Crunchy Cons: How Birkenstocked Burkeans, Gun-Loving Organic Gardeners, Evangelical Free-Range Farmers, Hip Homeschooling Mamas, Rig

Humorous and thought provoking. Not just a political, current events book and not just another jab in the liberal vs. conservative sparring match. Content is not limited to what the media proffers. Delves into areas not commonly discussed in conservative circles yet will likely strike a chord and awaken a dormant sensibility about life as a whole. Includes very timely topics for those concerned about the safety of our food supply, a need for greater conservation efforts as stewards of God's creation, as well as discussions on consumerism, home, education, and religion. Provides affirmation to those who quietly lead their lives trying to apply time-tested, biblical principles to all areas of life, against the stream of popular culture. Encourages us to be involved in our government processes, while not mistaking the government as a god and savior. Exhorts us to look inwardly and realign our own personal lives first, to focus on the "Permanent Things" with an underlying conviction that "...the institution most essential to conserve is the family." I may not agree whole-heartedly with everything Mr. Dreher says, but I have read this book twice now. (Can't say that about a lot books). He gives direction to a hope that the chasm between conservatives and liberals need not continue to be so vast and filled with vitriol. There is some common ground. We need to seek it and begin to mingle with those who never see real true conservatives or real Christians and only possess the stereotypical "dangerous" or cartoon images incessantly portrayed by the media. By ignoring some of the issues "highjacked" and repackaged by liberals, we are ignoring a part of our soul that has been created in God's image, which in turn prevents us from experiencing joy and the abundant life. Read this book and prepare to be challenged, enlightened, and empowered to define and live a better, more meaningful life.

I suppose I count myself in as a "Crunchy Con" because he is describing me and my family spot on. I am convinced this is the real base of self-described conservatives in America. The big business types are an influencial block, but it is those of us who are centered on "The Permanent Things" (God, marriage, family, neighbor, community, and good stewardship of the created world) who fill the so-called "Red States". Whether or not we remain within the Republican party will largely be determined by the Party's future faithfulness to these "Permanent Things." Super analysis.

I've been a Democrat all my life until I registered as Republican so I could vote for John McCain during the 2000 primaries and now I'm trying to decide whether or not to just go Independent. I'm totally fed up with the polarization of the masses brought on by the two political parties. As Rod says, "...there's one thing we should definitely keep out: the nasty spirit of intolerance and incivility that dominates American political and social debate today. Life is too precious, and too important, to waste taking seriously people like the liberals who laughed at the prospect of bombing a Baptist chuch, or conservatives who talk of liberals not as if they were human beings but enemies to be destroyed". Once I started reading this book, I could not put the book down. I found myself saying "Yes, exactly so" to almost everything Rod had to say. I highly recommend this book to people on the right or the left who are fed up with the crass consumerism running rampant today. I grew up in small town America, in Red State Kansas. I didn't understand until I read this book, how utterly rooted in conservatism I am. If you are also fed up with current politics, please read this book - then pass it on to family and friends.

The best way to describe the book is "reorientation." Rod, a conservative Roman Catholic, has done just that: he took a step back, reaffirmed his faith, and reoriented his life around his faith. The results were a bit surprising. But the first step is orientation (or reorientation, as the case might be): Rod argues that a return to metaphysics is in order, especially if that metaphysics is an orthodox religion. An orthodox religion, broadly speaking, is one that promotes virtue and the virtuous life; thus, in a way, we have a return to the more ancient view of living well. It is this proper orientation (virtue through faith) that leads Rod (and others like him) to be both crunchy and conservative. Rod's faith led him to what has become the standard conservative social/domestic politics of the past few decades: anti-abortion, pro-free market, and pro-family (broadly speaking in all cases). But Rod and the Crunchy Cons claim that most Republicans (the closest thing to conservatives in the government) only pay lip service to these ideals. Thus we have the second (re)-orientation: towards family and especially towards community. Indeed, Rod even agrees with Hillary Clinton that it takes a village to raise a child (yep, Crunchy Cons have some strange bedfellows). Rod argues very strongly for a return to the communities of yesteryear, when people sat on their porches at night and had neighbors over for dinner. Nowadays, people live in their "McMansions," trying to keep up with the Jones' by buying the latest and greatest, all on the justification of the "free market" and "individual liberty." So, a return to community-based society also coincides with an attack against consumerism and license. Rod is very clear that he is not against a free market, broadly speaking. But a free market ought not to be used to justify, for example, the destruction of old and historic neighborhoods, or the over-consumption of material goods. Therefore, some government intervention or regulation may be required to protect communities and families from unbridled consumerism/license. Of course, if the community at large re-orients itself toward religion and morality, seeking virtue instead of the here and now, these regulations would be unnecessary. Until then, Crunchy Cons need to do all they can to protect themselves, their loved ones, and society at large from rampant consumerism (really, just another form of license). With the re-orientation through virtue towards the family, Rod discusses the issue of homeschooling. It is perfectly Crunch Con to homeschool. In fact, it's desirable: it allows children and parents to become closer, it helps manage the household better (one parent stays at home), and it provides a strong moral and religious upbringing that public schooling cannot (and will not) provide. Rod (or rather his wife) homeschools his sons and is pleased with the results. Therefore, Crunchy Cons also need to seek policies that allow for better regulations regard

With Crunchy Cons, Rod Dreher has contributed something fresh and new to the standard Left-Right debate in this country. The goal of the author is clearly to ignite a conversation about just what it means to be a conservative. Dreher argues for a conservativism that emphasizes the interests of families over the interests of big business. Business relationships should be based on more than the bottom line. Small businesses with deep ties to the community are worth conserving. The drab sameness of our suburban sprawl is sucking the life out of us. Efficiency is not preferable to beauty. If you turn your children over to "the culture" to be raised by the public schools and institutional day-care you will have little or no control over what they learn or how they turn out. Maybe the amazing beauty of this land is worth preserving. Maybe that is even conservative? This is a thought provoking book written in a personal and engaging style. The questions it raises are important and the solutions it offers work. If you have grown tired the rhetoric that passes for political debate these days, if you are equally put off by the laissez faire morality of the left and the Republican devotion to the profits of real estate developers against all that is worth conserving, you will love this book. A final thought... the "Crunchy Con Manifesto" at the beginning of the book, and the last chapter entitled "Waiting For Benedict" are alone worth the price of the book.