Is The Guardian turning conservative?

I don't often post about things I read in The Guardian - if I did, I'd be posting 20 or 30 times a day as so much of what is written on there is irredeemable liberal progressive tripe guaranteed to infuriate yours truly.

Occasionally, though, the odd article appears which seems to have slipped under the liberal progressive radar and today is one of those days. Writing in the comment section, David Cox presents a very articulate condemnation of the recent Iran hostage situation noting the lack of shame and honour displayed by our servicemen and woman.

This is not the nation celebrated in its own mythology and the imagination of much of the outside world. Now apparently, we, the British, are prepared to betray our traditions, truth, duty, dignity, decency and ourselves. It seems that since we no longer recognise the concept of honour, we no longer have any shame. We think it is fine to say anything to save our skins. To be subjected to unpleasantness is unbearable, even if we have chosen the profession of a fighting man or woman. Emotional experience, of whatever kind and however tawdry, is turned into vicarious entertainment for the populace.

I even agree with Cox about what may lie behind this betrayal of "truth, duty, dignity, decency" and the "concept of honour".

[W]e have proved readier than most of the rest of the world to throw off the shackles of religion, respect for authority and loyalty to country and kin. We have embraced solipsistic, relativist materialism more whole-heartedly than our Western neighbours, many of whom still cling in some degree to Christianity, self-respect and family values. We have spotted that the collapse of the framework of ideas that sustained our predecessors entitles us to wallow in irresponsibility, cupidity and sentimental empathy with each other's self-indulgence.

It is, of course, The Guardian and it's liberal progressive supporters who have encouraged us to "throw off the shackles of religion, respect for authority and loyalty to country and kin" and have cheer-led the drive for Britain to become a nation wallowing in sentimentalism and self-indulgence. There is little sign - or chance - that they are about to have a change of heart now, but at least someone on their staff is thinking about thinking about it.

But just as you think The Guardian has finally seen the light and realised that conservatism - with a small c - is the way forward, Cox ruins it at the end.

Nowadays, we no longer want to fight or to impose our will on others. Is there not something to be said for that? Degenerate and decadent we may be, but we still manage to run the world's fifth-biggest economy. Our society may be disfigured by vulgarity and binge-drinking, but it remains one of the world's most peaceable and humane.

Fighting to "impose our will on others" is what ended the Slave Trade, defeated Napoleon, saw off Hitler and gave the world parliamentary democracy. That Cox thinks our society is still one of the world's most peaceable and humane reveals how out of touch he is with the real Britain - the Britain where 14 year olds are stabbed to death with increasing regularity, women are gunned down on their doorstep and a night in the pub ends with a mass brawl and a man unconscious in hospital on life support.

No - they still don't get it at The Guardian.