bars, and all the other sundry equipment that Paul somehow got along without).

And although, as I pontificated from without, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the social function of church and such, I think that aspect of it has totally drowned out the reality of being Christian which Mr. Flu wisely pointed out: Christianity forever and always (at least until the Second Coming) will be set against the world.

My feeling is that the traits of honesty, sobriety, reasonableness, equanimity, wisdom, and true compassion will set one against the culture. There are only rare cases of mass-marketed man that buck this trend (Dennis Prager, Tucker Carlson). Mostly, if you engage the culture in noble ways, you will be set against it and not be much of a force.

All true.

Regarding separating from the world, some of the comments at Amazon to one of Dreher’s books makes some good points: Christians are meant to engage in the world, if only as an example. Paul did not have a bunker mentality.

But I do and I understand were Dreher is coming from: If you want to be a good person (Christian, Jew, or otherwise), you can’t be the analogous fingers to Palmolive’s Madge and be soaking in it.



I will not accommodate the Left. I will not go along to get along. I reject their assumptions. I accept that they are fundamentally dishonest and evil.

The power of the Almighty is to be beholden to powers and noble ideas that allow one to detach from the mere peer-pressure of “society” and the social mind. The irony in all this is that several generations of these rubes have grown up with the world-beating slogans of “No Fear,” “Just Do It,” and such. The idea was that these generations were free-thinkers and especially equipped to root out baloney.

But starting (at least) with the children of the 60’s, they have failed, they have been fooled, and almost none of them are willing to fess up that they’ve been sold a hill of beans.

Necessary background information is knowing that his mother is spawn from hell. Him having a fellowship of people who weren’t being mean to him was a welcome respite. I guess he had a pastor who took him under his wing. Blessed are the poor in spirit. I do believe that covers a number of us who need not apologize for being like a single stalk of wheat in hurricane force winds. Shelter is foremost, doctrine and adherence to it comes later, hopefully with wisdom and maturity.

But inevitably to be a Christian (or Jew, or just someone who is a force for decency) means that you have to stand against that wind. You have to face it. You have to carry your cross. The journey is not about safe spaces but various hard and ultimately rewarding trials.

Hopefully that will come in time to him and to the many pseudo-Christians and good-time-rock-and-rollers who worship man, not God.

An excellent quote from Luther. 


And another apropos our earlier discussion on the state of Christianity now. 

 This sums up much of what I had planned to write about tomorrow. 

Listen grandpa, we're in a new world. Nobody is using a horse-and-buggy anymore. 



Seriously, your post shows why so many businesses in America are pushing to import labor. It is not just about hourly wages. It is about dependability, performance and interest in one's job. 

Of course, no one will discuss why we have millions of yutes who are virtually useless. The breakdown of the family. Millions born out of wedlock and all the attendant problems that goes with this. Lousy public schools which are little more than mass-baby-sitting warehouses. The breakdown of morals resulting from the destruction of the family, greed of the mass media and failure of the public education system. And finally, the disincentive to work due to the tentacles of the welfare state reaching into all sectors of society. 

So instead of trying to correct the fundamental problems in our society, businesses take the easy way out and import bodies. 



Ah so desu ka? My first thought is that it might be pretty difficult for someone who appears to be under a lot of mental stress to pickup and go to Japan. On the other hand, getting away from the major reason for that stress may be the best thing for him. 

The Japanese are very different from the Chinese, so he shouldn't expect exactly the same experience he had in China.  That said, he could learn a lot from the experience. Do you believe he gained from his time in China? I would have thought it would have made him more mature.