posted on Jan, 8 2012 @ 10:14 AM
The end is nigh for worldwide utilitarian societal conservatism...
There are many perceptions of what conservatism truly means, and is often broken up into many differing labels, by both intellectuals and the common
masses. Let's look at a real situation simple example of what conservatism is and how it will end.
Texas was an independent nation before it joined the Union in the 1820s. A land of legendary heroes such as figures from the Alamo, guts and glory
heroism of being a frontier state against mexican bandits and red indians, which resulted in their fiercely held indepent streak that is still
maintained today.
Through the trying periods of wars, by the 1920s, Texas was a settled state at peace. The frontier was tamed, with no more conflicts, under rule of
law. There was not much wealth, but neither was there abject poverty.
Foolish Texans believed that this peaceful way of life will not change, and thus sought to preserve this idyllic agarian-ranching stage, thus borned
Utilitarian conservatism.
When they look around at each other in townships, they realised that majority of Texans were white Protestant christians, pride in the nation of what
they presumed that they alone over others had achieved, and were the highest strata of civilisation in the land.
They started to find out those whom were different. First, the blacks, remnants of red indians, and jews were ran out of town, so as not to
'contaminate' their homogenic exclusivity in the State .
Next came those whom these utilitarians Protestants viewed as ' morally undesirables' - vagrants, drunks, prostitutes, etc.These were given
warnings, often in the night, by bedsheet covered men with flaming torches. If they refused to abide, they were flogged. Resistance was met by being
thrown out of town.
There were some whom objected to such tyrannical methods used, espacially the more enlightened clergy ones, whom viewed that the allegience to the
State would mean conformance to the rule of law as a society under the sacred constitution, and not the rule of a few tyrants.
But they were the few and ignored by the bigger churches that depended on collections as well as megalomanical delusions of superiority, forgetting
the very lessons that led to the schism between them and the repressive Spanish Catholics.
The rich farmers and ranchers too had a big say, for they contributed the most wealth, and were far more protective of their rights even if it means
taking away rights from others.
Nor were they as morally clean in private as their public profile was believed. Adultry, drunkeness, robbery, was their norm in the shadows, but being
held by the unsuspecting and delusionally blind citizens, conservatism was to be the way of life in Texas, with every legislator a paid puppet by the
rich to maintain the conservative way of life.
Then came the oil boom. With the oil rigs and construction crews came all kind of vices that those towns had sought keep out - drunks, vice, gambling,
etc, with murders becoming a daily occurence. Many of the townspeople voiced out, but the rich ignored them this time, the clergy tolerated, for great
wealth was far more important, and those vices continued.
Until it got way out of hand, and Texas Rangers were called in to keep it clean. But still, those conservative values of the 20s and fundamental
religious views were never allowed to come in the way of profits. Hypocrisy was rife, even until today as the vices were never eliminated, only
tolerated.
Point is:- Change is inevitable. We mankind can attempt to hold on to the past as long as we can, for it is our comfort zone, but progress is only a
natural trait in humanity - to seek to improve upon current knowledge.
WIth knowledge, expansion in both mental and physical environments become the way of life, that conservatism cannot hope to contain or block, or it
will only be trampled upon.
Rather than to allow egalitarianism to progress unchecked, such as those heady days of oil boom in Texas where greed overtook logic leading only to
more sufferings, a constant reminder of values of societal guidelines must be reinforced within mankind, to always be on the lookout for mistakes, to
correct errors and progress again leaving none behind.
Another example would be the end result of the arab springs.
Once the revolution is achieved, peace will return and the masses will settled down. Naturally, utilitarian conservatism will rise, to evict those
whom are different or cannot conform to maintain homogenic exclusivity/superiority.
But it would be a mistake, because only in diversity can we find strength. The more differences there are, the more questions will be asked, and
through it, knowledge is gained, to either reject or to improve upon and evolve.
Texas was fortunate to have a second chance in that there was oil. If not, they would had been a backward state forever while other more progressive
states would have made societal leap and bounds in economic and political leadership, leaving them far behind.
So too will the arab or any state in our world if it makes the mistake of utilitarian conservatism, regardless if over secular or religious issues. It
will only be their loss, as more will leave the country and soon that state will be backward, bankrupt and become another deserted ghost town that
once flourished.