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A. Hairyhanded Gent's avatar

I think that the author's running definition of "social conservative" is something of a straw man: he defines social conservatives very narrowly and implies that this narrow definition now fits for the (vast?) majority of social conservatives, and I'm unconvinced that this is accurate.

Too, his definition of conservatism in this context seems contrived. He does not differentiate between reactionary (who simply rejects elements of the evolving social contract, but does not have a clearly formed alternative) and conservative, and how they differ. How this difference informs the modern social conservative position in key. Conservatism seeks to preserve consensus values of a previous era, but it's important to note that if that previous era is no longer within the living memory of the majority, it is no longer conserving, but re-inventing traditions *as these "conservators" imagine them to be; in this sense, they are more like a reactionary with a good imagination.

A good example of a well-formed reactionary movement is Libertarianism. It shares many social values with contemporary conservatives, but Libertarianism in practice has never really existed within the majority's recalled experience--if indeed it was ever practiced in any orthodox sense. So it is against certain modern norms, but plugs in a sort of imagined and idealized norm of their own preference. It's a lot like imagining how Camelot must have been, for re-enactors.

But neither Libertarians nor Arthurian re-enactors are "conservative" since the reality differs from the imagined paradigm.

I'd argue that any contemporary conservative who justifies a ban on abortion, or open homosexuality, on the basis of religion is not for conserving an existing tradition, but is hearkening to the imagined norms--accurately or otherwise--of a previous era. Modern social conservatives, if they oppose either, must do it on other grounds.

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James Mills's avatar

The entire culture has shifted so far towards individualism and indulgence that most of the change is invisible to us now.

https://jmpolemic.substack.com/p/vassal-of-the-boomer-regime

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