---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In its worse forms, conservatism is a…"
description: "\"In its worse forms, conservatism is a matter of 'I hate strangers and anything that's different.'\" — P. J. O'Rourke"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91a/p-j-o-rourke-184_anything_in-its-worse-forms-conservatism-is-a-mat_1937342.png"
---

#  In its worse forms, conservatism is a matter of 'I hate…

![“In its worse forms, conservatism is a matter of 'I hate strangers and anything that's different.'” quote by P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91a/p-j-o-rourke-184_anything_in-its-worse-forms-conservatism-is-a-mat_1937342.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91a/p-j-o-rourke-184_anything_in-its-worse-forms-conservatism-is-a-mat_1937342.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91a/p-j-o-rourke-184_anything_in-its-worse-forms-conservatism-is-a-mat_1937342.png)

> “In its worse forms, conservatism is a matter of 'I hate strangers and anything that's different.'”

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Conservatism can reduce to fear of outsiders and difference.

**In simple terms:** Fear of difference drives some conservatism.

Key Takeaway

Question assumptions about others.

Themes

politics fear identity

Mood

skeptical critical thoughtful

Type

political philosophical

When to use this quote

- political discourse
- immigration debates
- community building
- education

Key Concepts

social psychology ideology

Questions to Reflect On

- What experiences have shaped your view of strangers?
- How can dialogue reduce fear of difference?

A Different Perspective

Overgeneralizing ignores nuanced beliefs.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Conservatism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conservatism/) [Europe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/europe/) [Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate/) [Strangers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strangers/)

## Related quotes

> [Of course there are different forms of conservatism. I would say just analytically that the Republican Party is more thoroughly conservative and the Democratic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-kristol/of-course-there-are-different-forms-of-conservatism-i-would-say-just/)

[William Kristol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-kristol/)

> [Even now I can't stand being recognized in the street. I just hate it when strangers come up and try to talk to me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-nail/even-now-i-can-t-stand-being-recognized-in-the-street-i-just-hate-it/)

[Jimmy Nail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-nail/)

> [Our eyes and brains pretty consistently like some human forms better than others. Shown photos of strangers, even babies look longer at the faces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-postrel/our-eyes-and-brains-pretty-consistently-like-some-human-forms-better/)

[Virginia Postrel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-postrel/)

> [We Americans, who invented traffic, are always being startled by the forms into which it has evolved around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/we-americans-who-invented-traffic-are-always-being-startled-by-the/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [Fiscal conservatism is just an easy way to express something that is a bit more difficult, which is that the size and scope of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/fiscal-conservatism-is-just-an-easy-way-to-express-something-that-is/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [When I'm talking about depression, I'm talking about the more severe forms of depression, and I think that conceptualising as a form of grief…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-redfield-jamison/when-i-m-talking-about-depression-i-m-talking-about-the-more-severe/)

[Kay Redfield Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-redfield-jamison/)

> [On February 7, 2.2 million Haitians went to the polls and exercised their constitutional right to select a leader. They went by foot, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-foley/on-february-7-2-2-million-haitians-went-to-the-polls-and-exercised/)

[Mark Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-foley/)

> [These men were religious when the spirit of religion was buried in forms and ceremonies, and when the priesthood had armed itself with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-a-hitchcock/these-men-were-religious-when-the-spirit-of-religion-was-buried-in/)

[Ethan A. Hitchcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-a-hitchcock/)

> [“We all have something to give, in different gracious forms.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/we-all-have-something-to-give-in-different-gracious-forms/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [“...justice comes in many forms.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-chamberlain/justice-comes-in-many-forms/)

[Diane Chamberlain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-chamberlain/)

> [Death is the mother of forms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/death-is-the-mother-of-forms/)

[Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/)

> [I was always interested in photography and other forms of art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-baryshnikov/i-was-always-interested-in-photography-and-other-forms-of-art/)

[Mikhail Baryshnikov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-baryshnikov/)

> [All different forms of human expression, art, science, are going to become expanded, by expanding our intelligence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kurzweil/all-different-forms-of-human-expression-art-science-are-going-to/)

[Ray Kurzweil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kurzweil/)

> [I'm a huge stadium rock fan, but I'm also a fan of everything from Massive Attack to Peter Gabriel, U2, the Police, Radiohead, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-delonge/i-m-a-huge-stadium-rock-fan-but-i-m-also-a-fan-of-everything-from/)

[Tom DeLonge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-delonge/)

> [Scotland forms a crucial part of our Armed Forces which should not be jeopardised by rushed cuts or a rush to the exit from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-hammond/scotland-forms-a-crucial-part-of-our-armed-forces-which-should-not-be/)

[Philip Hammond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-hammond/)

## More by P. J. O'Rourke

> [I'm fascinated by political enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-m-fascinated-by-political-enthusiasm/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [In comparative terms, there's no poverty in America by a long shot. Heritage Foundation political scientist Robert Rector has worked up figures showing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/in-comparative-terms-there-s-no-poverty-in-america-by-a-long-shot/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [The Democrats said, "We don't know what's wrong with America, but we can fix it." The Republicans said, "There's nothing wrong with America, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/the-democrats-said-we-don-t-know-what-s-wrong-with-america-but-we-can/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [At Epcot Center the Disney corporation has focused its attention on two things greatly in need of Disneyfication: the tedious future and the annoying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/at-epcot-center-the-disney-corporation-has-focused-its-attention-on/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [So-called Western Civilization, as practised in half of Europe, some of Asia and a few parts of North America, is better than anything else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/so-called-western-civilization-as-practised-in-half-of-europe-some-of/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [My whole family can talk. They are all car salesmen. They are all funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/my-whole-family-can-talk-they-are-all-car-salesmen-they-are-all-funny/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [It was Ronald Reagan who used to say that the 10 most frightening words in the English language are, "I'm from the federal government,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/it-was-ronald-reagan-who-used-to-say-that-the-10-most-frightening/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [Gun violence has cost us too many political leaders, and hardly ever the worst ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/gun-violence-has-cost-us-too-many-political-leaders-and-hardly-ever/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [Pete Seeger is a modest, unassuming, cheerful, and kind-natured man. He's a good folk singer, if you can stand folk singing. And he's such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/pete-seeger-is-a-modest-unassuming-cheerful-and-kind-natured-man-he-s/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [Journalists are notoriously easy to kid. All you have to do is speak to a journalist in a very serious tone of voice, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/journalists-are-notoriously-easy-to-kid-all-you-have-to-do-is-speak/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [I like to think of my behavior in the sixties as a 'learning experience.' Then again, I like to think of anything stupid I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-like-to-think-of-my-behavior-in-the-sixties-as-a-learning/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [I'll be 56 this year, I've got two kids, and I think it's probably time to go back to writing one-glove jokes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-ll-be-56-this-year-i-ve-got-two-kids-and-i-think-it-s-probably-time/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [Something that comes to us, some gym shoe that comes to us as a result of child labor from a brutal dictatorship, where people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/something-that-comes-to-us-some-gym-shoe-that-comes-to-us-as-a-result/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [Russians not only vehemently despise blacks, they believe Africa begins at the Ukraine border.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/russians-not-only-vehemently-despise-blacks-they-believe-africa/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [Now, do I think the baby boomers tend to be self-absorbed? I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/now-do-i-think-the-baby-boomers-tend-to-be-self-absorbed-i-do/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

[Explore all 983 P. J. O'Rourke quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

## More Anything quotes

> [I guess I've never really wanted to be anything else. I've never even thought about having another job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-farrell/i-guess-i-ve-never-really-wanted-to-be-anything-else-i-ve-never-even/)

[Owen Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-farrell/)

> [I would give anything to be able to kick a ball with my son or read the kids a bedtime story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-burrow/i-would-give-anything-to-be-able-to-kick-a-ball-with-my-son-or-read/)

[Rob Burrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-burrow/)

> [Comfort food is really anything you want at that time. That said, I really love Naple-style pizza.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-zakarian/comfort-food-is-really-anything-you-want-at-that-time-that-said-i/)

[Geoffrey Zakarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-zakarian/)

> [I haven't shut any doors, and I'm really open to anything, so I think it's just about the material and what is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-panabaker/i-haven-t-shut-any-doors-and-i-m-really-open-to-anything-so-i-think/)

[Danielle Panabaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-panabaker/)

> [When it really comes down to it, the job you do is more important and is more representative of who you are than your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cudlitz/when-it-really-comes-down-to-it-the-job-you-do-is-more-important-and/)

[Michael Cudlitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cudlitz/)

> [The reason I'm drawn to it is - both the off road racing and the motorcycles on the track - it takes a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dax-shepard/the-reason-i-m-drawn-to-it-is-both-the-off-road-racing-and-the/)

[Dax Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dax-shepard/)

> [I never did drama at school. I did it for one term, when it was compulsory, and I hated it. Tennis was the main…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-mitchell/i-never-did-drama-at-school-i-did-it-for-one-term-when-it-was/)

[Luke Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-mitchell/)

> [We live in such a special time when literally anything we can think of is possible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-willey/we-live-in-such-a-special-time-when-literally-anything-we-can-think/)

[Daniel Willey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-willey/)

> [You know, I'm from Baltimore; nobody has anything. When somebody had talent, I was hiring my uncle, my cousin, you know? Getting people that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sisqo/you-know-i-m-from-baltimore-nobody-has-anything-when-somebody-had/)

[Sisqo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sisqo/)

> [I said to my agent, 'I want short, sharp, well-paid jobs because I haven't got time for anything else.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-whitelaw/i-said-to-my-agent-i-want-short-sharp-well-paid-jobs-because-i-haven/)

[Billie Whitelaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-whitelaw/)

> [I think anything that anyone writes thats any good is going to have a lot of autobiography.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-adly-guirgis/i-think-anything-that-anyone-writes-thats-any-good-is-going-to-have-a/)

[Stephen Adly Guirgis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-adly-guirgis/)

> [If the Bible is correct, and the Earth is only 6,000 years old, that means there were no dinosaurs, and museum curators have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-shock/if-the-bible-is-correct-and-the-earth-is-only-6-000-years-old-that/)

[Ron Shock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-shock/)

> [Don't do anything drastic like getting your eyebrows tattooed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-lee/don-t-do-anything-drastic-like-getting-your-eyebrows-tattooed/)

[Greta Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-lee/)

> [Whenever you define family as anything other than a man and a woman married together, you have just introduced an ethical nightmare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-evans/whenever-you-define-family-as-anything-other-than-a-man-and-a-woman/)

[Tony Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-evans/)

> [No lusting after your neighbor's house - or wife or servant or maid or ox or donkey. Don't set your heart on anything that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moses/no-lusting-after-your-neighbor-s-house-or-wife-or-servant-or-maid-or/)

[Moses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moses/)

Browse all 9,437 Anything quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "In its worse forms, conservatism is a matter of 'I hate strangers and anything that's different.'",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "P. J. O'Rourke"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/in-its-worse-forms-conservatism-is-a-matter-of-i-hate-strangers-and/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Anything"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/in-its-worse-forms-conservatism-is-a-matter-of-i-hate-strangers-and/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91a/p-j-o-rourke-184_anything_in-its-worse-forms-conservatism-is-a-mat_1937342.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91a/p-j-o-rourke-184_anything_in-its-worse-forms-conservatism-is-a-mat_1937342.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91a/p-j-o-rourke-184_anything_in-its-worse-forms-conservatism-is-a-mat_1937342.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“In its worse forms, conservatism is a matter of 'I hate strangers and anything that's different.'” — P. J. O'Rourke",
                "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": "P. J. O'Rourke",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "In its worse forms, conservatism is...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/in-its-worse-forms-conservatism-is-a-matter-of-i-hate-strangers-and/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/in-its-worse-forms-conservatism-is-a-matter-of-i-hate-strangers-and/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
