Conservativism is linked strongly with several demographics:
- Children. More children= more conservative. The number of children per family is on a steady decline.
- Marriage. More marriage = more conservative. The trendline for marriage sucks, and the long term prospects are even worse.
- White. The country is becoming less white rapidly. Especially with the birthrate differential.
- Net taxpayer. Bush in particular was horrible in separating the pain of increased spending from lower-income taxpayers.
- Belonging to a hierarchy. I can't cite numbers here, but free agent nation can't be promoting obedience.
On the other hand, I'd suggest that something I've only figured out these last 5 years has a chance of helping significantly. But I'm a bit slow, and not yet 40. Maybe other folks figure stuff out sooner.
Wisdom > Intelligence.
I don't know how many folks figure this out before they're 30...but if I was a conservative, facing the current demographics...I'd be pushing for an understanding of wisdom as my best hope for the promotion of conservativism...and for that, schooling is among the worst choices. It always promotes intelligence over wisdom.
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Be sure to listen to the Charles Murray lecture that I linked to today.
Basically his argument is that the upper class today is very conservative - not ideologically but in the way they actually live their lives.
He's found that the trend line for children and marriage in the white upper class is as strong as ever.
So, what looks hopeless for society as a whole, looks like the norm for the upper class.
Historically, it's not unusual for lifestyles to spread down from the upper class. Perhaps this is the best hope for conservatives.
I have always said, a Conservative is a Liberal who has been mugged. In a metaphorical sense this also applies to societies.
After the impending hyperinflation from liberal excess, the nation shall turn more conservative, just as Germany did after the inflation of the Weimar Republic.
I'm exhausted from this endless call of hyperinflation. Put your money where your mouth is or shut the fuck up. Give me dates and rates. 20% inflation? 100%? By 2014?
Regarding the post, how does one go about promoting wisdom? I mean, each of those other points have some policy that can presumably alter the trend (or not). But what about wisdom? So, schooling is harmful when it comes to wisdom. What, then promotes it? And what can we do on the margin to increase wisdom?
1. Given my rather contrarian, thick-skinned commentariat, I may not need to remind us all...but civility in the comments is appreciated.
2. Promoting wisdom...wisdom is near impossible to teach. But an appreciation of wisdom can be taught by putting young folks in real situations where older folks are simply far better than they are by virtue of experience. More real life, more mixed-age interaction.
I apologize for the f word. I get carried away when I see repeatedly falsified assertions without any evidence.
As for your suggestions regarding cultivation of wisdom, I suppose the apprenticeship model as promoted by Bryan Caplan should work well. Instead of wasting time and filling kids' heads with nonsense, let them be apprenticed by a competent adult at a reasonably tough job.
Contemplationist
Do we have a definition of wisdom as opposed to intelligence?
And responding to foseti's point about the lower classes copying the upper classes, surely this would be they copy what they THINK the upper classes do?
If you ask the average person how the wealthy live, will they think of doctors and judges, most of whom are married, and have children with the same last name? Or will they think of Charlie Sheen snorting coke off naked hookers and Princess Diana bonking some rich playboy in the back of a speeding mercedes?
Wisdom: The understanding that comes from experience?
So inductive rather than deductive reasoning? Why can't that be taught in schools?
Tradition education was mostly based on experience. It was all history, learning how the Romans did things etc.
In practical terms, because the current crop of teachers have no wisdom...you'd have to fire them all.
In theoretical terms...learning occurs through action, not through instruction. Students needs to see folks who are simply better than they are by virtue of experience...and understand that there's simply nothing that can be done to beat experience on so many levels.
That makes sense.
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