Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Liberals & Conservatives

Any man who is under 30, and is not a liberal, has no heart; and any man who is over 30, and is not a conservative, has no brains. - Winston Churchill
       I remember hearing this statement many years ago. I think I had just emerged with my flirtation with liberalism for all of 2 years at Kirksville. I think the main appeal of liberalism to the young is the perception that liberalism is all about personal license. I am free to do what I want as long as no one gets hurt.  Of course getting hurt is usually qualified as aggressive assault just short of murder. Other than that, ANYTHING GOES!
       Conservatives on the other hand tend to value personal responsibility, personal accountability, and the realization that life comes with many limits. The discernment of such limits consumes much energy and time for any conservative minded individual engaged in life.  We don't like the "ought" of life, but what ought I to do is a constant question, exploring the consequences, trying to imagine the extent of the impact is at the heart of  any serious discernment of choices and actions.  Well I am sure I could ramble on this one much longer, but it is early and I am hungry.

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