Politics can be an isolating, draining pursuit. Each day, there are dozens of livestreams to keep up with, articles to read, and situations to monitor on X. Gen Z scratches its political itch by scrolling comment sections and following “influencer beefs.” Keyboard warriors call each other names behind anonymous usernames and AI-generated profile pictures of Romans, pumping out edits of various dictators and anime characters set to electronic dance music. It can be a cringeworthy and soulless pursuit.
This is a fast track to burnout. Politics is a marathon, not a sprint. The conservative movement needs vigorous, energetic young people more than ever, so politically aware young people should, counterintuitively, take some much-needed time off. But I’m not calling for young people to veg out on the couch, playing video games or binging television. I’m not even suggesting you hole up in the library and read. I’m telling you that, as a young conservative, you need to get out in the great outdoors. Not only is it good for your physical health, but it will also make you a better conservative.
America is not, as many have suggested in recent weeks, merely a “creedal” nation. Our creed, enunciated in our founding documents, was integral when America was a fledgling nation, and still guides us today. But the “American identity” was not yet fully formed — it was, as the saying goes, a melting pot of various migrant groups. That identity was further molded by the environment — the Great Plains, the Rocky Mountains, and the Great Lakes are just as much a part of our identity as our Christian roots and philosophical origins. America started as an idea, true, but it was a particular idea held by a particular group of people in a particular place. The American ethos could not have emerged out of ideas alone, with different people and a different place. That’s been tried before — the 1847 Liberian constitution was modeled after our own, and today Liberia is a failed state where cannibal warlords are given quarter.
As conservatives, we seek to preserve this identity, and in order to do so, we must have a healthy respect for the environment that forged it.
Today, the American identity is formed. The melting pot has solidified — Americans are a distinct people, with a distinct cultural heritage shaped by the land that we inhabit. As conservatives, we seek to preserve this identity, and in order to do so, we must have a healthy respect for the environment that forged it. No matter how much you love life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, nothing evokes a sense of national pride like Mt. Rushmore. Nothing gives a greater sense of grandeur than the snowcapped peaks of the Rockies, and there are few things more powerful than a Midwest thunderstorm rolling across the plains. This is an environment that, on the one hand, our forebears subjugated and made livable, but still remains wild and untamed. Americans shaped this land, but this land also shaped us.
Time spent outdoors is also a vital source of spiritual nourishment. It’s one thing to hear about the glory of God’s creation in church, but it’s another entirely to spend a week living in it, sleeping under the stars, and roaming the backcountry. Faith is an integral part of conservatism — we are, after all, seeking to preserve a Christian way of life. Both Christianity and conservatism necessitate a healthy appreciation for the natural world.
But, perhaps most importantly, young conservatives need a breather. It’s easy to be angry right now — it’s harder than ever to buy a home and start a family, and many of us are nostalgic for a country we never lived in. We’ve been made to feel ashamed of our heritage and our culture, and the natural response to that is resentment. But resentment leads to, at best, rash decision-making, and at worst, reactionary politics. We must be prudent, level-headed, and at peace.
Spending time outdoors, whether a day hike or a weeklong camping trip, is the time to develop such prudence. Time away from the algorithms, the outrage cycles, and the comment sections. Time with the people who matter, who may or may not be political, and also time spent alone. Time to think, and time to reset. Above all, time spent outside is time to be grateful. For Creation, for America, for health, and for friends. Conservatism is nothing without gratitude for what we’ve inherited as a society — otherwise, what would we be trying to conserve?
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Ethan Watson is a Young Voices alumnus and O’Connor Fellow at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University. He also holds a degree in Political Science from the University of Kansas. His commentary has appeared in USA TODAY, RealClearPolitics, and The Daily Caller. He has appeared on the David Webb Show and is a regular guest on Point of View Radio. Follow him on X: @erwatson13.
