"Natural Conservatives"

As if we already didn't know that David Brooks is, at his intellectual core, a liberal.

VDare: David Brooks Goes Beyond Self-Parody

David Brooks promotes the meme about immigrants being natural conservatives - family values, socially conservative, traditional values, religious etc. He may be repulsed by the idea that some form of "ethnocentricism" is part of conservatism or "traditional" values, but preferring to be with one's own "kind" (or ethnic group) because one has more in common with them and identifies with them more is a natural inclination, even if it is weaker than the inclination to associate with those who are of the same "kind" and culture.

What is basic to human nature? "Real" conservatives acknowledging reality, human nature and its inclinations, rather than seek to impose their utopian vision on reality because they adhere to some Cartesian/dualist heresy, even if they happen to be materialists. ("Blank slate" and all that.)

If one's community is defined primarily by one's ethnicity then is not the love of one's ethnic group part of conservatism? Brooks believes in America the abstraction. Consistent liberals may acknowledge that family is important (and thus psychologically beneficial) if the individual makes that choice. But do they scoff at the notion that individuals have 'natural' duties to their kin?

At any rate, the traditional values that Brooks lauds only goes as far as the love of family; Brooks has very little understanding of what authentic community is--otherwise he would understand how admitting people with different cultures, identities, and loyalties would undermine community.