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We Need a Label
I generally don’t like political labels. I think they often do more to impair communication than to enhance it. However, the “woke” label is now widely used, and it would be nice to have a counter-label that means, basically, “I am not ‘woke’ and I reject the ideas and values ‘woke’ implies.” I described myself in a conversation today as a “traditionalist/Burkean conservative,” but that’s not a tagline that trips off the tongue, and it will never become popular.
James Delingpole or one of his guests mentioned “sound” as a term gaining currency, and as having approximately the meaning I seek. I’ve never heard it used and so I’m a little skeptical, but I nonetheless agree that some label for those of the deliberate and considered ‘not-woke’ crowd would be useful. I don’t much care for “sound,” but I’m open to suggestion. Whatever it is should be something vaguely positive, difficult to pun into a pejorative, ideally evocative of measured and solid — yes, “sound” — consideration, and unburdened with potentially troubling associations.
Published in General
Resistant?
Sane or normal work pretty good for me.
Adult
Rational
Sane
Maybe a little too close to “resist,” which is already out there?
Also, and this may be asking too much, it would be nice if the word was focused on the positive aspect of conservatism, rather than the negative aspect of progressivism. It needn’t imply the conflict, but rather the inherent strength of conservative sensibility.
Sound, solid. Founded. Bedrock. Things like that.
It should be something that is not in and of itself a pejorative. Implicitly declaring that those with whom you disagree are abnormal, irrational, or insane isn’t a productive basis for further communication.
We already have “based” from centipedes and nimble navigators at The Donald.
As in “reality-based”.
Ya gotta get with the hep jive.
Steady
Balanced
Stable
Sensible
Unbiased
Evenhanded
Reasonable
Impartial
Reasoned. It makes a good contrast for many of the Left’s “arguments;” those seem to be mostly based upon feelings instead of rational thought.
You used it yourself. Solid.
Rock-ribbed.
Pro-American
In that case: Whigs?
I like “reasoned” as well. Beliefs informed by reason rather than emotions. Here’s a quote from historian, Will Durant:
That definition of “barbarian” applies to many on the left today, who scorn reason as something foisted on us by “dead white men,” and who want to give up their liberty in favor of government control.
We use sound a lot in Ireland to describe a decent person or a satisfactory arrangement.
Yes, but you also serve your beer warm. So, you know.
Playing the prevent defense is for losers.
I prefer terms like “extreme right-wing wacko conservative.” Or just plain “kook” for short.
They can learn to deal with it.
I have nothing against warm beer (so long as it’s good) but I’ve never had a warm beer in Ireland.
PS I’ve lived in a lot of places in the U.S., a dozen states or more, and I’ve traveled pretty broadly. The first place I ever visited for which I felt a strong yearning to return was Ireland. I’ve often thought how nice it would be to live in some remote location along the coast, on the rolling green hills above the ocean.
(The second such place was Vietnam. I guess I just enjoy lushness.)
Nothing wrong with a nice warm beer😀
Actually, warm beer is not so bad; it just takes a lot of intensive practice to acquire the taste for it.
Chuckle.
But seriously:
I grow weary of it being suggested that I’m some kind of squish for wanting to be an effective communicator, rather than simply a man wearing my disagreement on my sleave.
I think true progressives are at best fools, ignorant of reality and usually deficient in their sense of proportion and their critical thinking skills. However, I also think that almost everyone I meet who can’t imagine voting Republican is not a true progressive, but rather someone who has heard only the left’s perspective for so long that they don’t realize there are thoughtful people on the right. So, while I understand the perspective of those who don’t want to pussyfoot around, I also wish, above all else, to win. And so I want to persuade more than I want to slap people upside the head with my opinions.
You can’t persuade people unless you can talk to them. You can’t talk to them if your approach shuts them down.
If you are going to run away from terms that can be turned into pejoratives, you are not going to be able to communicate.
One additional point: The label you choose has to be one showing you’re having more fun than they are. Some of those that have been suggested are no fun at all.
It doesn’t make sense to pick a word that can easily and amusingly be turned into a joke. That would just be silly. That’s what that “difficult to pun into a pejorative” bit meant.
But I do agree with you that it should be a little bit fun. It’s got to be something that normal people are willing to use as a label for themselves, and that people unfamiliar with the term won’t immediately find off-putting and contentious. That way a conversation can ensue.
I’m not very proud of Ireland at the moment but it’s home and there’s still a lot of good in it. I’ll have to do a top 10 things for conservatives to do in Ireland 😀
So, Henry, what kind of response do you get from the woke folk when you describe yourself as “Burkean”?
I’m going to put in another plug for @jimmcconnell‘s “reasoned” label. It has a positive connotation, and draws a clear distinction from the post-modern left that explicitly rejects reason. It’s time to bring reason back into fashion.
Something that pairs with “woke.” “Witty”? No, that rhymes with a too-handy pejorative. Uhh…”wry”? I like wry, indeed strive to be it constantly, but…nope. Few people would get it, and no one would be stung by an accusation that he wasn’t it. Well, that’s politics for you: a 3-letter word can be too complicated.
Once upon a time I worked at a drive-in in Corpus Christi. We served LOTS of beer. One fellow would come in every few days and drink one beer we kept in the window for him. Warm Millers. I don’t know what label to put on him but I really don’t think he was Irish.
Please do! I am trying to get Ray to agree to take a vacation in Ireland next fall. Our 18th anniversary is in October.
I’ll get on it! Is that 2021? Or this fall?
2021