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Russia: Our Worst Enemy?

From First Thoughts

Over at The Atlantic , I explain why Russia isn’t — but would be if we made them. I then explain why we shouldn’t do that, engage in a rare bit of critical race theory, and make another plug for French leadership in Europe. . . . . Continue Reading »

Argot

From First Thoughts

My lighthearted abbreviation of ‘premod’ conservatives (in contrast to pomocons) has inspired John Schwenkler and Conor Friedersdorf to newly subversive heights: “prefab” will be the new term of choice for conservatism of the talk radio variety [ . . . .] In honor of Michael . . . . Continue Reading »

Deconstructing Lifestyle

From First Thoughts

Pomocon ponderings continued: 1. On one end you have a profound way of life , rooted and grounded in a robust and declarative embodiment of the whole . On the other end you have a superficial lifestyle , one option among many chosen for no more and no less than idiosyncratic, contingent, partial . . . . Continue Reading »

Talkin’ Sex Vote Liberaltarian Blues

From First Thoughts

At No Left Turns, friend to pomocons Joe Knippenberg has set off a (mostly) nice conversation on sex vote stuff. He adds: I’d ask another question as well: doesn’t the pursuit of self-gratification in all its forms undermine the responsibility necessary for vindicating one’s . . . . Continue Reading »

Lookin’ Up to Big Brother

From First Thoughts

Over at The Atlantic, I give a synopsis of what I’m on about when talking of the ‘pink police state’ — Orwell’s ‘Big Brother’ meets the big brother who drives a Camaro, goes to community college, and bounces at the local strip club. . . . . Continue Reading »

If Hobbies Were Horses

From First Thoughts

I take the first of several laps around the track with Conor Friedersdorf, who’s doing interviews on Big Ideas for The Atlantic . I’m especially delighted to be able to speak with some coherence about a few concepts that I’ve been kicking around for a while now. First up, our bad . . . . Continue Reading »