Conservatism in the Guise of Liberalism

(Hat tip: Eli)

The Denver Post ran this editorial that provides a glimpse into the future and what we, as consumers, can do to change that future. The basic premise? Energy use by Americans will continue to rise, and the energy industry (as well as the environment) will struggle to keep up. The solution? Well, there are two, and they are related. The first is obvious — cut down on our reliance on energy. The second is living in community — that is, not simply living near one another, but living with one another. Neighbors come together to create community gardens to decrease the dependence on outside food sources. Neighbors who work outside the community carpool. Some may even attempt to generate work within the community to provide for their families.

Sounds like something a Birkenstock-clad liberal might envision. But read the article more closely. Then, read this, this, and, how about this (ok, this too), and tell me the vision laid out in the Post doesn’t sound pretty darn conservative. In fact, there’s little that is Liberal about people who, bound by their place, come together to form a community (certainly, they make the individual decision to stay within the community, but they are still practicing the discipline of place). Sadly, in our red/blue country, many choose to draw lines in the sand, deeming certain activities liberal and others conservative, unwilling to cross those lines. In this case, at least, the solution lies between those arbitrary lines.

By the way, thanks to this article I feel incredibly guilty right now for purchasing a new car.