"If a conservative order is indeed to return, we ought to know the tradition which is attached to it, so that we may rebuild society; if it is not to be restored, still we ought to understand conservative ideas so that we may rake from the ashes what scorched fragments of civilizations escape the conflagration of unchecked will and appetite."
-Russell A. Kirk (1918-1994)
1 comments:
Great quote -- thanks for sharing it. For conservatives who may be somewhat demoralized right now, it is a good quote to read. Social renewal begins now just with the right ideas, but also with the right habits, both collectively and individually. Virtue is taught by practice -- it is a habit as Kirk repeatedly points out. Conservatives embrace of tradition is not simply a love for musty things, but it part of our understanding of virtue as a habit of daily living. Tradition is habit lived over generations.
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