this post was submitted on 22 May 2025
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I'm fine with conservative media in theory, but the problem with conservative media these days is just the constant blatant lying.
I think there's definitely room for conservative voices, like:
Even traditions that have been harmful can be recontextualised and maintained and used as a means of teaching, rather than thrown out entirely in the name of progress. People are so drawn to places like Japan (at least partially) because they maintain their traditions and seek to conserve what they have rather than constantly push forward and bulldoze everything old because it's old. Obviously not everyone believes in the traditions, but they keep them anyway.
Nowadays though? Conservatives have basically tossed all of that in favor of allowing capital to completely bulldoze over traditions and then blaming the ensuing misery on the gays.
I don't think political conservatism has ever meant caring about conserving heritage and nature. From the inception of the concept in the 18th century to now, it's always been about conserving (or bringing back) inequality in power and wealth. It was never about preserving nature or protecting other people their way of life. Then and now, the credo of the conservative movement might just as well be "I want rules for thee but not for me".
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.
Then what would you call someone who holds those beliefs? The belief that some things ought to be conserved and progress ought to be held back in some circumstances? I would call that conservative in a small c kind of way, as opposed to big c Conservatives that are all about centralised power and handing everything over to big businesses to strip the world clean of anything of value.
Conservators are those that work towards the conservation of things.
Edit: conservation and conservatism are 2 very different things. To work towards conservation of something is not going to be directly tied to political backgrounds: It is not because someone is a socialist or liberal, that they will not want to conserve some things. Everyone will probably have some things (nature, monuments, traditions, ...) that they want to conserve for future generations.