His 1963 (!) The Liberal Mind laid out the origins of our current madness. A more recent comment on the liberal State as pseudo-Church:
"Democratic citizenship in the twenty-first century means receiving a stream of improving “messages” from politicians. Some may forgive these intrusions because they are so well intentioned. Who would defend prejudice, debt, or excessive drinking? The point, however, is that our rulers have no business telling us how to live. They are tiresome enough in their exercise of authority — they are intolerable when they mount the pulpit."
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2 comments:
I have noticed, not without some measure of satisfaction, that the general mood around my campus towards our "elected representatives" is "bugger the lot".
If we ever get around to establishing a more conservative atmosphere, it will almost certainly have to be conservative AND unobtrusive. Russia could be said to be a very conservative country; it's government is one of the most authoritarian ones in the world. Assuming we manage to avert disaster, swift action will need to be taken to assure that even a conservative government could not become oppressive. Besides, franchise-driven governments being what they are, the power you wouldn't think twice of giving to an ally could easily wind up in the hands of people you wouldn't give a battery to.
Emphasizing state sovereignty in any and all matters not reserved for the federal government would be a nice way to go: New York could keep their gay marriage, Alabama could keep traditional marriage, and people would have to start making tradeoffs like rational adults again. Win-win.
-Sean
"Besides, franchise-driven governments being what they are, the power you wouldn't think twice of giving to an ally could easily wind up in the hands of people you wouldn't give a battery to."
LOL!
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