The short version- the conservative movement is packed with people who are guilty of being stereotypically conservative. In other words, they are conservative because it is easier for them to think of themselves that way than to actually challenge their own worldview with any kind of new point of view. Below, I try to explain how even after challenging ones own world-view with pretty much every new idea that comes down the pike, the basic ideas advocated by Conservatives are still right.
But because one had the stones to actually put ones own dearly held (convenient!) convictions to the test, the Challenge only strengthens those convictions, tempers them. So why am I not a conservative? Essentially because "conservative ideals" lack the razor sharp hard edge that comes from thrusting them into the white-hot forge of intellectual honesty and real spiritual will.
Conservatism is, ideally, the method of progress by which what has worked is embraced, and what hasn't worked is replaced by new ways of doing things which do work. These "new ways" having long and slow periods of development based on time-tested standards of success, to eventually emerge as a "new good idea".
Unfortunately, most conservatives reject outright anything that is new and seek instead to further dependence on what is old by any means nescessary. This action is not taken intentionally, but rather is the result of habit.
This is the Ruling principle of Conservationism; not to Lead by exemplary action and values, but to rule by facilitating a dependency on former actions and values. Whether a Conservative seeks to Rule or to Lead depends entirely on whether he seeks to facilitate dependency or independence. To Rule is to facilitate dependency on the Ruler. To Lead is to facilitate the independence of others by being so powerful an example of Independence ones self that others choose willingly and enthusiastically to follow.
New ways of thinking, new perspectives, new schools of analysis arise naturally from the organism that is civilization. The Next Age exists in a fetal state within the Current Age until it is ready to be born on its own. In this way, The World constantly renews its self. It is in this late fetal state than any new substantial principle is in its most formative stage, its very existence only now becoming known to exterior influences.
It is in this stage that new principles are aborted outright by Conservatives. At this point the Anti-Conservatives seize upon the new principle (dead on arrival), name it, give its name meaning, and essentially adopt it to their fold and adapt it to their cause. Then Conservatives wave their fingers at the walking corpse and say, "Oh my god, a zombie, re-kill it now!".
Anti-Conservatism is simply the opposite of Conservatism: as Conservatism accepts outright and without critical analysis, the established norms and fundamental principles of established society; Anti-Conservatism rejects outright and without critical analysis, the same established norms and fundamental principles of established society. The only true progressives in this world are Individuals who are independent either Conservatism or Anti-Conservatism.
So I am neither Conservative or Anti-Conservative but am instead an Individual, and as a self-aware individual am a critical analyst of the deepest skepticism and most extreme intellectual conscience.
Conservatism and "Liberalism" in America have initiated so little original thought or analysis in the past many decades that each deserves the "pop" prefix. Pop as in "popular", without real substance, a demonstration of appearances rather than an initiation of ideals into action. Pop is linear, one-sided, top-down, shallow and dystopian, and ultimately nihilist because it really is only a form of entertainment that serves to distract us from the actual problems of the day.
So I am no more a "Conservative" than I am a fan of pop-rock. Though I may find myself humming a catchy toon or bit of lyric from either pop-conservatism or pop-rock, I could never see either as anything to really take too seriously. Pop-Conservatism being the "bubble-gum rock" of middle aged psyches, it serves only as a distracting form of wish-fulfillment fantasy.
Most of you aren't worth your Fathers or your Grandfathers and you fucking know it. They had balls bigger than your perception of the entire universe. Do something about that. Grow a pair.
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