I don’t like the term “conservative” much more than I do “liberal”. The Left have coopted the term “liberal” and people reflexively use it in referring to these people. I avoid it, preferring leftist, or Democrat, or socialist, or progressive, or any of several other words. I hate ceding “liberal” to the left.
People use the word conservative, in the US, usually to mean a constitutionalist, and usually one who is also rooted in a judeo-christian view of man and God.
I like the word “classic liberal” but for obvious reasons that old term is not well understood now. But I tend to say I’m a classic liberal, rooted in a biblical world view.
The problem with “conservative” is that it doesn’t clarify what it is you are conserving. It is easily conflated with a traditionalist, and someone who simply doesn’t like change. What we often call a RINO is that kind of conservative, the one who gets dragged to whatever the Dems are doing, but fifteen minutes later. If you don’t have clear principles, you will be that kind of conservative, which obviously isn’t how most of us see ourselves and it is obviously not the kind of person we want to see in government.
That was Hayek’s point when he rejected the word “conservative” preferring to think of himself as an old Whig.
And it opens the door to conflating it with conservatives of other cultural frameworks, europeans for example, who are not the same thing.
Thanks for the thoughtful response.
Part of the reason for the Left’s seeming dominance in so many areas is becasue I think there are so many who don’t know what the heck they are for (only what they are against) and/or just followers of the crowd.
I don’t like the term either, as I said, because it implies keeping the status quo, keeping things as they are, which is not at all what we need. In that sense it is an entirely subjective term because the status quo is always changing and thus changes theoretically what a “conservative” wants to “conserve.”
I think the Right needs a name change. I don’t call the Left “liberals” becasue they aren’t. They are socialists or tyrants or lovers of government, but certainly not “liberal.”
I think what “conservative” probably is really trying to convey is the unchangeableness of Truth. But I think they have a hard time applying that to our every day issues.
The fact is, the Right should be for the reinstatement of the Constitution as the Supreme law of the Land, the only legal bulwark of freedom against the tyranny o the federal government. That is political freedom - what conservatives should be for.
The Right should for the voluntary cooperation of the market economy free of government interference. The free market economy is the only source of economic growth and wealth. That is economic freedom - what conservatives should be for.
The Right should be for spiritual freedom which is not a political issue except when government tries to interfere with the freedom of religion. Spiritual freedom is believing in Jesus Christ and his grace for salvation and eternal life. That is personal/spiritual freedom and is a personal issue but one the Right should favor.
I think Lovers of Freedom or its equivalent should be considered as a new name for “conservatives.”