Roger Kimball on U.S. Cultural Decline & Loss of Freedom

[@fporretto]

Klavan has a gift for boiling down the public controversies of our time so that the facts stand bare -- and irrefutable. That alone makes him invaluable. His gift for entertaining us as he does so makes him a true jewel. Bravo, Mr. Klavan.

[@211Anon]

The real 'road to serfdom' is the continued belief in backwards 18th century concepts of what freedom means, exemplified in Burke and Toqueville. I don't think anyone is calling for people to be dependent on a government for their daily existence, but surely any decent human being would rather let people have houses and food on the table rather than risk going homeless or starve? Or are some people really so alienated from their own humanity so as to believe otherwise? Is to care for a decent life for all so bad?

[@andrenewcomb3708]

"Where's the omelet?" Mother nature's having a field day . . . that's where.

[@BrettMcS]

One of the best conservative thinkers of our time. Just bought the Kimball - er - Kindle edition.

[@kenaldri4982]

The message isn't really all that abstract. It just comes across that way. He does talk about self reliance though which is a key concept when compared to over dependence. Self reliance is actually listed as a defining characteristic of "toxic masculinity". Sounds a bit ridiculous, right? But its true. Self reliance is considered by the left to be potentially "toxic" or harmful to society because It is often interpreted by them to mean "uncontrollable, foreign or hostile". The cure? - how about we work towards creating a more docile, dependent population? Actually though, self reliance is important in any society needing to propel itself forward into the unknown, or "where no man has gone before". Clearly, it has adaptive advantages especially in populations under a great deal of stress. Self reliance was more or less required of 19th century Americans. It was also required of the crew of the Starship Enterprise, of course :) Today, totally self reliant populations are rare, and otherwise the condition is often rightly seen as necessary rather than cruel in its treatment of the less fit. So for some to call it "toxic" then when arguably it is closer to "heroic" just shows you how perverse and wrong headed leftist arguments can be. Benevolence I suppose fills in the gaps when an over dependence on self reliance fails to provide for all of its citizens. If its a lean, vigorously growing society you want, it will weigh you down. The choice has always been a hard one. But simply labeling "self reliance" as "toxic" ignores its benefits to society and seriously undermines any attempts to address its fundamental flaws.

[@travistwelfthman]

This is rich coming from someone from the heritage foundation

[@MrJohn21713]

Kimball's calling the Jan. 6 insurrection a hoax clearly demonstrates his lack of credibility.

[@coreolis7]

hes a real smart guy, but indeed, WTF!

[@williamneumyer7147]

A shade too abstract. I don't think Mr. Kimball is in a hurry to "break eggs."

[@herbfelcher4634]

I'd rather listen to Idi Amin anyday. And i think I will.