My politics do not fit any specific mold: fiscally conservative (you want it you pay for it), socially liberal (marry a goat and a sheep while dressed up like Harry Potter as long as it's consensual, just be good to them both), and a foreign policy hawk (act in your national self interests or else you'll be a slave to a nation that does).
I'd consider myself a Republican if they had not abandoned fiscal responsibility; I might consider myself a Democrat if they ever did anything other than whine and chip away at the foundation of our nation (so never mind about ever being a democrat); I'd consider myself a Libertarian if they weren't so isolationist.
I don't even know how I found this particular blog, but today there's an excellent post titled, X-Cons: The Conservative Mind of Generation X
X-CON!
A Generation X Conservative...Perhaps I've found my niche...Let's dissect each paragraph:
Talk radio has had the most profound impact in shaping their political sensibilities. Just as William F. Buckley, Jr. shaped conservatism in the 1950s, Rush Limbaugh shaped the conservatism of X-Cons in the '80s and ‘90s. Limbaugh provided not only the content but the style in which these conservatives would engage in political discourse – assured, confrontational, snarky. Talk radio taught the X-Cons to appreciate confirmation of one's own political views. Arguments needn't be persuasive if you know not only that you are right and your opponent is wrong but also that you are right and they are wrong-headed.
With confirmation came a sense of (virtual) community and a realization that a PhD in Political Science wasn't required in order to express a valid opinion on politics. Imbued with a sense of confidence from a young age, X-Cons grew comfortable expressing themselves—calling into radio shows (or simply talking back to the radio) and later in written forms, such as blogs.
I've probably listened to Rush Limbaugh, and talk radio in general, a total of 2 min and 30 seconds over the course of my life, so I can't really say that it's been a factor in shaping my political sensibilities. However, there's NPR which I listen to regularly, but that's only because I find great sport in identifying their snarky liberal bias disguised as informed intellectual opinion; and the News Hour with Jim Lehrer is good. I'll agree that blogs are a great way to express oneself.
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X-Cons tend to be vehemently pro-Israel and warm toward the Jewish people. Oddly, they also have very limited actual knowledge about Jewish culture or modern Israel. Their ideas about the Jewish people are mostly based on what they've read in the Bible or seen in documentaries about the Holocaust."Vehemently" might be too strong a word, but I am certainly pro-Israel inasmuch as it has a right to exist as a nation. I probably know more about Jewish culture than the average non-Jew; I lived in NYC and Boca Raton for a while afterall and count a handful of Jews as close friends today. I even dated a few Jewish girls in college, but I digress...
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Having either grown-up in a broken home or had friends who did, X-Cons recognize the value of traditional family structures. They may not always be successful in building permanent relationships themselves, but they value the bonds of family more than the previous generation.Broken home, I know all about that. Statistically I should probably have 8 illegitimate children and a rap sheet as long as my leg. Fortunately I am smarter than that, and I recognize the value of the traditional family structure in a way that only somebody who did not grow up in one can.
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Irony is one of the most pervasive traits in Gen X culture. Not surprisingly, this has affected the outlook of X-Cons. For example, they tend to be ambivalent about heroes. While they have an intuitive understanding of the need for virtue and heroism, they are too realistic and/or sarcastic to put their trust in politicians or statesmen. Instead, they prefer to champion ideas themselves rather than relying on fallible leaders.I think "hero" is an overused word. Heroic acts occur every day, and most go unnoticed. I've never made the mistake of calling a politician a hero, and I have little faith in the power of politicians beyond furthering their self-interests. Sometimes they happen to align with their constituency, and they come out looking like "heroes"; though one should not be considered a "hero" when one merely does one's job.
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In theory, X-Cons have a preference for federalism and state's rights. In actuality, they prefer to focus on the national level rather than on local and state politics.
Disagree. All politics are local. What works at the national level does not always work at the local level, but I agree with the Framers' intent that the states should be the laboratories for federal legislation.
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X-Cons are often apathetic about flag-burning and displays of the Ten Commandments. They also don't remember when prayer was in schools and never paid much attention to the words “under God” in the pledge. Although they express an ironic detachment from the standard symbols of civil religion, they remain fiercely patriotic. Curiously, though they don't get goosebumps upon hearing the Star Spangled Banner, they are often stirred by patriotic kitsch such as Lee Greenwood's “God Bless the USA.”I agree, but I wouldn't say I'm apathetic about flag-burning. While it's within a citizen's rights to burn the flag, I would feel completely justified in exercising my right to bludgeon them with a flag pole afterwards.
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Unlike previous generations, X-Cons do not associate conservatism with the East Coast preppie-class Republicanism. WFB, Jr. and George Will may still command respect, but they are considered eccentric curiosities rather than the exemplars of conservative intelligentsia. X-Cons associate such elitism with liberalism and consider the GOP, rather than the Democrats, to be the party of the “little guy.”Yup, this is especially true in San Francisco, where the GOP really is the party of the "little guy." By little I mean in the minority.
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X-Cons are extremely religious in a “mere Christianity” sort of way. Their political views are shaped by their theology but they are willing to cross theological lines when it comes to political alliances. They tend to be either Catholic-friendly evangelicals or evangelical-influenced Catholics.Disagree. Though I grew up in an evangelical home, I could hardly be labeled as "extremely religious" today. I respect people's right to worship an ice cube if they want; as long as it doesn't interfere with my right not to. I believe religion is best kept a private affair between you and God.
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They have an ambivalent attitude toward pop culture. They recognize the corrosive impact that race-to-the-bottom media can have on society. Yet they are as likely to listen consume media as the rest of society. They may rail against the worst of it; but they will be intimately familiar with what they are criticizing.Agreed. There's nothing good to come from seeing Britney's bald beaver grimacing while she climbs out of a sports car; and its certainly not something I wish to be intimately familiar with.
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Outside of sports and weather, I think it should be mostly ignored rather than subverted.
I agree, except for the strong faith in religion part, though it must be remembered that the name of the blog I am quoting from is called, "The Evangelical Outpost". I do believe that faith--in anything really--is an important part of the human condition. Without it, we're reduced to nihilism. But please people, keep your faith to yourself, and I'll do the same.
X-Cons consider it axiomatic that that “mainstream media” has a liberal bias and that it must be subverted rather than reformed.
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I most certainly agree. The fact that many liberals know nothing about economics, and even take certain pride in their ignorance, rarely stops them from spouting off about all things economic.On matters of economics, X-Cons believe they stand on an indubitable foundation. They grew up in an era when socialism and communism where discredited as economic models, leading them to believe that free-market capitalism is not just preferred but the only route to freedom and prosperity. X-Cons believe that if liberals would only take a class on economics that they would see the light and repent of their collectivist ways.
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Again, I agree. I would not be so disdainful of Democrats if: a) they learned the difference between loyal opposition and active subversion; b) They did not preempt everything they do with, "let's donkey-punch Bush." Childish, not to mention dangerous.Like others from their generation, X-Cons are not “joiners” in the typical sense. They are often more motivated to align in opposition than join in agreement. X-Cons vote for Republicans not because they agree with the GOP's platform (a document they've never read) but because they have a deep disdain for the views of Democrats.
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X-Cons are often “Goldwater conservatives”, holding views that are more individualistic than historical conservatism. They also tend to be "cafeteria libertarians", picking and choosing certain areas without fully embracing the libertarian ideology. They may, for example, be in favor of the decriminalization of marijuana while opposing the legalization of prostitution.
I wholeheartedly agree. It's a shame that the GOP seems to be Republican in Name Only (RINO) these days. They mostly resemble Democrats if the enlargement of government over the past 7 years is any indication; and the first party that successfully does away with our ridiculous, wasteful "war on drugs" will be the one I support.
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And lastly...
X-Cons are pragmatic idealists. They have strong faith in religion, small government, and the free market. Yet they are not Utopian and have no illusions that politics will make life much better (though they believe government can make it much worse).
