About me

Since blogs are often expressions of personal opinion, many people like to have a more general idea about the person who is writing, a sort of indication of where they are coming from. So here, for those who want to know, is a guide to my general point of view as a writer (thanks, Kierkegaard!)

First, I’m an Orthodox Christian, and that, I hope, influences my worldview and point of view as a writer.

Second, I’m a liberal.

But that needs to be qualified. I’m a political liberal, not an economic or theological liberal.

I believe that theological liberalism leads to political conservatism and vice versa. As G.K. Chesterton once put it, one should always be changing the world to fit the vision, not always changing one’s vision to fit the world . Theological liberals never change the world, because they will always change their theology to find one more fashionable. So they are forever creating a theology of this and a theology of that and a theology of something else.

And not being an economic liberal means I have little sympathy with the economic views of neoliberals and American libertarians. I have quite a lot of sympathy with the views of Anarcho-Syndicalists, though they would probably not acknowledge me as one of their own.

I used to be Anglican, and was sometimes asked about my Churchmanship. That sort of thing is important to Anglicans, or used to be when I was one. If anyone is wondering, it is Revolutionary Orthodox (which is an entirely different thing from an orthodox revolutionary). Google “Death to the World”, “Youth of the Apocalypse” and “the last true rebellion” if you want to learn more.

I am pro-life.

Which means that I am

• anti-abortion
• anti-capital punishment
• anti-war

It you want to know about where I stand politically in more graphic detail, see Taking your political temperature | Notes from underground.

In terms of Samuel Huntington’s Clash of civilizations I’m a walking clash all by myself, with the fault lines running right through me, because I am

• African by birth
• Western by education
• Orthodox by second birth (birth from above)

And I’m INTP.

“INTPs are relatively easy-going and amenable to most anything until their principles are violated, about which they may become outspoken and inflexible. They prefer to return, however, to a reserved albeit benign ambiance, not wishing to make spectacles of themselves.”

Yeah, that figures.

Ready to make your stereotype/cliche yet?

Oh yes, stereotypes/cliches are images based on outmoded technology (hot-metal typesetting, in case you didn’t know). That should indicate to you that I’m also a curmudgeonly old fart who can still remember such things, doesn’t have an iPod, and doesn;t know what a Wii is, and can’t understand why Paris Hilton is more popular than Tshwane Sheraton.

If you need to know more, here are eight things about me that not everyone knows, or you could  try the following web page, and follow the links: Steve Hayes – personal links and contact information