P. J. O'Rourke on Conservatism and Libertarianism

The Atlantic Online ^ | August 14, 2002 | P. J. O'Rourke

[fporretto]

In the linked interview at The Atlantic Online, P. J. O'Rourke has this to say about the differences between libertarianism and conservatism:

Libertarianism is a way of measuring how the government and other kinds of systems respect the individual. At the core of libertarianism is the idea that the individual is sacrosanct and that anything that's done contrary to the well-being of the individual needs some pretty serious justification. The burden of proof should always be on people who want to restrict the individual's liberty and responsibility.

That's different from conservatism. In its worse forms, conservatism is a matter of "I hate strangers and anything that's different." But in its better forms, conservatism simply says that the structures of society, both civil and political, religious and so on, are the result of a long series of trial-and-error experiments by millions of human beings, not only all over the world, but through time. And that you should toss out received wisdom only very carefully. Obviously there are some ideas that were around for centuries that were not good (slavery comes to mind). But when people have been doing something for a millennium or two, there is probably a reason. And you better be pretty careful before you just throw it out.

[fporretto]

O'Rourke continues to be both funny and penetrating. His quick analysis of these two families of belief is perfect. I've never heard it put better than he does here. It's the reason why I'm both a libertarian and a conservative.

Freedom, Wealth, and Peace,
Francis W. Porretto
Visit The Palace Of Reason: http://palaceofreason.com

[Lysander]

I believe I was created by God with a free will. Nobody has dominion over my life except me. The purpose of government is to protect other people from harm, and me from them. In matters that cause no real harm to anyone, government should butt out. That is why I am no longer a Republican but a Libertarian. Republicans would use big government in all kinds of programs to control behavior that they have no business controlling.

[mc5cents]

Some of my favorite P.J. quotes:

"You can't get good chinese takeout in China and cuban cigars are rationed in Cuba. That's all you need to know about communism."

"Worshiping the earth is more fun than going to church. It's also closer. We can just step off the sidewalk. And sometimes we can get impressionable members of the opposite sex to perform sacramental rites with us. "Every drop of water wasted is a drop less of a wild and scenic river, Jennifer. We'd better double up in the shower."

And probably my favorite:
"Freedom is not empowerment. Empowerment is what the Serbs have in Bosnia. Anybody can grab a gun and be empowered. It's not entitlement. An entitlement is what people on welfare get, and how free are they? It's not an endlessly expanding list of rights - the 'right' to education, the 'right' to health care, the 'right' to food and housing. That's not freedom, that's dependency. Those aren't rights, those are the rations of slavery - hay and a barn for human cattle." -- P.J. O'Rourke

[E Rocc]

Eventually "conservative" and "liberal" will be largely replaced as philosophical counterpoints by libertarianism and "communitarianism", which is basically statism with euphemisms.

Even as things stand O'Rourke, a "liberal" like Nat Hentoff, and even the philosophies of Ronald Reagan have more in common with each other than either has in common with Hildebeast, Donald Wildmon, or the new-version Bill O'Reilly.

-Eric

[Sam Cree]

bump

[Joe Bonforte]

Some of my favorite P.J. quotes...

For me, nothing beats this one, penned during the attempt to get HillaryCare approved:

"If you think healthcare is expensive now, just wait until it's free."

[alley cat]

You speaketh the truth, mon

[E Rocc]

Some of my favorite P.J. quotes...

For me, nothing beats this one, penned during the attempt to get HillaryCare approved:

"If you think healthcare is expensive now, just wait until it's free."

I liked in CEO of the Sofa when he told his little daughter she should never say "junior senator from New York", or when he said that his grandmother would never say "Democrats" if there were children in the room (she'd say "bastards" instead).

-Eric

[truenospinzone]

Great quotes from one of my favorites, although I have a feeling that our favorite anti-libertarians will soon be here to take this:

In its worse forms, conservatism is a matter of "I hate strangers and anything that's different.",

completely out of context and say, "See - that's what ALL liberdopians think of ALL conservatives!".

[ArGee]

Republicans would use big government in all kinds of programs to control behavior that they have no business controlling.

Don't confuse Republicans with conservatives. There is a conservative wing in the Republican party, but it is not always the wing that is listened to.

Shalom.

[WindMinstrel]

don't forget

"Politics should be limited in scope to war, protection of property, and the occasional precautionary beheading of a member of the ruling class."

"Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenaged boys."

"Authority has always attracted the lowest elements in the human race. All through history, mankind has been bullied by scum. Those who lord it over their fellows and toss commands in every direction and would boss the grass in the meadow about which way to bend in the wind are the most depraved kind of prostitutes. They will submit to any indignity, perform any vile act, do anything to achieve power. The worst off-sloughings of the planet are the ingredients of sovereignty. Every government is a parliament of whores. The trouble is, in a democracy the whores are us."

[Lysander]

GA Bump!

[laredo44]

"Politics should be limited in scope to war, protection of property, and the occasional precautionary beheading of a member of the ruling class."

A right and proper description of public exercise of power given that "occasional" be defined as something on the order of "Every hour on the half-hour">

[That Subliminal Kid]

Do you really believe that???

[WindMinstrel]

in truth, I think that beheadings might be too cruel, even for politicians. However, I've long thought that a standard part of the bill submission process in Washington should include a solid kick in the lap. That'd change things quick like, I'm thinkin'

[Cosmo]

"Never refuse wine. It's a widely known fact that people who refuse wine are alcoholics."
---From "Modern Manners: The Etiquette Book for Rude People (I may have flubbed the syntax a bit, but you get the idea)

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I think you're on to something, Eric. P.J. O'Rourke has become a bright spot in the usual leftie literary magazines of the day.

[Black Agnes]

This might interest you ping!

[WyldKard]

A big ol' bump for this!