Is Conservatism Selfishness?

[Levi Gamin]

I wanted to post this quote here so all the rightwing flamers and trolls would see it:
"The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness."
-John Kenneth Galbraith (1908-2006)
I think it sums up things quite nicely, e.g. the American governments ousting of the Sandanistas and replacing them with their puppet Violeta Barrios de Chamorro
http://www.nicaragua-verein.de/db_Violeta1.jpg

[Eleutherios]

It all depends on what you mean by "conservative". I tend to use the word as meaning someone who enjoys the status quo and wishes to keep things more or less the way they are. Granted, a lot of conservatives are selfish, but conservatism and selfishness aren't exactly the same thing. I'm sure there are plenty of selfish liberals and radicals, and plenty of selfless but deluded conservatives. I would say, at least, that conservatism promotes selfishness, since it advocates the status quo and its capitalist foundation, the driving force of which is greed.

[Levi Gamin]

Yes sennomulo. All that you say is true, and you win today's award for best semanticist, but I think you know what sort of conservative is meant here. You siganture above quote by Rosseau says it all.

[Eleutherios]

Sorry, I'm something of a literalist. So, when are you going to mail me my award? How should I give you my mailing address? :P

[Levi Gamin]

Your check is in the mail. :P :rolleyes:

[ebeneezer]

Yes, conservatism is selfish in that we do not want people to steal our hard earned wealth who have no earned it.

Yes, conservatism is selfish in that we want tremendous advances in technological consumer products for outselves.

Yes, conservatism is selfish in that we wish to preserve all that is good and just in this world.

I know not what others may say but if having love for one's self is a crime then yes, I am guilty.

[Comrade-Z]

If conservatism is selfish, why do I always hear conservatives exhorting people to "sacrifice for the good of the nation" and such? Why do conservatives encourage people to volunteer for the military, so as to "serve one's country"? Why do I hear conservatives exhorting individuals to give up individual rights for the "security of the country"? When a large group of workers go on strike in a vital industry out of their own selfish desires for better pay, why do conservatives condemn the workers for "placing the well-being of the country at risk"? Free selling and buying of commodities also means free selling and buying (and withholding, when one chooses) that most essential commodity: labor. Therefore, anti-strike laws and anti-union laws are against the conservative spirit.

[pandora]

Originally posted by Levi [email protected] 1 2006, 08:20 AM
I wanted to post this quote here so all the rightwing flamers and trolls would see it:
"The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness."
-John Kenneth Galbraith (1908-2006)
I think it sums up things quite nicely, e.g. the American governments ousting of the Sandanistas and replacing them with their puppet Violeta Barrios de Chamorro
http://www.nicaragua-verein.de/db_Violeta1.jpg
Met her son or nephew runs all the negotiations for "american" title insurance in the country, selling out his nation to the highest buyer--Remax, Century 21. Still at least he's local, it's even worse when a foreign government controls it all.

Conservatism is by it's nature selfishness. It is a stick your head in the mud attitude that closes you off from humanity because you are afraid of losing your stuff.

[Janus]

Yes, conservatism is selfish in that we do not want people to steal our hard earned wealth who have no earned it.
While you can steal theirs.


Yes, conservatism is selfish in that we wish to preserve all that is good and just in this world.
Yes, good and just=hell for everyone else.

[Lord Testicles]

Originally posted by [email protected] 1 2006, 08:01 AM
Yes, conservatism is selfish in that we do not want people to steal our hard earned wealth who have no earned it.

When I see the capitalist class toiling to make the product that they sells then that argument might hold some weight.

[colonelguppy]

ayn rand would probably agree.

[The Rover]

Originally posted by Comrade-[email protected] 1 2006, 07:44 AM
If conservatism is selfish, why do I always hear conservatives exhorting people to "sacrifice for the good of the nation" and such? Why do conservatives encourage people to volunteer for the military, so as to "serve one's country"? Why do I hear conservatives exhorting individuals to give up individual rights for the "security of the country"? When a large group of workers go on strike in a vital industry out of their own selfish desires for better pay, why do conservatives condemn the workers for "placing the well-being of the country at risk"? Free selling and buying of commodities also means free selling and buying (and withholding, when one chooses) that most essential commodity: labor. Therefore, anti-strike laws and anti-union laws are against the conservative spirit.
OK. It's true that people say those things. But, next, notice why they say those things.

They want you to sacrifice so that they don't have to.

You join the military so they don't have to fight wars that will bring them profit and status.

They condemn those strikes because if those strikes are successful, it will cost them money.

And if anti-strike laws and anti-union laws are against the conservative spirit, why do they support them the most?

[Comrade-Z]

And if anti-strike laws and anti-union laws are against the conservative spirit, why do they support them the most?

Because the whole conservative line of thought comes down to "Selfishness for the ruling class, sacrifices from the exploited." What class-conscious proletarians demand is "selfishness for ourselves, sacrifices from the ruling class." Which is to say, it is a class war that can only be resolved by force, ultimately. That's also why you'll find a social conservative stalking behind every "libertarian" capitalist--their system can't function without depriving freedom from the working class. The whole line of thought that "capitalism is for selfishness" in the abstract is completely hypocritical.

[colonelguppy]

i really don't know fo any conservatives who are pro anti-strike laws, or pro anti-union law.

[Comrade-Z]

Originally posted by [email protected] 3 2006, 02:04 AM
i really don't know fo any conservatives who are pro anti-strike laws, or pro anti-union law.
Do you remember the latest transportation strike in New York City? Remember how Mayor Bloomberg and Governor George Pitaki said that for the New York City Municipal transportation workers to go on strike was "illegal"? That's only the most recent example.

[colonelguppy]

Originally posted by Comrade-Z+Aug 3 2006, 12:16 AM--> (Comrade-Z @ Aug 3 2006, 12:16 AM)
[email protected] 3 2006, 02:04 AM
i really don't know fo any conservatives who are pro anti-strike laws, or pro anti-union law.
Do you remember the latest transportation strike in New York City? Remember how Mayor Bloomberg and Governor George Pitaki said that for the New York City Municipal transportation workers to go on strike was "illegal"? That's only the most recent example. [/b]
i don't know there was probably something in their contract that they signed saying that they wouldn't strike, in which case yeah it should be illegal.