• Lovable Sidekick@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    1
    ·
    edit-2
    22 hours ago

    Political conservatism definitely has meant conserving heritage and nature, just not in your lifetime. Example: Theodore Roosevelt created America’s national park system. But since at least as far back as 1980 conservatism has been co-opted by con men as a beard for their own gain. I think the main reason they’ve succeeded is that so many conservatives, although basically good at heart, were brought up with the biblical family model of putting absolute faith in a strong and wise Daddy who looks after them. They want to believe in that so hard because it’s so much a part of who they are, once they identify a Daddy they’ll give him a pass on just about everything. Once you figure out how to become Daddy they’re all yours.

    • RunawayFixer@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      edit-2
      13 hours ago

      Theodore Roosevelt was considered domestically progressive, internationally conservative. The encyclopedia Britannica has this to say on Teddy: “By 1906 he was the undisputed spokesman of national progressivism and by far its best publicity agent.”. https://www.britannica.com/place/United-States/Theodore-Roosevelt-and-the-Progressive-movement

      What do you call a progressive who wants to conserve a piece of nature? Still a progressive, because progressive/conservative terminology is about political philosophy/ideology, not about conservation. Teddy Roosevelt was a progressive politician who also was a conservator of nature.