Constitution Cons

‘IN the late 20th century,” wrote the cultural anthropologist Grant McCracken, “there has been a quickening ‘speciation’ among social groups. Teens, for example, were once understood in terms of those who were cool and those who weren’t. But in a guided tour of mall life a few years ago, I had 15 types of teen lifestyle pointed out to me, including heavy-metal rockers, surfer-skaters, b-girls, goths, and punks. Each of these groups sported their own fashion and listened to their own music. The day of the universally known Top 40 list is gone.”

McCracken wrote that way back in 1998. There are, no doubt, many more types of teenagers now. If he ever turned his gaze toward conservatives, he would find the same pattern. The modern conservative was invented a few generations after the teenager, but from the start there have been several types. In the 1950s, conservatism was made up of libertarians, traditionalists, and antiCommunists, with the odd (usually very odd) monarchist sprinkled in.

‘IN the late 20th century,” wrote the cultural anthropologist Grant McCracken, “there has been a quickening ‘speciation’ among social groups. Teens, for example, were once understood in terms of those who were cool and those who weren’t. But in a guided tour of mall life a few years ago, I had 15 types of teen lifestyle pointed out to me, including heavy-metal rockers, surfer-skaters, b-girls, goths, and punks. Each of these groups sported their own fashion and listened to their own music. The day of the universally known Top 40 list is gone.”

McCracken wrote that way back in 1998. There are, no doubt, many more types of teenagers now. If he ever turned his gaze toward conservatives, he would find the same pattern. The modern conservative was invented a few generations after the teenager, but from the start there have been several types. In the 1950s, conservatism was made up of libertarians, traditionalists, and antiCommunists, with the odd (usually very odd) monarchist sprinkled in.