Some brief insights from a key conservative progressive thinker, the late historian and social critic
Christopher Lasch (1932-1994):
- "Because it equates tradition with prejudice, the left finds itself increasingly unable to converse with ordinary people in their common language."
- "The intellectual debility of contemporary conservatism is indicated by its silence on all important matters."
- "Liberals subscribe to the new flexible, pluralist definition of the family; their defense of families carries no conviction."
- "The left sees nothing but bigotry and superstition in the popular defense of the family or in popular attitudes regarding abortion, crime, busing, and the school curriculum."
- "Conservatives unwittingly side with the social forces
that contribute to the destruction of traditional values."
- "In an individualistic culture, the narcissist is
God's gift to the world. In a collectivist society, the narcissist is
God's gift to the collective."
- "Today Americans are overcome not by the sense of endless possibility but by the banality of the social order they have erected against it."
4 comments:
It's kind of like what Irving Kristol said about liberals in Neoconservatism: Autobiography of an Idea, "Modern liberalism sees nihilism as yet another splendid business oportunity." Witness the popularity of such entertainments as Howard Stern and South Park. www.deniquefossor.blogspot.com
That's a good observation. Thanks for coming by and leaving a comment. I appreciate the feedback and commentary.
Cheers!
Excellent quotes. I've been meaning to read Lasch now for years.
Lasch is a must read author! He was not a political conservative, but he was a cultural and social conservative. What makes him interesting is that he was a major proponent of the idea of social solidarity while maintaining a strong commitment to traditional institutions and traditional values. A "Red Tory" perspective!
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