The Right Needs Class

Throughout most of European history, men were raised to admire noble rulers and heroic figures. A great deal of respect was shown towards those who displayed qualities of leadership - particularly towards those who built empires, conquered kingdoms, and explored new lands. Among men, there was a constant aspiration to better the self - to become someone that others could admire. Men dreamed of maximizing their potential in every respect - leading many to do the unthinkable. Even those who were incapable of this rarely glorified their inability to achieve what they wanted. 

The hierarchical nature of European society meant that those at the bottom still admired those at the top, and hoped that they too could one day rise above. This hierarchy and the drive among men to climb to the top of it in part made European Civilization so great. It’s the masculine impulse that led Columbus to the seas and Napoleon to the battlefields. It is what led Henry Ford to popularize the automobile and what drove Newton to the Royal Society. All born to humble backgrounds, at no point did these men hope to remain there. At no point did they glorify the times of their lives when they did not have the achievements, wealth, status, or class that they one day would. 

Today, the conservative movement in America, which popularizes itself as a movement intent on preserving Western Civilization, largely neglects this. We spend our time whining about the evils of rich people while glorifying poverty. Our music comes from country singers who dress as if they live in a trailer park and whine about “rich men north of Richmond.” Even at the higher level, we often shun academia itself, rather than merely discussing how it’s been perverted by bad actors. Our politicians have picked up on this too - it has become common for Republican candidates to market themselves as “poor” or “down to earth,” while the truth could not be further from that. Candidates like Mike Pence pretend to fill up tanks of gas (without selecting the fuel grade), and Nikki Haley pretends to fly commercial in campaign ads. Even among candidates who pride themselves as being further to the right, we see the same tactics. 

Conservatives think it’s cool to act unintelligent and low-class. It is an insult to our ancestors who built our civilization and achieved wonders so that we could be here today. For decades, the left has been propelling our society into hedonism, degeneracy, and downfall - while the Conservative movement, hell-bent on “saving the West,” prides itself on being unintelligent and impoverished. This will doom our movement to failure and get us nowhere. So where do we go from here?

Well, there is an alternative. While populism can be a great tool for the conservative movement, we cannot allow ourselves to stoop to low levels. We cannot rescind our class or our nobility. Like the great men of the past, we must treat ourselves with respect and remember that we are the progeny of the men who created the modern world. We must remember that our potential is as high as theirs - the creation of the West is not merely in the past; there is more to come. We must speak proper English, dress well, promote excellence, and conduct ourselves nobly. 

What’s more, we must disassociate from those who prove to be incapable of this. There is no need to glorify poverty or idiocy, nor is there any use in getting fat and being lazy. Rather than resenting elitism itself, we must aspire to become elite ourselves. Although these things may seem insignificant or petty to many, our habits will shape who we are, which will determine our future. Just as the Russians and the Chinese hold themselves to high standards, we must follow suit. 

The true essence of our populism should not be that those at the top stoop down to join those at the bottom, but rather that those at the top lift up the Americans at the bottom so that they can rise to the top. By taking ourselves more seriously, others will show us greater respect. It is with this mindset that we can effectively counteract the left and the forces that seek to destroy the West.