Teach Conservatism to the People

No one knows what it is suddenly

Russell Kirk — Conservative Theorist, C.C. 2.5 License (courtesy of the Kirk Center)

If “conservatism” is not an ideology as the modern king of conservatism (Russell Kirk) said and wrote, why do people call themselves conservatives? Kirk’s point was conservatism was a “state of mind” and that was all.

Is Conservatism like Buddhism? Nah.

I am in favor of teaching conservatism in high schools and colleges.

But, I am also totally in favor of teaching classical liberalism and critical race theory or as one commentator noted — “critical race fact” (his assertion was/is — CRT is not a theory; it is factual truth).

Also, teach feminism. Womanism. Queer Studies. Anarchism. Teach the children the gory details of American history. Bring it all on. The more education for the masses the better. As Dickens said, teach the children the facts. Just the facts.

The rulers of our lives, it is said often, do not want an educated populace it is often said. That is because the more educated the population is, the less likely you can pull the wool over their eyes. If more people were current in their reading on many of our contemporary topics, nothing like #45 would ever happen again.

The market crash of 2007–2008 likely would have resulted in much more agitation than the short but now defunct “Occupy Movement.” We likely would have seen sustained political bedlam in the streets until the system is changed.

Now, if you think reading about conservatism will turn you into one also, think again. It won’t. Just like attending a lecture about homosexuality or reading books about it, won’t make you gay or lesbian.

I have been reading about conservatism and reading their articles and books for years. I think it keeps me informed. I am not a conservative.

I have doubts there is such thing as a “conservative” in the pure sense anyway just as I have doubts there are not many “Marxists” in the pure sense in the U.S. They are out there. But, this society makes it hard to live such a life.

I guess I agree with Kirk. Conservatism is not an ideology. But what is it?

Is it a label? Political and cultural armor for the daily fight for our minds? Labels are…