Seems like a nice place here

Dr. Talon said:

Hello. This seems like a thoughtful place. Perhaps I should introduce myself. I'm a college student majoring in history, though I recently switched from journalism. Generally speaking, I'm a man of the right. I suppose I'm somewhat unusual, because I first got into politics around age 11. As someone blessed with a college-level reading ability since grade school, I was able to read things far above my age level. I suppose my entry into the world of politics was odd. I started reading about US presidents, which lead me to become obsessed with the Kennedy assassination, which in turn lead me both to conspiracy theories in general, as well as a dislike of communism. This will probably sound highly unusual, but I entered the political world through conspiracy theories, Bircher-type stuff, and the radical, non-fascist right. I suppose it's a double-edged sword, being able to read advanced material, but not having the perspective and life experience to sift the intellectual wheat from the chaff.

Growing up, once I was disabused of some of the nuttier stuff, I considered myself a standard-line conservative, though willing to go a bit farther in his views than the average man-on-the-street. For the past few years, until recently, I've considered myself a fairly hardcore libertarian, though I no longer do, as I have become disillusioned with the abstract dogmatism, lack of ability to answer problems of cultural conflict (such as in Europe), and general lack of seriousness along with a naive optimism among some of it's more visible proponents. In short, I don't think it offers a full picture of the human person. More recently, I've been leaning heavily towards paleoconservatism.

I should note though, that I've never (or rarely, perhaps) been a down-the-line dogmatist. There has always been an element of every political worldview I've adopted which I've never been fully comfortable with.

In any case, I'm fascinated particularly by the flow of political ideas - how they appear, how they recede, and how they travel from the underground to the mainstream.

I also like to read, at least theoretically, but it takes me months to read a book, it seems. The most recent book I have read is The Response to Industrialism: 1885-1914 by Samuel P. Hays. I've also barely started The New Jacobinism: America as Revolutionary State by Claes G. Ryn, and The Appeal of Fascism: Why Men of Goodwill - Artists and Intellectuals - Chose Fascism as Their Political Creed by Alastair Hamilton. I'll probably tackle those one after the other.

Anyway, this looks like a nice place. I look forward to having civil, intelligent conversations with you.

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Dr. Talon said:

Hello. This seems like a thoughtful place. Perhaps I should introduce myself. I'm a college student majoring in history, though I recently switched from journalism. Generally speaking, I'm a man of the right. I suppose I'm somewhat unusual, because I first got into politics around age 11. As someone blessed with a college-level reading ability since grade school, I was able to read things far above my age level. I suppose my entry into the world of politics was odd. I started reading about US presidents, which lead me to become obsessed with the Kennedy assassination, which in turn lead me both to conspiracy theories in general, as well as a dislike of communism. This will probably sound highly unusual, but I entered the political world through conspiracy theories, Bircher-type stuff, and the radical, non-fascist right. I suppose it's a double-edged sword, being able to read advanced material, but not having the perspective and life experience to sift the intellectual wheat from the chaff.

Growing up, once I was disabused of some of the nuttier stuff, I considered myself a standard-line conservative, though willing to go a bit farther in his views than the average man-on-the-street. For the past few years, until recently, I've considered myself a fairly hardcore libertarian, though I no longer do, as I have become disillusioned with the abstract dogmatism, lack of ability to answer problems of cultural conflict (such as in Europe), and general lack of seriousness along with a naive optimism among some of it's more visible proponents. In short, I don't think it offers a full picture of the human person. More recently, I've been leaning heavily towards paleoconservatism.

I should note though, that I've never (or rarely, perhaps) been a down-the-line dogmatist. There has always been an element of every political worldview I've adopted which I've never been fully comfortable with.

In any case, I'm fascinated particularly by the flow of political ideas - how they appear, how they recede, and how they travel from the underground to the mainstream.

I also like to read, at least theoretically, but it takes me months to read a book, it seems. The most recent book I have read is The Response to Industrialism: 1885-1914 by Samuel P. Hays. I've also barely started The New Jacobinism: America as Revolutionary State by Claes G. Ryn, and The Appeal of Fascism: Why Men of Goodwill - Artists and Intellectuals - Chose Fascism as Their Political Creed by Alastair Hamilton. I'll probably tackle those one after the other.

Anyway, this looks like a nice place. I look forward to having civil, intelligent conversations with you.

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Paleocon said:

Nice to have another paleocon here. How familiar are you with the Reactionary Right?

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Dr. Talon said:

Do you mean things like the so-called "neo-reactionary" monarchists?

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Paleocon said:

I mean more like the orthosphere and the tradition of those like Bonald and de Maistre.

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Dr. Talon said:

I don't think I've ever heard of Bonald. Wasn't de Maistre a monarchist during the French revolution?

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Dr. Talon said:

Hello. This seems like a thoughtful place. Perhaps I should introduce myself. I'm a college student majoring in history, though I recently switched from journalism. Generally speaking, I'm a man of the right. I suppose I'm somewhat unusual, because I first got into politics around age 11. As someone blessed with a college-level reading ability since grade school, I was able to read things far above my age level. I suppose my entry into the world of politics was odd. I started reading about US presidents, which lead me to become obsessed with the Kennedy assassination, which in turn lead me both to conspiracy theories in general, as well as a dislike of communism. This will probably sound highly unusual, but I entered the political world through conspiracy theories, Bircher-type stuff, and the radical, non-fascist right. I suppose it's a double-edged sword, being able to read advanced material, but not having the perspective and life experience to sift the intellectual wheat from the chaff.

Growing up, once I was disabused of some of the nuttier stuff, I considered myself a standard-line conservative, though willing to go a bit farther in his views than the average man-on-the-street. For the past few years, until recently, I've considered myself a fairly hardcore libertarian, though I no longer do, as I have become disillusioned with the abstract dogmatism, lack of ability to answer problems of cultural conflict (such as in Europe), and general lack of seriousness along with a naive optimism among some of it's more visible proponents. In short, I don't think it offers a full picture of the human person. More recently, I've been leaning heavily towards paleoconservatism.

I should note though, that I've never (or rarely, perhaps) been a down-the-line dogmatist. There has always been an element of every political worldview I've adopted which I've never been fully comfortable with.

In any case, I'm fascinated particularly by the flow of political ideas - how they appear, how they recede, and how they travel from the underground to the mainstream.

I also like to read, at least theoretically, but it takes me months to read a book, it seems. The most recent book I have read is The Response to Industrialism: 1885-1914 by Samuel P. Hays. I've also barely started The New Jacobinism: America as Revolutionary State by Claes G. Ryn, and The Appeal of Fascism: Why Men of Goodwill - Artists and Intellectuals - Chose Fascism as Their Political Creed by Alastair Hamilton. I'll probably tackle those one after the other.

Anyway, this looks like a nice place. I look forward to having civil, intelligent conversations with you.

Click to expand...

Dittohead not! said:

Welcome aboard! It will be good to have someone with a good historical perspective.
But, have you looked into the job market for history majors? You may have an idea of the history of why the customer wants fries with his burger.....

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Dr. Talon said:

I have. I've talked to someone who has a degree, I've heard of people with degrees, and there is a much wider world than academia. From what I've heard, employers like the analytical skills a history degree instills, and at the end of the day, most employers are simply looking for a degree, of any sort.

But I chose it for reasons beyond the utilitarian. I also simply like history, I like deep thought, and it comes naturally to me. Why not nurture my talents and inclinations?

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