tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10424035.post114054875563760245..comments2023-09-11T08:58:24.710-06:00Comments on Reach Upward: What Is True Conservatism?Scott Hinrichshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11831447472339880148noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10424035.post-1141341867632166382006-03-02T16:24:00.000-07:002006-03-02T16:24:00.000-07:00Jonah Goldberg has written a fairly long detailed ...Jonah Goldberg has written a fairly long detailed criticism of crunchy conservatism <A HREF="http://www.nationalreview.com/goldberg/goldberg200603020807.asp" REL="nofollow">here</A>. While acknowledging the good stuff in Dreher's book, he specifically, issue by issue, discusses the things he has problems with.Scott Hinrichshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11831447472339880148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10424035.post-1141316346860602122006-03-02T09:19:00.000-07:002006-03-02T09:19:00.000-07:00Roy, thanks for that link. Balko certainly shines...Roy, thanks for that link. Balko certainly shines an interesting light on Dreher's crunchiness.<BR/><BR/>Rob, I appreciate your willingness to peruse my site, despite my conservative views.Scott Hinrichshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11831447472339880148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10424035.post-1141238065620904722006-03-01T11:34:00.000-07:002006-03-01T11:34:00.000-07:00Radley Balko just posted a nice little critique of...Radley Balko just posted a nice little critique of Dreher's brand of "conservatism" <A HREF="http://www.theagitator.com/archives/026329.php#026329" REL="nofollow">here.</A>Prof. Wrighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13200517069427286498noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10424035.post-1141188520151709192006-02-28T21:48:00.000-07:002006-02-28T21:48:00.000-07:00Nobody asks for God's conservative blessings now d...Nobody asks for God's conservative blessings now do they?Robhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15268367840057258095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10424035.post-1140796220748785542006-02-24T08:50:00.000-07:002006-02-24T08:50:00.000-07:00Sorry I couldn’t get back to this sooner. I was u...Sorry I couldn’t get back to this sooner. I was unavailable yesterday. You have indeed caught me in a semantical twist where I have not distinguished between the free market and capitalism. A free market apologist takes on many of the regular criticisms of the free market in <A HREF="http://www.theadvocates.org/freeman/8903ewer.html" REL="nofollow">this interesting essay</A>.<BR/><BR/>After thinking about it, I realize that my thoughts on the matter are more directed at cultural issues rather than at the actual economic system involved. Indeed, the things that bother me can exist in any economic system.<BR/><BR/>I feel that in our culture there is too much worship of greed, materialism, and selfishness. We do a poor job of exercising proper care for the least fortunate and least able among us. However, as the author of the above cited essay notes, these things are not caused by the free market, but by what exists in the hearts of individuals.Scott Hinrichshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11831447472339880148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10424035.post-1140672695356344482006-02-22T22:31:00.000-07:002006-02-22T22:31:00.000-07:00Firstly, that link specifically discusses capitali...Firstly, that link specifically discusses capitalism, not the free market. I notice that you've also shifted to talking about capitalism. The free market and capitalism are not synonymous. There are many economic systems commonly called "capitalist" (including our own in the U.S. at present) that a serious free market advocate would reject.<BR/><BR/>That being said, after a cursory glance I see little in your link that I would consider a legitimate criticism. Could you briefly say which one of these criticisms (or another) you consider to be the most important? I'm just trying to get a feel for where you're coming from.Prof. Wrighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13200517069427286498noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10424035.post-1140646465405548792006-02-22T15:14:00.000-07:002006-02-22T15:14:00.000-07:00Hoards of resources abound that describe the probl...Hoards of resources abound that describe the problems with capitalism. A very rudimentary essay can be found <A HREF="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticisms_of_capitalism" REL="nofollow">here</A>. I realize that utopianists refuse to see any of the problems, or at least they see the problems as an acceptable tradeoff. The latter is actually close to how I see it. But it does not mean that we should not work to address the problems.Scott Hinrichshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11831447472339880148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10424035.post-1140641963086881572006-02-22T13:59:00.000-07:002006-02-22T13:59:00.000-07:00However, I believe that flaws in the free market s...<I>However, I believe that flaws in the free market system are readily observable.</I><BR/><BR/>Could you give some examples?Prof. Wrighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13200517069427286498noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10424035.post-1140616438154067512006-02-22T06:53:00.000-07:002006-02-22T06:53:00.000-07:00Roy, thanks for your comments. I think it's obvio...Roy, thanks for your comments. I think it's obvious that the capitalist system is a major improvement over any other major economic system that we have actually seen in practice. However, I believe that flaws in the free market system are readily observable. It is not a perfect system, despite the utopian picture painted by the gospel of Libertarianism.<BR/><BR/>Economic efficiency is not necessarily the greatest virtue, although, many of my fellow conservatives beat this drum nearly to the exclusion of all else. In our pursuit of capitalism, we must be careful not to squelch other important virtues.<BR/><BR/>I suppose I see the free market sort of like raw energy that must be properly harnessed for the benefit of all stakeholders. Don't read too much into that statement. I merely feel that society has a duty to smooth out some of the free market's rough edges.<BR/><BR/>I think you're probably correct in suggesting that Dreher wouldn't mind the government imposing his "crunchy conservatism." I will have to do more research to know for sure.Scott Hinrichshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11831447472339880148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10424035.post-1140568357763717252006-02-21T17:32:00.000-07:002006-02-21T17:32:00.000-07:00Regarding the ideal lifestyle, people should be fr...Regarding the ideal lifestyle, people should be free to decide that for themselves. So to the extent that Dreher pursues his "crunchy conservatism" individually, I'm all for him. Somehow, though, I doubt he'd oppose the government "encouraging," shall we say, his idea of the ideal life.Prof. Wrighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13200517069427286498noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10424035.post-1140567820688723052006-02-21T17:23:00.000-07:002006-02-21T17:23:00.000-07:00I'm curious as to how you define worshipping the f...I'm curious as to how you define worshipping the free market.Prof. Wrighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13200517069427286498noreply@blogger.com