Conservatism effectively reminds us of the dangers of optimism, rejecting the idea that the future, of necessity, will see the resolution of our current problems. It stumbles, however, over pessimism. Regardless of one's political allegiances, there is a tendency to venerate the past and seek to bring it into the future: I doubt any of my liberal friends would object to a return of FDR or LBJ-style government (or governing majorities), though the specific policies they'd wish to see advocated would change. The problem is more acute for conservatism insomuch as it accepts Rousseau's critique in the Second Discourse--and, surprisingly, I think much modern conservatism does--history, technology, and amour propre combine to produce successive degradations. As each finds widespread acceptance within society, each becomes difficult--if not impossible--to undo. It helps, by way of counteracting this tendency, to be reminded that it was ever thus; we perpetually worry that we are on the edge, but never quite go over.
On this, David Hume, from the Treatise:
...the greatest part of men seem agreed to convert reading into an amusement, and to reject everything that requires any considerable degree of attention to be comprehended.
Didn't I see this in The New Yorker a month or two ago?
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