From the New World (Classic Episode) Jon Askonas: Politics is Downstream of Technology
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Sep 4, 2023 Jon Askonas, professor at The Catholic University of America and a contributor to the New Atlantis and Compact, discusses technological change, conservatism's vulnerability to grift, democracy, the January 6th hearings, Rene Girard, and apocalypse.
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Conservatism's Revolutionary Blind Spot
- Modern conservatism is inherently revolutionary because it ignores the impact of technological change.
- This blind spot smooths the way for revolutionary changes despite its stated goal to resist them.
Nostalgia Masks Conservative Decay
- Much of what passes for conservative aesthetics is nostalgia blended with practices that harm tradition.
- Conservative cultural expressions often mix destruction with a sickly veneer of the past, lacking authentic substance.
Thomas Kincaid's Conservative Grift
- Painter Thomas Kincaid exemplified conservative grifting through nostalgic Americana scenes and mass-produced artworks.
- His success came from selling fake originals to a Christian conservative audience, blending art with commercialism.