I am a social conservative.
That said, I am fully in favor of equal rights for gays. While I suspect that the majority of abortions are immoral, and would hope more people who found themselves accidentally pregnant would consider adoption, I support the legalization of abortion. I am not unconcerned, but I am less concerned than many others about a vapid, celebrity-obsessed, sexualized culture. I believe in workplace and domestic equality for women, and my husband and I certainly split housework and child care in this house. I shop at farmer's markets, love dining at three-star restaurants, participate full-throatedly in food snobbery, have little use for guns, and am not religious.
When I say I am a social conservative, then, what I mean is that I strongly value something like what David Brooks calls in his op-ed today, "dignity." I think he's getting at something I meant to get at yesterday in discussing politicians' character. Maturity, character, stability, rectitude, politeness, and thank-you notes are dangerously undervalued. Self-expression, catharsis, impulsivity, self-indulgence, dramatic behavior, and the ridding of norms of behavior and responsibility and decorum are vastly overrated. For being such a big-picture piece in so few words, I think Brooks does a pretty good job of guessing why this might have happened. I share his hope that Obama might have a more lasting cultural influence in leading us to be more socially conservative in this way, not the Palin-Limbaugh way.
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That is one of the silliest editorials I have ever read, though not surprising coming from Brooks. Any piece bemoaning the deterioration of morals and dignity can be immediately written off as falsely nostalgic bunk based on no real evidence except the unscientific, unjournalistic "trend-spotting" of which the Times is so fond.
ReplyDeleteyou are not a social conservative, you are simply yourself, most social conservatives seek to enforce their norms on others, if you don't wish to enforce these norms, then you are simply a person of modest character (with the exception of food snobbery).
ReplyDeletecharo
I think it is wonderful if we have a revival of civility and proper behavior in social discourse. Mr. Obama may have lots to give in this arena, if we are fortunate.
ReplyDeleteBut. I prefer actions to words, results to promises. And Mr. Obama is setting the record for lack of action and broken promises (hi, Dan!) made during his campaign. Civil but feckless (in the best light) or civil and double-dealing (in the worst) isn't my idea of a useful cultural influencer.
Charo, I don't wish to enforce those norms (except perhaps by giving a bemused look), but I do wish people behaved in a different way.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth, I read that piece. If everyone behaved with the dignity of Washington, the world would be a pretty boring place. There is nothing more dignified than an ant that works selflessly for the collective, every ant behaves the way it is meant to behave. And for something so simple to have created such a robust and thriving life is wondrous. But they are constrained by their nature, we are not. We can choose between right and wrong as we are best able to determine what is right and wrong.
ReplyDeleteAs long as people are not causing undue harm than I am content. My President I am happy is dignified, I like my friends to let it all hang out once in a while.
Honestly GJ, do you not bore yourself with your easily rebuttal statements? Do you think you provoke? In actuality you just annoy. I am beginning to pity you. Try, just once, to say something unexpected, even if ridiculous. Go on a meaningless tangent about ants (oh wait, too late, I already did). I am not saying it makes me clever, but I am also probably the only person who read that article who did think about its similarities to the ant world. Washington followed the guidelines of a book, ants their nature, same results, productive, orderly societies.
You read it, and all you can do is whine.
charo
Ridiculous? Unexpected? Happy to oblige. "charo, you are so insightful."
ReplyDeleteactually GJ, that is the type of sarcastic, smartass, lame response I would have expected from the likes of you, so you have proved my point entirely. Do you really think Sarcasm is unexpected? Be honest, were you homeschooled?
ReplyDeleteCan you ever once please come up with something remotely original, about anything? Literally, anything? All you are is sarcasm and whine.
Be honest for once, tell me your biography. I am sure it is as boring as you.
charo