And I believe that it is quite simple to become bored in a liberal society that simply provides peace and prosperity. People want to be able to strive; they have a portion of their personality that craves acknowledgment and dignity, and they become enraged when others do not recognize the same causes, gods, and forces as them. That is what I believe has caused many individuals to reject liberalism. - Francis Fukuyama, Episode 52, May 9, 2022.I'm very interested in the idea of a celebration of North American identity as the first true middle-class civilization that has ever existed; a civilization that truly begins and ends with the middle class, and whose culture has always been defined by humility—or not humility, the humble nature of middle-class life and middle-class luxuries, and middle-class pleasures and middle-class lifestyles." So, when I make videos about the history of potato chips, Christmas presents, Halloween, or other soft topics, I believe it is easy for people to be judgmental and say that these subjects are frivolous or even materialistic. But, to me, a lot of that bourgeois, middle-classness represents the pinnacle of the North American project, and I believe it needs to be celebrated on its own terms." - J.J. McCullough, episode #49. May 2, 2022I think it's a problem with our political discourse that we have to listen to so much, if you allow a rather polemical formulation, so much kitschy communitarianism, which pretends that if only we could all come together, if only we found a nice form of patriotism, then, you know, everything would be fine. Democracy does not rely on consensus. Democracy is about conflict, and conflict is legitimate. It has to be contained. It must be compatible with fundamental democratic concepts like freedom and equality." - Jan-Werner Müller, episode #46 (April 27, 2022)
What does it mean to be an American conservative.
I believe it refers to defending the specific American institutions that we can trace back to the establishment of the United States: the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the political ideology reflected in the Federalist Papers. The political tradition derived from those documents and the system they formed. That is what I believe American conservatives should support. Because of the nature of that heritage, American conservatism will be more small "l" liberal, with a greater space for liberty. - Matthew Continetti, Episode 38, April 12, 2022.So, Sean, when you asked if I'm optimistic about reconciliation, I said Indigenous Nations are ready to move off the Indian Act expressway. I believe that there are genuine leaders who have yet to secure a seat at the main political table in Ottawa but have the moral courage to sit with First Nations leadership and forge a new path ahead. I believe there are genuine leaders who see that reconciliation is a measurable goal, not a sentimental notion. I believe that there are genuine leaders who see that policies that encourage empowerment, self-government, and fair opportunity will pave the road for greatness. And with that, I believe the best is yet to come. - Karen Restoule, Episode 36, April 6, 2022.A liberal democracy must be unequivocal, even ruthless, about the issue of violence.
If we want to have plurality, we must comply.
We can argue and shout at each other, but when you raise your hand against a fellow citizen in a political debate, that's the end of it, right? We've got to be quite tough. Liberalism is not a warm bath, and liberal democracy is not a communal sauna. It's an argument, and our responsibility, whether in politics, the media, or anywhere else, is to keep things peaceful." - Michael Ignatieff, episode 29 (March 23, 2022)I mentioned on CBC the other day that Canada has a nobler record in global wars than America, speaking as the grandson of a warrior and the great-grandson of battle veterans from the Second global battle, and so on. Canada served full-time both times, so that is its heroic and famous record on that front. However, in recent decades, Canada has not done as much as it might. It would be preferable if Canada increased its defense spending. - Elbridge Colby, Episode 17 (February 28, 2022)There's this remark from an English missionary named Leslie Newbigin, who says: "I'm neither hopeful nor pessimistic; Jesus Christ has risen from the dead.
And it is true for me. The Christian is expected.
to act with charity regardless of the circumstances. So I'm not positive or negative, I guess. I'm dedicated to a specific way of life and being charitable and caring, regardless of whether they are my foes or friends." - Brian Dijkema, episode 12 (February 16, 2022)"Unfortunately, it is controversial to be a typical dude under these unusual circumstances. So, outside of elite opinion, outside of universities and Twitter activists and all that—where, to be honest, I enjoy getting into a little back and forth with those sorts of peoplI'm not controversial; I'm a normal guy when I'm at my church, in my community, or visiting my family and friends. And, to me, when we talk about challenging the way power works in our country, where a very small number of people who are hostile to conservative values wield enormous power over our economy and political system, we don't mean being hard right to balance them out with some extreme position on the other side. It's just about fighting to be a normal dude. If I can do that, I believe that is the idea here: regular people exist in abnormal settings, and we are not altered, but the situations change. That is the ideal manner that I believe we would exist." - Jamil Jivani, Episode 11 (February 14, 2022)
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