I think you’re onto something, but I’d take it one step further. The deeper issue isn’t simply hypocrisy—it’s that many people don’t begin with equality as the moral baseline. If hierarchy is assumed to be natural or divinely ordained, then liberty and justice become privileges reserved for the “right” people rather than universal principles. What looks like contradiction from the outside is often a coherent worldview built on different first principles.
Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts! I agree with you, and it's what Ben Wheeler was talking about in his original piece too. I recommend reading his work and I'd love to hear your thoughts on it
Thanks for your essay, BW. Like I mentioned to Heath Racela in his reflection over your essay, I definitely think the older Conservatives are influenced by those 1600's values, but additionally influenced by biblical teachings/bastardizations. Unfortunately, their numbers are matched by an unusually high number of narcissists, pedophiles, and fascists, in my observations. Somewhere underneath the stratus and verbage between all American political parties, I hope someday we can all find the truth we're seeking, together.
Thank you for your response to Ben Wheeler's essay. While I can see some of the older Conservatives influenced in the manner Wheeler refers to, I only see these same people vindicated by their belief system *because* of the Christian/Roman Catholic/etc bible(s), in addition to patriarchal teachings and reinforcement passed down over the generations from these same sources. I find this a great coincidence that yourself, Mr. Wheeler, and myself are all ex-Catholics. Such is the maxim, "With knowledge grows sorrow."
Okay, as an actual in-the-wild conservative…what? This does not describe me or anyone I know. Can I gently ask - do you have any friends who are more conservative than you? Anyone you’d be happy to chat with about the weather or what the Cubs are up to this season or why summer swim lessons aren’t like they used to be over a slice of pizza at a kid’s birthday party? We’re really not as worthy of being exhibits at a zoo as you seem to think.
Thanks for your thoughts, Christian. I'm glad you read my work, even if we don't agree. Of course I talk with people from all backgrounds all the time, and to your point, yes, sometimes it's about politics and sometimes it's more benign. Humans are complicated.
As a conservative, I'm curious if you see any contradiction between "Don't Tread on Me" and "Back the Blue" or if those are congruent ideas to you?
Thanks for calling out the “othering,” Christian. I guess liberals like me have at least one very big and heterogeneous in-group (us) and one very big and heterogeneous out-group (conservatives). I see this all around me, for sure.
The kernel of what I take from Ben and Heath is the claim (observations?) that conservatives will tend to have more loyalty to (belief in?) a hierarchical structure than do liberals. What are your thoughts on that analysis, Christian?
Thanks to you, Ben, and Heath for all your good thoughts. Very interesting.
I will respond yes - I’m chemo tired at the moment and can’t give the question the clear thought it responds, but I definitely plan to come back to it!
I think you’re onto something, but I’d take it one step further. The deeper issue isn’t simply hypocrisy—it’s that many people don’t begin with equality as the moral baseline. If hierarchy is assumed to be natural or divinely ordained, then liberty and justice become privileges reserved for the “right” people rather than universal principles. What looks like contradiction from the outside is often a coherent worldview built on different first principles.
Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts! I agree with you, and it's what Ben Wheeler was talking about in his original piece too. I recommend reading his work and I'd love to hear your thoughts on it
Thank you for reading & I really appreciated your thoughts. I think you’re completely right, as a fellow lapsed Catholic and Catholic school kid.
Thanks Ben! Your piece was really great and got me thinking.
Thanks for your essay, BW. Like I mentioned to Heath Racela in his reflection over your essay, I definitely think the older Conservatives are influenced by those 1600's values, but additionally influenced by biblical teachings/bastardizations. Unfortunately, their numbers are matched by an unusually high number of narcissists, pedophiles, and fascists, in my observations. Somewhere underneath the stratus and verbage between all American political parties, I hope someday we can all find the truth we're seeking, together.
Kind Regards,
M. J. Domingo
Hello Heath,
Thank you for your response to Ben Wheeler's essay. While I can see some of the older Conservatives influenced in the manner Wheeler refers to, I only see these same people vindicated by their belief system *because* of the Christian/Roman Catholic/etc bible(s), in addition to patriarchal teachings and reinforcement passed down over the generations from these same sources. I find this a great coincidence that yourself, Mr. Wheeler, and myself are all ex-Catholics. Such is the maxim, "With knowledge grows sorrow."
Thank You,
M. J. Domingo
Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts M.J.! It’s interesting that what some see as a vice, others see as a virtue. Appreciate hearing from you!
Okay, as an actual in-the-wild conservative…what? This does not describe me or anyone I know. Can I gently ask - do you have any friends who are more conservative than you? Anyone you’d be happy to chat with about the weather or what the Cubs are up to this season or why summer swim lessons aren’t like they used to be over a slice of pizza at a kid’s birthday party? We’re really not as worthy of being exhibits at a zoo as you seem to think.
Thanks for your thoughts, Christian. I'm glad you read my work, even if we don't agree. Of course I talk with people from all backgrounds all the time, and to your point, yes, sometimes it's about politics and sometimes it's more benign. Humans are complicated.
As a conservative, I'm curious if you see any contradiction between "Don't Tread on Me" and "Back the Blue" or if those are congruent ideas to you?
Thanks for calling out the “othering,” Christian. I guess liberals like me have at least one very big and heterogeneous in-group (us) and one very big and heterogeneous out-group (conservatives). I see this all around me, for sure.
The kernel of what I take from Ben and Heath is the claim (observations?) that conservatives will tend to have more loyalty to (belief in?) a hierarchical structure than do liberals. What are your thoughts on that analysis, Christian?
Thanks to you, Ben, and Heath for all your good thoughts. Very interesting.
I will respond yes - I’m chemo tired at the moment and can’t give the question the clear thought it responds, but I definitely plan to come back to it!
I'm sorry to hear you're going through chemo right now. Sending good thoughts your way