FROM THE ARCHIVES
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George Nash in the WSJ had it right
[Angelo Matera 03/15 04:57 PM]When I first heard of Rod’s book, my reaction was similar to Maggie Gallagher’s — I figured it would be mostly about countercultural aestheticism, and that reviewers would skewer it, not unlike Maggie just did. I guess it was the name. But I was very happy when I discovered the book’s argument had tremendous substance, something George Nash recognized in his WSJ review: Like it or not, Mr. Dreher raises concerns that will not go away. America today is more broadly free and prosperous than any society in human history. We are gloriously "free to choose." But choose what? I was disappointed in Maggie’s review, and I don’t know why she couldn’t see the substance in Rod’s book. I imagine she really does consider our culture a given, and the issues of abortion and sex and marriage too important to risk messing with the conservative coalition.
But the irony is that without the “restless, dissatisfied search for Something More,” her own wonderful work in the area of marriage will come to nothing, because we can’t rely any longer on the native moral conservatism of the folks who moved to Levittown. They’ve been looking the other way for a long time as their sons and daughters have been aborting, divorcing, indulging in porn, etc. These problems won’t be solved by a simple return to “traditional values,” but only through a genuine spiritual revival that addresses the nihilism that afflicts EVERY aspect of our society.
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