--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A conservative is one who admires…" description: "\"A conservative is one who admires radicals centuries after they're dead.\" — Leo Rosten" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac4/leo-rosten-9943_conservative_a-conservative-is-one-who-admires-radica_2256099.jpg" --- # A conservative is one who admires radicals centuries after… ![“A conservative is one who admires radicals centuries after they're dead.” quote by Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac4/leo-rosten-9943_conservative_a-conservative-is-one-who-admires-radica_2256099.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac4/leo-rosten-9943_conservative_a-conservative-is-one-who-admires-radica_2256099.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac4/leo-rosten-9943_conservative_a-conservative-is-one-who-admires-radica_2256099.jpg) > “A conservative is one who admires radicals centuries after they're dead.” [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Conservatives often idolize past radicals, ignoring the context of their era. **In simple terms:** They admire old rebels without understanding why. Key Takeaway Recognize the historical context of ideas. Themes politics history ideology Mood skeptical reflective Type political historical When to use this quote - political discourse - education - media analysis Key Concepts revisionism nostalgia Questions to Reflect On - What does this say about current political attitudes? - How can we evaluate ideas on their own merits? A Different Perspective Romanticizing the past can hinder progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conservative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conservative/) [Europe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/europe/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [The world of books is the most remarkable creation of man nothing else that he builds ever lasts monuments fall; nations perish; civilization grow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-day/the-world-of-books-is-the-most-remarkable-creation-of-man-nothing-3/) [Clarence Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-day/) > [“They, too, knew this beautiful and harrowing landscape, centuries dead; they'd had the experience of looking up from their books with fifth-century eyes and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-tartt/they-too-knew-this-beautiful-and-harrowing-landscape-centuries-dead/) [donna tartt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-tartt/) > [A hundred thousand men were led By one calf near three centuries dead; They followed still his crooked way And lost a hundred years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-walter-foss/a-hundred-thousand-men-were-led-by-one-calf-near-three-centuries-dead/) [Sam Walter Foss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-walter-foss/) > [The world of books is the most remarkable creation of man. Nothing else that he builds ever lasts. Monuments fall; nations perish; civilizations grow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-day/the-world-of-books-is-the-most-remarkable-creation-of-man-nothing/) [Clarence Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-day/) > [I think that the principle of the Conservative Party is jealousy of liberty and of the people , only qualified by fear ; but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-gladstone/i-think-that-the-principle-of-the-conservative-party-is-jealousy-of/) [William E. Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-e-gladstone/) > [When New Labour came to power, we got a Right-wing Conservative government. I came to realise that voting Labour wasn't in Scotland's interests any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-reid/when-new-labour-came-to-power-we-got-a-right-wing-conservative/) [Jimmy Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-reid/) > [Voting Liberal is a non-thing. Historically, it might be a good idea to have a Conservative government, because change is a good thing. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mortimer/voting-liberal-is-a-non-thing-historically-it-might-be-a-good-idea-to/) [John Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mortimer/) > [Pat Buchanan... was fired by MSNBC for doing nothing more than voicing his rock-solid conservative thoughts on the otherwise failing network... The real message…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nugent/pat-buchanan-was-fired-by-msnbc-for-doing-nothing-more-than-voicing/) [Ted Nugent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nugent/) > [In Europe the world of fashion is too conservative, very eighties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miuccia-prada/in-europe-the-world-of-fashion-is-too-conservative-very-eighties/) [Miuccia Prada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miuccia-prada/) > [The conservative movement is about government playing its important yet limited role, and about not falling into the trap of believing that every problem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/the-conservative-movement-is-about-government-playing-its-important/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [The shortest way to change a radical into a conservative, a liberal into a tyrant, a man into a beast, is to give him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-tucker/the-shortest-way-to-change-a-radical-into-a-conservative-a-liberal/) [Benjamin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-tucker/) > [Currently intellectuals in Western Europe and North America are extremely demoralized and shaken by the rise of a virulent conservative tendency (which some have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/currently-intellectuals-in-western-europe-and-north-america-are/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [“But for a younger generation of conservative operatives who would soon rise to power... They were true believers who meant what they said, whether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/but-for-a-younger-generation-of-conservative-operatives-who-would/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [“If your idea disturbs a conservative man, hang onto it," I said to myself. "It will probably lead to important discoveries.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fatema-mernissi/if-your-idea-disturbs-a-conservative-man-hang-onto-it-i-said-to/) [Fatema Mernissi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fatema-mernissi/) > [I think that conservative principles have a broad appeal, and you should state them boldly, and the point of a Conservative election is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-rees-mogg/i-think-that-conservative-principles-have-a-broad-appeal-and-you/) [Jacob Rees-Mogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-rees-mogg/) ## More by Leo Rosten > [Truth is stranger than fiction; fiction has to make sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/truth-is-stranger-than-fiction-fiction-has-to-make-sense/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [There was no answer, no solution, no sop, no deliverance. What, then, did I do? I read faster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/there-was-no-answer-no-solution-no-sop-no-deliverance-what-then-did-i/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [People say: idle curiosity. The one thing that curiosity cannot be is idle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/people-say-idle-curiosity-the-one-thing-that-curiosity-cannot-be-is/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [Everyone, in some small sacred sanctuary of the self, is nuts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/everyone-in-some-small-sacred-sanctuary-of-the-self-is-nuts/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [ What's green, hangs on a wall and whistles? \[A Herring\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/what-s-green-hangs-on-a-wall-and-whistles-a-herring/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [Dogs are getting bigger, according to a leading dog manufacturer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/dogs-are-getting-bigger-according-to-a-leading-dog-manufacturer/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [Acting is a form of deception, and actors can mesmerize themselves almost as easily as an audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/acting-is-a-form-of-deception-and-actors-can-mesmerize-themselves/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [Her cooking suggested she had attended the Cordon Noir.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/her-cooking-suggested-she-had-attended-the-cordon-noir/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [“The purpose of life is not to be happy—but to matter, to be productive, to be useful, to have it make some difference that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/the-purpose-of-life-is-not-to-be-happy-but-to-matter-to-be-productive/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [For some not to be martyrs is martyrdom indeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/for-some-not-to-be-martyrs-is-martyrdom-indeed/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [“Anybody who hates dogs and babies can't be all bad.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/anybody-who-hates-dogs-and-babies-can-t-be-all-bad/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [O, to be sure, we laugh less and play less and wear uncomfortable disguises like adults, but beneath the costume is the child we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/o-to-be-sure-we-laugh-less-and-play-less-and-wear-uncomfortable/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [Where was it ever promised us that life on this earth can ever be easy, free from conflict and uncertainty, devoid of anguish and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/where-was-it-ever-promised-us-that-life-on-this-earth-can-ever-be/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [First-rate people hire first-rate people; second-rate people hire third-rate people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/first-rate-people-hire-first-rate-people-second-rate-people-hire/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [The purpose of life is not to be happy, the purpose of life is to matter..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/the-purpose-of-life-is-not-to-be-happy-the-purpose-of-life-is-to/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) [Explore all 69 Leo Rosten quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) ## More Conservative quotes > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [There's no authoritarian structure at Reed College, but the education is conservative. So what you have is a lot of students who are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/there-s-no-authoritarian-structure-at-reed-college-but-the-education/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [Progressive Conservative candidates from Quebec want to exert real power in Ottawa, not simply be content with playing a secondary role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-campbell/progressive-conservative-candidates-from-quebec-want-to-exert-real/) [Kim Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-campbell/) > [Play small ball. Get back to basics. I would say that you need to be a conservative, but you need to maintain your independent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-tantaros/play-small-ball-get-back-to-basics-i-would-say-that-you-need-to-be-a/) [Andrea Tantaros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-tantaros/) > [I am a conservative type of person, so sometimes when I'm chilling with myself, people always come ask me, 'What's wrong with you? What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-wonder/i-am-a-conservative-type-of-person-so-sometimes-when-i-m-chilling/) [Wayne Wonder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-wonder/) > [In the Tea Party era, it is the restless conservative Republican who has become passion's plaything, the toy of impetuous romance, an erotomania only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/in-the-tea-party-era-it-is-the-restless-conservative-republican-who/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [I'm a principle liberty, rule-of-law Conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-o-toole/i-m-a-principle-liberty-rule-of-law-conservative/) [Erin O'Toole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-o-toole/) > [I would say I'm a fiscal conservative and a social liberal, if that contradiction can make sense, because in Bolivia, we have a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/i-would-say-i-m-a-fiscal-conservative-and-a-social-liberal-if-that/) [Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/) > [My dad's quite a conservative person, and he brought me up to be very questioning of the commercial world. He looked down on pop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-and-the-diamonds/my-dad-s-quite-a-conservative-person-and-he-brought-me-up-to-be-very/) [Marina and the Diamonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-and-the-diamonds/) > [To all conservative women out there: If you are so sure the embryo needed for stem cell research are precious human life that can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/to-all-conservative-women-out-there-if-you-are-so-sure-the-embryo/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [There are a lot of conservative people, a lot of moderate people, Republicans, Democrats, in Hollywood. It is just that the conservative people by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/there-are-a-lot-of-conservative-people-a-lot-of-moderate-people/) [Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/) > [“Those who consider themselves ‘Conservative’ frequently identify with family values, so they should consider carefully the fact that in 1960, only 18% of women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-befumo/those-who-consider-themselves-conservative-frequently-identify-with/) [Joseph Befumo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-befumo/) > [A faithfully kept program of savings and conservative investments can give you more money and a better life than that of your neighbors who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-bryant-quinn/a-faithfully-kept-program-of-savings-and-conservative-investments-can/) [Jane Bryant Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-bryant-quinn/) > [Conservative political opinion in America cleaves to the tradition of the judge as passive interpreter, believing that his absolute loyalty to authoritative law is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/learned-hand/conservative-political-opinion-in-america-cleaves-to-the-tradition-of/) [Learned Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/learned-hand/) > [Conservative feminism is such an artificial term that doesn't mean much to me. For me conservatism means accepting reality. I acknowledge that there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristina-schroder/conservative-feminism-is-such-an-artificial-term-that-doesn-t-mean/) [Kristina Schroder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristina-schroder/) [Browse all 2,995 Conservative quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conservative/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A conservative is one who admires radicals centuries after they're dead.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Leo Rosten" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/a-conservative-is-one-who-admires-radicals-centuries-after-they-re/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Conservative" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/a-conservative-is-one-who-admires-radicals-centuries-after-they-re/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac4/leo-rosten-9943_conservative_a-conservative-is-one-who-admires-radica_2256099.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac4/leo-rosten-9943_conservative_a-conservative-is-one-who-admires-radica_2256099.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac4/leo-rosten-9943_conservative_a-conservative-is-one-who-admires-radica_2256099.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A conservative is one who admires radicals centuries after they're dead.” — Leo Rosten", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Leo Rosten", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A conservative is one who admires...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/a-conservative-is-one-who-admires-radicals-centuries-after-they-re/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/a-conservative-is-one-who-admires-radicals-centuries-after-they-re/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```