Conservatism

The vast, terrifying vista of boundless possibility.

Andrew Gallagher on March 2, 2018, 6:30 pm

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The slippery slope argument is a well-known logical fallacy for two reasons. Firstly, it is almost universally wrong. Secondly, it is almost universally believed. This is because human beings are innately loss-averse, preferring the certainty of the here and now (however imperfect) to the unknown possibilities of change. It is only when the here and now crosses a significant threshold of imperfection that uncertainty begins to look inviting. The mildly discontented compare the known and the unknown and say “don’t …

Quote of the Day…

Mick Fealty on July 23, 2012, 1:21 pm

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I’ve a notion that most self styled conservatives don’t stack up to any considered of what it means to be a conservative. From the introduction to Keiron O’Hara’s new book, Conservatism… “Conservatism is indeed a political idea that problematises change, but that does not render conservatives irrelevant. In fact, it makes them uniquely valuable in our whizz bang world.” Discuss… Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and …

The GOP knows what it doesn’t like, but…

Mick Fealty on January 5, 2012, 9:11 am

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I’m hoping Ruarai will be able to give us more of a US perspective on the GOP’s Iowa Caucus, but before he does, this from Dana Milbank struck me as going to the heart of the matter for US Republicans: The Iowa Republicans’ indecision captures perfectly the existential struggle within the GOP nationally and within conservatism. They don’t know what they want — or even who they are. Are they Tea Partyers? Isolationists? Pro-business? Populists? Moralists? Worried workers? Do they …

Coalition cracks appearing towards the end of a long hard term…

Mick Fealty on December 22, 2010, 11:28 am

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It’s worth reading Danny Kruger’s oped in the FT today if you want to get grips with Cameroonism from the inside out: All that Conservatives hold precious, the virtues of responsibility and independence, the habits of tradition and good order, the inclusive dignity of our institutions, are opposed; the benefit we derive from them is threatened by a league of philistines and profiteers, deluded do-gooders and residual socialists, not to mention the more overt social enemies who desecrate monuments and …