Wednesday, March 07, 2012
The Age of Independence
I realize that not everyone takes astrology seriously but it's a hobby of mine that I find offers some occasional insights into the archetypal expressions of personality amongst humanity. (More information on astrology and its relation to political concepts and personalities can be found here).
Sun sign generalization isn't always the most accurate or revealing but sometimes I'm struck by such generalizations. Aquarius is the "sign" of independence and free-spirited rebellion. "It" likes to shock and upset expectations. It's the ultimate non-conformist. Of course there are many people born under the sign with a variety of beliefs. But, I think it's noteworthy that among the sign's luminaries are, Ayn Rand, Ronald Reagan, Sarah Palin, and Andrew Breitbart....'just sayin...
The generalization reminds me of something I've observed again and again in my encounters with those who take interest in politics. By far, the most independent-minded and nonconformist in spirit are inevitably conservative. I should first note that, when discussing politics, the generic meaning of "conservative" often does not describe a belief in limited government and a free market. Conservative=traditional is the way most media outlets would like the public to view conservatism and, of course, that perception can be accurate in specific contexts. The mainstream media has often described the Mullahs in Iran as "the conservatives" as they did the party leadership in the former Soviet Union. By their pick and choose definition, a common reader would simply conclude that "conservatism" is, by it's very nature, "the bad guys" - the authoritarian and oppressive. But conservatism, particularly in its libertarian expression, defies the image the left would have us believe. It is often the polar opposite of authoritarian or oppressive. Consevatives don't "love Big Brother."
Again, I can't count the number of stereotypical encounters I've had with people who fancy themselves "rebels" of sorts. These useless idiots really do believe that Che Guevara - a guy who hated rock music, gays, and people of African decent - was a "revolutionary."
What stands out most to me in all my encounters with leftdom is its incredibly blind conformity and stoic pack animal instinct.
Semantics can do wonders in flipping honest appraisal on its head. A true "dawning of the age of Aquarius" will be a period when the individual will rein supreme over his or her own life and genuine diversity of values and lifestyle will flourish, expressed unbridled by the state and lock-step clowns of leftist anti-rebellion.
Again; Rand, Reagan, Palin, and Breitbart. Real rebels for a new age.
