thoughts in and out of season
Traditionalist conservatism has an air of paradox in America. It reinterprets or rejects things often identified as American in the name of understandings people find unfamiliar. After all, many would ask, haven’t Americans always idealized science, progress, material prosperity and individual success? Aren’t we a nation of immigrants from a variety of traditions? Isn’t it … More ...
Traditionalist conservatism has an air of paradox in America. It reinterprets or rejects things often identified as American in the name of understandings people find unfamiliar. After all, many would ask, haven’t Americans always idealized science, progress, material prosperity and individual success? Aren’t we a nation of immigrants from a variety of traditions? Isn’t it … More ...
This whole diversity thing doesn’t seem to be working: school in uproar after girl (apparently) uses N word in conversation with friends.
The schools are crazy about more than race, of course. Consider zero-tolerance policies in general. But how can you have common sense, which is a matter of customary understandings, if you reject all … More ...
A traditionalist is someone who accepts tradition as authoritative.
That’s not someone who believes that tradition is a good source of suggestions or an acceptable guide when no better can be had. Nor is it someone who thinks that all traditions must always be followed. It’s someone who recognizes that tradition knows more than any … More ...
Tolerance triumphs everywhere, to the point that I’m afraid of boring any remaining readers if I keep on mentioning it: Stanford rejects a football coach because they don’t like his views on homosexuality, student told to support gay rights or get an “F”, and school district sued for forcing gay propaganda.
The basic problem of American conservatism is that it appeals to tradition while refusing to accept anything but liberty, equality and universal reason as authoritative.
The refusal is of course more apparent than real, since conservatives define themselves as such by their resistance to the logical implications of liberty and equality. Nonetheless, the unwillingness or … More ...
Tolerance triumphs everywhere, to the point that I’m afraid of boring any remaining readers if I keep on mentioning it: Stanford rejects a football coach because they don’t like his views on homosexuality, student told to support gay rights or get an “F”, and
school district sued for forcing gay propaganda.
Now online: Anthony de Jasay’s The State, one of the best libertarian books. “What would you do if you were the state?”
It’s good bad language is being so vigorously suppressed in England: “Minister prompts race row over ‘nitty gritty'”.
Back to homosexuality! Another possible dialogue:
… More ...Alter: So what’s your problem with gays?
Ego: “Gay” covers a variety of situations.
I have something of a problem with someone habitually engaging in homosexual acts. I have more of a problem if he claims that engaging in homosexual acts is basic to what he is.