John, Will, and I seem to be in basic agreement that, in a perfect world, localism would be to the twenty-first century what nationalism was to the twentieth (a force to topple empires!), but, as important as conservatism's intellectual renewal is to me, I'd prefer to achieve it in such a way that allowed me to continue to avoid agrarians.
A word of friendly advice to the two people who recommended Wendell Berry to the presidential hopefuls: back away slowly. Localism is fine. Even hyperromanticized localism is fine, if you don't take it too seriously. Disdain for cities is irritatingly backwards and counterproductive. Do you think Wendell Berry cares about your public transit agenda? The width of your sidewalks? Your post-punk music scene? He does not.
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