Posted on 02/04/2021 11:14:39 PM PST by Oshkalaboomboom
Exploring why conservatives have lost almost every political argument since 1945, Ed West looks at this endless litany of failure from the perspective of one of the losers, in a semi-autobiographical, self-deprecating way.
Since the 1950s the western world has gone through a huge cultural shift, comparable to the rise of Christianity during the late Roman period and the 16th century religious revolution unleashed by Martin Luther. Both of these led to profound changes in public ideas about morality and sexuality, and eventually to 'culture wars' between two deeply opposed groups. Today what we're witnessing is a sort of second Reformation, and that's why it's going to be long, painful and boring, and both sides are going to get more idiotic and hysterical, just as religious divisions once drove Catholics and Protestants into prolonged insanity.
Conservatives, like the pagans and Catholics before them, are very much on the losing side. The future appears progressive and their defeat is inevitable, part of an 'arc of history' that leads irrevocably to a progressive utopia in which they're left in the dustbin. As Barack Obama said of al-Qaeda, another group of guys not entirely comfortable with the modern world, conservatives are 'Small Men on the Wrong Side of History'.
Too many polemics and articles on the Right are tediously shouty, and too few of them explore where their arguments have fallen flat and why people find conservatives so repulsive. Small Men on the Wrong Side of History is aimed at being the rare conservative book that someone on the Left will enjoy.
West will look at some of the idiocies of the modern Right and the strange characteristics shared by conservatives, including himself, but he will also offer explanations as to why people are conservative, and explain some of the benefits conservatism offers. In particular he argues it's now necessary as a break on 'runaway liberalism', the competitive desire to appear Woker Than Thou which is driving progressive politics to extremes, and which has provoked a reaction with figures like the psychologist Jordan Peterson and his legion of fans
And we're only a month into this nightmare.
Ed West is obviously a hack and not serious, attempting a polemic in an invented premise.
Ed West is a regular for the Spectator and has written for a range of publications including Daily Telegraph, The Times, The Week, Guardian, and many more. He is the only person to have worked for both a lad's mag and Catholic Herald, a record he is likely to hang onto for some time. Although this book is the product of several years of reading polemics, political philosophy and even evolutionary psychology, the real inspiration is his favorite book of all time, Nick Hornby's Fever Pitch, which turned a hobby and obsession many found odd and distasteful and made it human and humorous.
It is now and has always been in our hands.
Many, including myself, have talked Very Tough Smack through the years.
But through the first coup, the statues being torn down, the second coup and stolen election, we still type.
So I have stopped talking smack because I’m obviously not backing it up.
There was a lot of talk about “the tree of liberty” and how it needs to be fed with the blood of patriots every now and again.
If we didn’t act when a successful coup stole the potus election, I can’t imagine we will ever act in that way.
And the guys on the board who for 20 years have been saying “they must want a civil war” should stop saying it.
After a few decades it sounds like ridiculous huffing and puffing
It’s ALWAYS up to us.
We choose not to step up in that way.
Ed West is British, and conservatism has definitely failed in Britain so it might be worth a read to see the future of conservatism in America if the Mitt Romney’s and Liz Cheney’s gain complete control of the Republican Party.
Thanks.
“ The future appears progressive and their defeat is inevitable, part of an ‘arc of history’ that leads irrevocably to a progressive utopia in which they’re left in the dustbin.”
“It’s tough to make predictions, especially about the future.”
- Yogi Berra
“West is British, and conservatism has definitely failed in Britain”
Good point but Brexit happened.
Politicians who aren’t conservative are failing, if they’re not actually succeeding in what they want to do.
Romney, for your US example, can’t be considered a conservative.
“The future isn’t what it used to be.” - also Yogi Berra
It’s like the matrix. People are so enslaved to the “system” they cannot, will not do anything to break that normalcy. As long as the right has jobs that they are wage slaves too. Mortgages, soccer practice, braces ect ect. There will NEVER be a armed civil war. The left doesn’t have those “things” at least not their foot soldiers in the streets doing the heavy lifting. They live off gig jobs from pay check to pay check and can and will be a rent a mob for a quick pay check from the DS. I have said repeatedly as in sure a lot of patriots have wake us up when people leave the basements and we have rally points, leadership ranks, and a mission plan. I’ll be there with a full battle rattle and the skill and more importantly the WILL to pull the trigger until people on the right side are willing to loss their houses, cars, job and probably their life ain’t nothing going to happen. I already lost all those things once post 911 I walked away from a career not just a job, a wife, car, boat and home to serve in crappy parts of humanity I’ll do it again but like 911 we need hundreds of thousands to make that sacrifice all at once and soon.
When in the hell did Amazon start doing editorial columns??? GEEZE we don’t have ENOUGH of this garbage out there already???
Jordan Peterson is Canadian so the author isn't speaking about British Conservatism specifically but Conservatism in general. The title of the book itself is from a quote by Barack Obama.
But the libertarians hate populism because of tariffs, immigration controls, and manufacturing protection.
And the neocons hate populism because no war profiteering.
And the few Jewish conservatives hate populism because they believe all populist movements devolve into antisemitism.
And the GOPe and Conservatism, Inc. hate populism because it opposes crony capitalism.
And the social conservatives are so-so on populism because the focus is on economic and good government policy and populist heroes tend to be rough around the collar.
So populist conservatives need to reach out to private sector labor unions and left-leaning white collar workers whose jobs are threatened by H-1b, etc. in order to create a large enough coalition to elect candidates and win elections. We need a message that also appeals to a new generation of Reagan/Trump Democrats and Independents.
The Moral Majority put up a great fight and helped get us the Hyde Amendment and keep the gay lobby at bay, but we still have abortion on demand and now gay marriage.
The Christian Coalition and Focus on the Family helped us get DOMA, but now we have gay marriage and if Biden overturns Trump's EOs business owners will be forced to participate in gay weddings or be sued into bankruptcy.
The Pro-Life lobby has made some inroads against abortion by forcing abortion clinics to be treated like all other medical clinics, but those gains could be wiped away.
Pornography and drugs are readily available everywhere. Divorces are still occurring at an unhealthy rate. Teen pregnancies are down, but then the dating scene has become very unhealthy as well with Tinder and worse.
Conservatives have stepped up on many occasions, fought the good fight, and won some important battles. Unfortunately, when I look back over my life it appears we are losing the war. This is not defeatist. This is just facing facts.
It’s definitely a mixed bag, but it’s hardly conservatism has “lost almost every political argument”.
The opposite is more true. Those who transiently “win” generally do so by trying to pretend they are presenting conservative arguments or solutions.
Your suggested approach is not without merit.
(thanks to Jan Barrett)
WE WON the election it was stolen from us!!!!
Conservatives need to leave the social conservatism behind this guy is right it’s a losing message. The younger generation simply does not want to be told to live that way and they never will convert. What is killing this country right now is the fiscal policy and neomarxism. Drop all the don’t do this don’t do that social stuff and focus on the winning battle. Ending socialism and cancel culture. Show how balancing the budget and living within our means as a nation is good for all. What turns off the 20s and 30s are group is what they see as archaic rules and morals that battle was lost and we will lose the whole country of the message is keep being beat into them. They don’t care if gays marry they don’t care about abortion as a moral issue, they don’t see narcotics as morally wrong and NEVER will change their minds they are adults and have a right to those beliefs trying to beat change into them is why conservatives are so reviled they simply don’t want or care to be changed we have to appeal to them other ways fiscal health is a good start as is national security and jobs that pay well without H1B slaves taking them at half the pay.
Since Christians tend to be conservatives, they are not on the wrong side of history .
GOD wins.
Not the left, nor the democrats, blm, or antifa.
When Jesus returns, the left is going to be forced to bend the knee to Him whom they hate the most.
And I will get a great deal of satisfaction watching it.
I think right now we're working our way toward The Great Tribulation.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.