True American Conservatism

American conservatism, at its ideological core, is anchored in the sovereignty of the unique individual human being, drawing from the foundational principles articulated in the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. These documents proclaim that all individuals are created equal, endowed with unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, rejecting any system where collective identities or classes impose inequalities of intrinsic value.

This emphasis on individual dignity over group hierarchies forms the bedrock of a society where personal merit, responsibility, and freedom prevail. However, while these ideals provide a political and moral framework, they can sometimes remain abstract in everyday application. Enter Russell McAlmond's Ethical Individualism Theory (EIT), a secular human relational philosophy that enhances these conservative values by translating them into practical guidelines for human interactions.

EIT not only reinforces the primacy of the individual but extends it into a fuller system for fostering trust, respect, and mutual benefit among all Americans—and indeed, all human beings—regardless of status, background, or affiliation. By doing so, it underscores why authentic American conservatism is inherently incompatible with racism or antisemitism, as such prejudices fundamentally violate the moral imperatives of human dignity and equality.

The Four Axioms of EIT: Building on Conservative Foundations

EIT is structured around four interlocking axioms that directly amplify the individual-centric ethos of American conservatism, providing a robust ethical scaffold for human relations.

These axioms—Infinite and Equal Worth of Every Human Being, Absolute Uniqueness of Each Person, Inviolable Inner Freedom and Moral Agency, and Absolute Personal Responsibility—serve as the philosophical axioms from which EIT derives its relational theorems, ensuring that interactions are grounded in dignity rather than division.

The first axiom, the Infinite and Equal Worth of Every Human Being, establishes a "continuous horizontal line of equality" where no individual's value is diminished or elevated based on group membership. This mirrors the conservative ideal of inherent equality under natural law, as articulated in the Declaration, rejecting aristocratic hierarchies or collectivist systems that assign worth through class, race, or ideology.

In practical terms, it means approaching every person—whether a neighbor, colleague, or stranger—with the assumption of equal dignity, fostering relationships free from paternalism or subordination.

Building on this, the second axiom, the Absolute Uniqueness of Each Person, posits that every human is an irreplaceable "mosaic" of experiences, thoughts, and potentials, not reducible to stereotypes or collective labels. This enhances conservatism's celebration of individual sovereignty by emphasizing that uniqueness is not merely a political right but a relational reality.

In a nation like the United States, this axiom encourages curiosity and awe in encounters, transforming potential conflicts into opportunities for discovery and preventing the dehumanization that arises from group-based assumptions.

The third axiom, Inviolable Inner Freedom and Moral Agency, affirms that individuals are the sole authors of their destinies, with inner freedoms that cannot be predetermined or erased by external categories. This aligns seamlessly with conservative principles of self-reliance and limited government, where personal agency is paramount.

Relationally, it promotes empathy by recognizing that no one's choices are fated by group identity, allowing for genuine forgiveness and growth in interactions.Finally, the fourth axiom, Absolute Personal Responsibility, holds that individuals are accountable only for their own actions, not for collective guilt or virtues imputed by group affiliation.

This reinforces conservatism's emphasis on merit and moral accountability, rejecting scapegoating or identity-based blame.

Together, these axioms yield EIT's central theorem: any judgment based on group membership is immoral, as it erodes uniqueness, introduces unequal worth, undermines freedom, and evades responsibility. By systematizing these ideas, EIT provides a fuller ethical framework that conservative ideals alone might not fully operationalize in daily life.

EIT as a Human Relational Philosophy for All

EIT elevates American conservatism's founding values into a comprehensive relational philosophy that is accessible and applicable to all humans, transcending status, faith, or ideology. While conservatism focuses on preserving institutions that protect individual liberty, EIT applies these principles interpersonally, creating "win-win" dynamics through symbiotic ethics—where interactions benefit both parties without sacrifice.

Drawing from McAlmond's background in financial advising and ethics (such as "Love Your Neighbor" reinterpreted as universal respect), EIT is secular yet spiritually resonant, making it ideal for America's pluralistic society.

In practice, EIT guides Americans in navigating diversity by prioritizing individual encounters over group narratives. For instance, in education, workplaces, or communities, it encourages judging people by character and deeds, not by race, gender, or class—fostering trust and reconciliation amid polarization.

This relational approach addresses the potential atomism in pure individualism by embedding conservative values in compassionate, curiosity-driven bonds, ensuring that liberty leads to unity rather than isolation.

Globally, EIT's universality extends these benefits to all human beings, promoting a pro-human ethos that counters tribalism and hierarchies worldwide.

The Incompatibility of Racism and Antisemitism with True American Conservatism

A direct corollary of EIT's integration with conservative values is that true American conservatives cannot espouse racism or antisemitism, as these prejudices flagrantly violate the moral imperatives of human dignity and equality. Racism and antisemitism are quintessential forms of "group judgmentalism," assigning unequal worth, erasing uniqueness, predetermining agency, and imposing collective responsibility based on arbitrary categories like ethnicity or religion.

Such views contradict the first axiom by creating hierarchies of value (e.g., deeming one race superior), the second by reducing individuals to stereotypes rather than unique mosaics, the third by denying inner freedom through presumed group traits, and the fourth by enforcing collective guilt (e.g., blaming all Jews for perceived societal ills).

American conservatism's rejection of these evils is evident in its historical opposition to collectivist ideologies, from slavery to modern identity politics, aligning with figures like Martin Luther King Jr., who echoed conservative ideals by advocating judgment based on character, not skin color.

EIT makes this incompatibility explicit: any conservative who harbors racist or antisemitic views betrays the founding values of individual sovereignty and equality, succumbing instead to the very groupism that conservatism seeks to transcend. Thus, embracing EIT not only purifies conservatism but equips it to combat prejudice through ethical individualism, ensuring a society where dignity prevails over division.

In conclusion, Russell McAlmond's Ethical Individualism Theory enriches American conservatism by transforming its foundational values into a dynamic human relational philosophy that unites all Americans—and humanity at large—in mutual respect and flourishing.

Through its four axioms, EIT provides the practical tools to live out individual sovereignty, while definitively barring racism and antisemitism as antithetical to true conservative morals. In an era of fragmentation, EIT offers a pathway to reclaim the promise of a nation where every unique individual thrives in equality and freedom.