Geoffrey MillerVerified account

It's a weird time. It's really easy to gain an audience and become a mouthpiece and a "thought leader" for a "movement." Practically anyone can gain some measure of fame. But it's really hard to be in a position of prominence and retain your integrity.

So modern conservatism is led by a lot of people who are utterly intoxicated by the attention, and who've developed the (not terribly impressive) ability to echo simple talking points.

But, lacking the moral fortitude that such a position requires, they become desperate to keep eyes focused on them, and they'll take whatever position is necessary to maintain it

Most conservative pundits take a position on every new issue based on a calculation. They check to see what the rest of us are saying, they take the temperature of the crowd, and they say whatever will get the most "amens" from the Right while triggering the most libs

Pay attention to how this works. The next time there's some big controversy, check which prominent conservatives just come out with their perspective boldly, not caring how it will be perceived, and which ones wait a few ticks to see how the rest of us line up