Agreed on the importance of being radical (which just means root in Latin) vs being a respectable moderate Burkean. The only way to defeat the globohomo is to have a strong enough position based in reason to counteract man’s base passions that the globo homo can always provides Anti-Catholic part needs some work though. You claim to want to go to the root of ideas yet you stop when it comes up to one of your priors you like. This is the reason most people aren’t radical. From there on you just committed fallacies (imagine if a trad told you why would Martin Luther even live in the Holy Roman Empire if he didn’t want to submit to Rome) or just poisoned the well rather than engage in the argument (particularly ironic to attack Catholics for being pro union when the CIA is known to have teamed up with Church officials because they were also so anti-communist). If you truly want to be radical you should read up philosophical anthropology and what the Church says the human person and his relation to God who is perfectly simple. All the correct political opinions and arguments from the Catholic position start at that root (I recommend Fesers Scholastic Metaphysics: A Contemporary Introduction).
"After all, the principal role of conservatism in modern politics is to be humiliated. That is what a perpetual loyal opposition, or court jester, is for.”
Neville Figgis critiqued Machiavelli and Hobbes on similar grounds. Moderation (or, peace for the sake of peace) reduced politics to a utilitarian enterprise, instrumentalizing the state to ward off any radical upheaval, whether just or unjust. In this way, conservatism becomes relativism, because the status quo (whether good or bad) replaces Truth as a political guiding principle.
I really appreciate the way that you structured this article. I was actually more of a left-winger, earlier in my twenties, but you've managed to delineate the cultural + religious forces that have brought us to this radical-but-not-quite-radical moment.
Agreed on the importance of being radical (which just means root in Latin) vs being a respectable moderate Burkean. The only way to defeat the globohomo is to have a strong enough position based in reason to counteract man’s base passions that the globo homo can always provides Anti-Catholic part needs some work though. You claim to want to go to the root of ideas yet you stop when it comes up to one of your priors you like. This is the reason most people aren’t radical. From there on you just committed fallacies (imagine if a trad told you why would Martin Luther even live in the Holy Roman Empire if he didn’t want to submit to Rome) or just poisoned the well rather than engage in the argument (particularly ironic to attack Catholics for being pro union when the CIA is known to have teamed up with Church officials because they were also so anti-communist). If you truly want to be radical you should read up philosophical anthropology and what the Church says the human person and his relation to God who is perfectly simple. All the correct political opinions and arguments from the Catholic position start at that root (I recommend Fesers Scholastic Metaphysics: A Contemporary Introduction).
Ah, yes Ed Feser, the most radical man of our age.
Sure he’s not but he articulates perennial philosophy well
"After all, the principal role of conservatism in modern politics is to be humiliated. That is what a perpetual loyal opposition, or court jester, is for.”
– Nick Land
Land is in china. hes a dumb fucking philosopher.
Phenomenal article
Great article! Timely, too. Being hearing a lot of centrist cope lately. “I am a sensible centrist”. Ugh. Tired of these supposed ‘anti-slop’ types.
Very well written. I have small disagreements on paleo-conservatism and Kirk, but the brunt of you message is fantastic.
Why does Keith Woods look like he could be the son of William Buckley?
Neville Figgis critiqued Machiavelli and Hobbes on similar grounds. Moderation (or, peace for the sake of peace) reduced politics to a utilitarian enterprise, instrumentalizing the state to ward off any radical upheaval, whether just or unjust. In this way, conservatism becomes relativism, because the status quo (whether good or bad) replaces Truth as a political guiding principle.
Excellent work, as usual, sir.
good points
Outstanding piece.
I really appreciate the way that you structured this article. I was actually more of a left-winger, earlier in my twenties, but you've managed to delineate the cultural + religious forces that have brought us to this radical-but-not-quite-radical moment.