Ask Charlie Anything 233: Liberal Jews? Gambling Taxes? Preaching to OnlyFans Models?

Published in 1953, *The Conservative Mind* is a landmark book that gave shape to the postwar conservative movement in the United States. Russell Kirk's work chronicles the history of conservative thought, starting with Edmund Burke and John Adams, and continuing through to 20th-century thinkers like Santayana and T.S. Eliot. The book defends traditional conservatism, emphasizing the importance of preserving ancient wisdom present in institutions, culture, and government, and expresses a distrust of 'progress' that seeks to dismantle these repositories of the 'permanent things. ' Kirk's vision of conservatism is rooted in the 'moral imagination' and the Burkean conception of society as an organic, sacred order, advocating for slow and cautious change rather than radical reforms.

Written in 1931 and published in 1932, 'Brave New World' is a dystopian novel set in a futuristic World State where humans are bred in vitro and predestined into a rigid social hierarchy. The novel explores themes of technological advancement, social conditioning, and the loss of individuality and freedom. The story revolves around characters such as Bernard Marx, an Alpha who questions the society, Mustapha Mond, the World Controller, and John, a 'Savage' from a reservation who introduces elements of emotion and individuality into the highly controlled World State. The novel critiques the optimism of technological progress and its potential to create a society that values stability and happiness over humanity and freedom.

Published in 1949, '1984' is a cautionary tale by George Orwell that explores the dangers of totalitarianism. The novel is set in a dystopian future where the world is divided into three super-states, with the protagonist Winston Smith living in Oceania, ruled by the mysterious and omnipotent leader Big Brother. Winston works at the Ministry of Truth, where he rewrites historical records to conform to the Party's ever-changing narrative. He begins an illicit love affair with Julia and starts to rebel against the Party, but they are eventually caught and subjected to brutal torture and indoctrination. The novel highlights themes of government surveillance, manipulation of language and history, and the suppression of individual freedom and independent thought.