Traditional Values, Traditionalists and Traditionalism
Attributed to the American author Samuel R. Delany is the phrase “Words mean things.” Hijacking words and phrases is a powerful tool in the arsenal of the demagogue. And the twisting of usage and meaning into pretzels has always been a favorite device of politicians and pundits. With this in mind, I thought I should explain what I mean when I refer in my writing to Traditional Values, Traditionalists and Traditionalism.
Look up Traditionalism and you’ll receive a panoply of descriptions and definitions. One of the first articles that comes up from a search is: “a school of thought promulgated by a group of 20th and 21st century thinkers who believe in the existence of perennial wisdom, or perennial philosophy, primordial and universal truths which form the source for, and are shared by, all the major world religions.” Look further and one goes through the looking glass and into a rabbit warren of definitions in the context of societal norms, religion, philosophy, economics, culture, etc.
In 1964 Supreme Court Justice Potter Steward famously described obscenity (or rather, what it is not) as follows:
“I shall not today attempt further to define the kinds of material I understand to be embraced within that shorthand description [“hard-core pornography”], and perhaps I could never succeed in intelligibly doing so. But I know it when I see it, and the motion picture involved in this case is not that.”
Jacobellis v. Ohio 378 U.S. 184 (1964)
Borrowing on that phrase, I will suggest that Traditionalism may be defined in a variety of ways, but in the end, Traditionalists know it when they see it.
However, a shortcut to how I define Traditionalism is: that body of ideals, values and mores that we were raised on by the Greatest Generation.
Speaking of the Greatest Generation, one of the definitions of Traditionalists refers to those who were born between 1900 and 1945. I believe it is precisely because of their espousal of Traditional Values that they were Great!
We Baby Boomers born between 1946 and 1964 on the other hand, are split into two camps: a) those of us who listened to what our Greatest Generation parents taught us, who were grateful for the peace and prosperity they bequeathed to us and who have tried to live our lives by their example and rules; and, b) the prodigals, the “Me” generation of the sexual revolution who grew up to be the radicals of the 70’s and the yuppies of the 80’s, a few of whom have come home to Traditionalism and the balance of whom have become today’s Leftists.
So what do I mean by Traditional Values? Often the term is conflated with “Family Values.” They are similar, but Traditionalism goes beyond Family Values. To me, Traditional Values include support for:
- individual freedom to live as we wish within the basic constraints of Judeo-Christian principles;
- the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights as they were intended for then and all future generations;
- fundamental patriotism, including honoring our Flag, national symbols, anthems and emblems;
- a strong military and national defense and protection of our sovereignty;
- the right of self-defense and to keep, bear and utilize arms to ensure that right;
- obeying the Law and supporting those who serve in law enforcement;
- marriage defined as between one man and one woman (including acceptance of the biological fact that men and women are different!);
- support for nuclear families consisting of a father and mother and their children;
- freedom of worship and expression;
- the Golden Rule;
- support for and defense of free-market capitalism;
- equal opportunity, not equal outcomes; and,
- separation of powers within a limited, and republican government.
Traditional Values also include opposition to:
- social engineering and bad (many wouldsay EVIL) social, economic and political ideologies such as socialism and communism;
- crony capitalism;
- ‘free love’ and promiscuity;
- abortion on demand and in lieu of contraception;
- gender confusion;
- LGBTQ militancy;
- fascism masquerading as liberal or progressive free expression;
- violent protest; and,
- collectivism, globalism, cultural marxism and so-called “progressivism”.
The Greatest Generation didn’t have to think about or debate these principles – they lived them. They were part of the fabric of their society.
Today, these principles are under constant assault.
I used to teach a lesson in Sunday School using a glass of water and a dropper full of black ink. The water represented our souls. In the context of this article, it represents the reservoir of societal values. The black drops of ink I slowly added to the water represent, for purposes of this article, Progressive/Leftist ideas, norms, habits, values. Add one drop to the water and nothing seems to happen. As successively more drops are added, however, the water starts to turn grey, then greyer, murky, and finally black.
The metaphor aptly describes what’s happening to our country.
I hope and pray I’m joined by the Silent Majority of our Boomer generation and budding Traditionalists of succeeding generations in fighting for a return to the Traditional principles that made us the greatest nation on earth and in the history of the world.
