There's no such thing as a conservative intellectual — only apologists for right-wing power

L4sBot@lemmy.world to politics @lemmy.world – 261 points –
There's no such thing as a conservative intellectual — only apologists for right-wing power
salon.com

Commentary: Longtime former Republican on Patrick Deneen and the demise of the conservative intellectual

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Progressivism is moving towards collective goals. Conservatism is protecting individual freedoms.

You many see individual freedoms differently than they do but that is the core fundamental policy they protect.

But they don't protect individual freedoms.

They have taken a hard stance against body autonomy, free speech, individual identity - all in support of corporate and state control over the individual.

This is the same argument as saying conservatives are fiscally responsible. It's just something people say with nothing historically supporting it.

Neo-conservatism is what you are referring to and yes they are doing those things.

What you're saying is true in theory, but the American Republican party has absolutely nothing in common with it.

Just look at the patriot act, torture, detention, TSA, and all the other shit pushed through by the GOP that has decimated freedoms and privacy.

The ONLY individual freedom the GOP protects unconditionally is for everyone and their uncle to own guns. Nevermind if your uncle is a lunatic, they'll protect his freedom to be armed to the teeth.

The republican party isn't conservative. They are neo-conservative. Different problem.

Everyone living depends on huge networks of interdependent actors for basic survival. Never mind quality of life. The political reality of the individual is that they are the smallest and weakest political unit; least equipped to petition for change.

Conservatism may have individualism all over the label, but conformity is what's inside the box.