National Greatness Conservatives, Bearded in Their Den

Brian Doherty | January 28, 2008

Some nifty metaphor-crafting from Will Wilkinson re: the difference between "national greatness" conservative types and classical liberals:

I sometimes think that liberal individualism is something like the intellectual and moral equivalent of the best modernist design — spare, elegant, functional — but hard to grasp or truly appreciate without a cultivated sense of style, without a little discerning maturity. National Greatness Conservatism is like a grotesque wood-paneled den stuffed with animal heads, mounted swords, garish carpets, and a giant roaring fire. Only the most vulgar tuck in next to that fire, light a fat cigar, and think they’ve really got it all figured out.

Wilkinson in reason.