The Chart at the Heart of Conservatism

The empowerment of blaming yourself

Being a victim has become popular these days. It’s always been a big thing on the left — blaming others for everything wrong with your life. Racism. Sexism. Billionaires. They’re all somehow making you a loser.

But it’s become popular on the right, these days. There is so much whining about how everything used to be great but now it sucks and it’s because of nebulous others. Then there are the pathetic losers saying the Jews are somehow doing things to make them losers.

I’m sick of it. So here is a great truth. A chart to always remember. It is the heart of conservatism.

See that? If things aren’t going well for you, where is most of the blame?

Now, I can hear some whining. “But no, people are mean to me!” “Everyone is really racist against me!” “Things were cheaper; everything is harder now!”

And I can tell you the best answer to all of that: Shut up and stop whining.

In some extreme cases, that “outside forces” sliver is marginally bigger. But it’s always just a sliver. Because under your choices are infinite things you can do — and that infinite is just growing bigger. Everyone these days is whining how tough they have it with a glowing box in their pocket that connects them to all the world’s knowledge. We have so many more choices and things we can do than our ancestors, yet everyone focuses and whines about that sliver.

Your life is because of your choices. If things suck now, you don’t have to wait for huge changes to society or government — you can just make different choices. Starting today. If things suck, it’s because of you. Embrace the empowerment of knowing you’re the problem, because you control you.

And that is the essence of conservatism.