Against Pop-Conservatism - Part 1 of 4 - Joe Six-Pack

A disturbing and dangerous ideological turn has overtaken a large portion of the American conservative movement during the past several decades and more precipitously during the past few years. This combination of anti-intellectualism, religious zealotry and intolerance, the desire to micro-regulate the personal lives of millions of Americans, and the abandonment of the ideas of individual liberty, limited government, and free markets can best be called pop-conservatism characterized as it is by a populist appeal to the masses rather than a sophisticated appeal to the intelligent layman.

Pop-conservatism does the exact opposite of uplifting the general public. Rather, it intellectually descends to the level of the lowest common denominator in order to garner votes, attendance at rallies, large audiences for radio and televisions shows, and readership from an insufficiently educated and sophisticated demographic.

Sincerely,
Gennady Stolyarov II
Editor-in-Chief, The Rational Argumentator: http://rationalargumentator.com
Writer, Associated Content: http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/46796/g_stolyarov_ii.html
Author, Implied Consent, A Play on the Sanctity of Human Life: http://rationalargumentator.com/impliedconsent.html
Author, The Best Self-Help is Free: http://rationalargumentator.com/selfhelpfree.html
Author, The Progress of Liberty Blog: http://progressofliberty.today.com/

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• conservatism
• sarah
• palin
• religion
• intolerance
• liberty
• freedom
• media
• populism
• politics
• ideas
• principles

[DesertLaser]

Five stars.

This is the most intelligent commentary I seen in some time.

[GStolyarovII]

Thank you!

[thegreatestbak]

brilliant!!!!!!!!!!!

[GStolyarovII]

Thank you!

[RaminHAL9001]

This is an absolutely brilliant commentary on modern US culture.

[GStolyarovII]

Thank you!

[el100783]

Awesome. I feel as if a majority of the modern conservative movement is centered almost entirely around ethnocentrism. The southern strategy worked very well, but I think it is on it's way out the door with the baby boomer generation. The' tea party' is, at least, the way I see it, a desperate gasp for air emerging from a drowning movement. They are losing the majority, and it scares them. They can't imagine a United States where their culture is not prevailing. Fox News just fans the fire.

[GStolyarovII]

I suspect Ronald Reagan would have balked at the likes of today's pop-conservatives -- such as Sarah Palin or Bill O'Reilly. I have some serious disagreements with Reagan's policies, but he did try to express sophisticated ideas and to respect individual liberty -- although he did not always succeed in doing this consistently.

I also think that pop-conservatism involves a renunciation of the free-market economic views and more cosmopolitan social views of the neoliberals.