thoughts in and out of season
James Kalb Here’s the text of remarks regarding “The Future of Conservatism” I made on a panel at an ISI conference at Yale.
I’ve got 15 minutes to talk about the future of conservatism, so all I can do is present one part of that future in bold strokes.
Conservatism has big problems today. When you’ve … More ...
The election of a black man as president is supposed to be a wonderful thing. Doesn’t that depend on how it came about? If it shows the growth of human respect and a widening scheme of cooperation then it’s a good thing. If it shows that a social order that took particular histories and connections … More ...
People have been asking me questions about my book, and I’m going to be giving some talks and radio interviews over the next month or two, so I thought I’d start putting together a Q&A on issues likely to be raised. Comments, criticisms, complaints and additions are welcome. The Q&A is likely to keep growing, … More ...
A friendly librarian, working undercover, emailed me the following review that appears, starred and boxed, on page 6 of the November 1 issue of Booklist (a publication of the American Library Association):
… More ...The Tyranny of Liberalism: Understanding and Overcoming Administered Freedom, Inquisitorial Tolerance, and Equality by Command.
By James Kalb.
Nov. 2008. 330p.ISI, $28 (9781933859743);
I just finished reading Robert Nisbet’s The Quest for Community: A Study in the Ethics of Order and Freedom. I had never read it before, I suppose because the name made it sound a bit platitudinous. In fact, though, it’s a frighteningly acute study of the close relation among (i) the modern absolute state, … More ...
My book, The Tyranny of Liberalism: Understanding and Overcoming Administered Freedom, Inquisitorial Tolerance, and Equality by Command, is now available in paperback at Amazon. I suppose the hardcover version should be available soon as well. I’ve seen an advance copy of the Booklist review, and it’s very positive and even gives the … More ...
I’ve got another piece out on Christopher Alexander, this one at Takimag. It ended up following the general approach of the University Bookman review, which was mostly taken from old blog entries, but with a few different angles, examples, and turns of phrase. Also, the editor included some nice pictures.
I recently had an email exchange with a black man who’s generally sympathetic with what I say but has some concerns. Here’s the exchange, which I’ve edited somewhat in the interests of coherence, concision, and clarity.
… More ...Black Trad: I have been reading many of your articles online and tend to agree with you about most
I have a review of the first volume of Christopher Alexander’s The Nature of Order in The University Bookman.
There’s a tendency today to criticize “essentialism,” the idea that something like Islam has an enduring character such that (for example) you aren’t going to see a moderate liberal Islam become the predominant form of the religion.
I’m inclined toward a moderate essentialism. It seems to me that at bottom the opposing nominalist view is … More ...