I just began watching a BBC documentary on Islamic fundamentalism and neoconservatism titled "The Power of Nightmares." You can watch it here. It's actually quite good.
I've only watched the first part so far and I really like it. The thesis I've caught about the births of these two philosophies is that they were reactions to the emptiness and moral decreptitude of liberalism and selfish individualism that threatened to destroy society.
I think the absence of morality in liberalism is something that has ultimately lead to its downfall, as is the absence of empathy. Although progressives believe in a degree of moral relativism, not only do we believe that is a moral right in and of itself, but also there are certain fixed morals out there. Furthermore, a progressive's chief value is empathy - the ties that bind us together. I think progressivism is the best answer we have right now to neocons and for the country and the world.
This has also got me thinking about the seemingly inherent contradiction of progressivism - that we are essentially utilitarians (Bentham) but we believe in love thy neighbor (Kant). How exactly are those two intertwined?
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