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The Conservative Soul: Fundamentalism, Freedom, and the Future of the Right
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Average Rating:  out of 32 Reviews
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Price: $14.95
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Sale: $5.00
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Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
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EAN (European Article Number): 9780060934378
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Number of Items: 1
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Binding: Paperback
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Author: Andrew Sullivan
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Publisher: Harper Perennial
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Dewey Decimal Number: 320
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Publication Date: 2007-10-01
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Reading Level: 304
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Description: Today's conservatives support the idea of limited government, but they have increased government's size and power to new heights. They believe in balanced budgets, but they have boosted government spending, debt, and pork to record levels. They believe in national security but launched a reckless, ideological occupation in Iraq that has made us tangibly less safe. They have substituted religion for politics and damaged both. In The Conservative Soul, one of the nation's leading political commentators makes an impassioned call to rescue conservatism from the excesses of the Republican far right, which has tried to make the GOP the first fundamentally religious party in American history. In this bold and powerful book, Andrew Sullivan makes a provocative, prescient, and heartfelt case for a revived conservatism at peace with the modern world, and dedicated to restraining government and empowering individuals to live rich and fulfilling lives.
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Customer Reviews
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Review Summary: A Book for Adolescents, Graduate Students, and Baby Boomers Alike... |
Date: 2008-09-02 |
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Details: As a young adult just beginning to soak in the various philosophies of politics, I would say that this is an excellent book to start with. After scanning through Bryan Burrough's Washington Post review, I'd have to disagree with his statement that Sullivan's book "is not only too polite, but too high-minded to galvanize anyone without a graduate degree in philosophy." Compared to the hyperbolic ramblings of Ann Coulter and Michael Moore, then yes, Burroughs is correct. This is a serious piece of work, but not necessarily a completely esoteric one--this book trumps Coulter and Moore, however, because it is much more accessible than the other two's arguments.
Sullivan assertions are so much more pragmatic, as well--he can be accredited for his respect towards practically everyone in the political spectrum. Even his blatant attack on Robert George's idea of "natural law," which consumed most of the first half of Sullivan's book, was notably well-rounded and treated with considerable respect towards the Fundamentalist Christian movement in the United States.
With that in perspective, everyone--Democrats, Republicans, Fundamentalists, Atheists, seniors and teenagers--should read this book. That is where I think Burrough's argument is flawed; Sullivan's belief is that every individual possesses some kind of itch to break out of the Elks club meetings, Dave Matthews Band concerts, and Coulter/Moore book clubs-- to be skeptical of what every presents itself as a routine--is truly what conservatism stands for.
This book, though lacking "narrative grace" as Burrough rightfully said, can enlighten more than just the post-graduate crowd. Besides, there are a hell of a lot of kids out there today who read the political narratives of Solzhenitsyn and Hobbes; why can't Sullivan be added to that list? |
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Review Summary: Conservativism as Attitude to Life |
Date: 2008-02-08 |
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Details: Andrew Sullivan is one of our premier public intellectuals and a delight to read. Both facts are confirmed by this book. While at first glance you would think he will be making talking points for a political perspective, Sullivan quickly disabuses the reader of such a formulaic approach. Conservatism, while often thought of as a series of political positions, is much more than that. In fact, argues Sullivan, it is an attitude towards life that rejects simplistic, emotional or rationalistic arguments for everything that ails the planet. In constrast to fundamentalism which seems to answer complex questions with ABC answers, the conservative attitude rejects formulas and seems prepared to embrace the questions. Not convinced of the rationalist argument for man's knowing it all, conservatives are actually more comfortable with doubt.
There are critical differences also between conservatives and fundamentalists: one believes in human imperfection, the other in the need for perfection now and forever; one believes in human nature, the other in remaking human nature by an omnipotent God or State; one seeks to preseve the past, the other is about erasing it and starting over afresh (p.72). These differences should lead to parting of the ways, not in radical fundamentalists appropriating what it means to be a conservative.
Today's "conservatives" are all too ready to use the force of government to enforce their vision of virtue (see Iran and Rick Santorum.) This in no way fits the tradition of conservatives who believe freedom is the only condition in which humanity can come to approach virtue. This is not a political book per se, it is deeply philosophical and must be read by more that the politically inclined.
Sullivan argues, for example, that using religion "as a regulatory scheme to keep human beings in line, or as a unifying principle to herd people to the ballot box, is a profound blasphemy." For a person of faith such a denigration of faith-as-politics should be deeply distrubing, yet the radical fundamentalist finds no contradiction.
Sullivan is exceptionally well versed in the works of Hobbes, Montaigne, Leo Straus (who receives a reprieve from other interpreters) and the genius of Michael Oakeshott. His ease with these thinkers and his ability to relate and apply conservative principles to current events contributes a refreshingly candid and brilliant reappraisal of the soul of conservatism as an attitude towards life. Burke and Kirk would certainly appreciate this addition. Most of today's conservatives, and liberals, could learn alot from this book too. |
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Review Summary: Anti- Protestant Conservatism? |
Date: 2008-01-02 |
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Details: Though I'm in general agreement that Bush has screwed up the conservative movement, I can't help but think that Sullivan's screed is really about an age old conflict between protestants and Catholics, with Sullivan carrying the banner for Catholics.
Sullivan is Catholic who denounces "Religious Extremism" of the evangelical right as part of what's wrong with conservatism. Trouble is, his critiques of what he calls "religious extremism" aren't all that different than what Catholics have always said about protestants in general.
For example, one characteristic of what he calls "religious extremism" is a more "literal" interpretation of the bible. The greater emphasis on scripture is what defines protestants.
"Sola scriptura" was a foundational doctrinal principle of the Protestant Reformation held by the reformer Martin Luther and is a definitive principle of Protestants today.
Sola scriptura may be contrasted with Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox teaching, in which doctrine is taught by the teaching authority of the Church, drawing on the "Deposit of Faith", based on what they consider to be "Sacred Tradition", of which Scripture is a subset.
So when he bashes the "religious extremists" it's pretty obvious that he's talking about most Christians who don't happen to be Catholic. |
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Review Summary: Sullivan's recantation |
Date: 2007-06-27 |
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Details: Andrew Sullivan explains at some length, and with some digression, how
he became disenchanted with what he calls the fundamentalist wing of the
current Republican party. His brand of conservatism is Burkean; he considers that the prevailing ideology of the current administration is
not conservative at all, but springs from a tradition of literal evangelism. Some chapters are better than others. The chapter
on sexuality seems labored and occupies more of the book than it should. On the whole, it is an honest and thoughtful book and would be useful reading for people who shared Sullivan's early enthusiasms for the Rovian revolution. |
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Review Summary: Disappointed |
Date: 2007-06-23 |
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Details: Without question, Andrew Sullivan is one of my favorite writers. Even when I do not agree with his analysis of a situation, be it political or philosophical, I find him to be interesting, thoughtful, and passionate. And when it comes to the Bush Administration and the handling of Iraq and other facets of the conflict with Islamic terrorists, I have to say that a good deal of his attitude (though not, I think, development of ideas) has mirrored my own over the course of the past several years. So I was very much looking forward to reading his most recent book, The Conservative Soul. I am also disheartened to say that I was tremendously disappointed. Although there are some interesting nuggets of good ideas buried in the book, I find that on the whole it was sloppy, muddled, disorganized and -- I'm sorry to say -- not very well written. Although I would highly recommend that everyone read Sullivan's blog and essays, I would not recommend this book. |
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