Why Ask Why?

Over at the blog iSteve, Steve Sailer has been blogging Obama for some time. He happened to come upon the work I've done regarding the situation in Kenya, featured it and, as a result, I'm getting a nice little traffic upswing. Thanks and I take my not-wig off to you, sir.

Steve finds it fascinating that Obama and I managed to develop polar opposite political philosophies while having frighteningly similar (but obviously not the same) origins. But long-time readers of this blog will know that our political philosophies were not so opposite once upon a time.

I don't know why I went one way and Obama went the other. Some might think that his Ivy League education is the factor. Perhaps. However, I suspect that there are three additional issues which make up part of the difference: 1) my upbringing was not foreign (his was partially), 2) I grew up without the type of identity crises which the senator seems to have experienced* and 3) my parents are still around for me to argue with.

But, of course, these factors by themselves or even considered as a whole don't necessarily lead to conservatism. Sometimes the answers to such questions aren't immediately at hand. Sometimes the answer is--Grace.

[Re-edited with more caffeine]

*IMO, this is due to his being biracial. Now, careful. I'm not saying that all--or even most--biracial persons experience this. But his biracial-ness coupled with the fact that both parents essentially abandoned him had to cause him to ask "who am I" for quite some time.

Comments

[Phelps]

I think it is simpler than that. Your ambitions were patriotic and personal, while his were political and public. You both went down paths that allowed you to accomplish your ambitions.

I think it is pretty clear that your current views would not facilitate personal political success in our current atmosphere.

[beautifulatrocities]

And sometimes people just never grow up. Liberal bromides about "fairness" & "justice" appeal to immature minds. Secret: once upon a time I subscribed to the Nation! SHHHH! But eventually, I found liberalism's arguments & subtexts fatuous & inauthentic.

The landscape is full of former liberals who've grown up, but aside from David Brock, I can't think of any former conservatives

Hi, btw!

[baldilocks]

Jeff! But I repeat myself.

[DarkStar]

"Justice and fairness" is an appeal to immature minds.

OH. GOOD. LORD!

You have the mental IQ of a gnat.

[baldilocks]

:::cough:::

[Samantha Pierce]

"Liberal bromides about "fairness" & "justice" appeal to immature minds."

If by this it is meant the attitude that everyone gets the same regardless of what they actually need then yes that kind of thinking does appeal to the immature mind. In fact it is the product of an immature mind.

"Fairness" to other students is often an excuse used to deny help to students with learning disabilities who would flourish with just a few adjustments to how teachers deal with them.

It takes a bit of growing up and insight to recognize that what is good for the goose is not always good for the gander.

[DarkStar]

Now, if the poster had written what Sam did, my keyboard would have never met my fingers on this one.

HOWEVER....

Bring up "fairness and justice" concerning, ohhh, I don't know, the death penalty, and what what many hard core supporters of the death penalty say. Like, ferxample, "If a person who didn't do the crime is executed, that's the price we have to pay" or some such nonsense and tell me if thinking that viewpoint is wrong is liberal.