We have often discussed the hopeless nature of conservatism. However, a distinction must be drawn between conservatism and traditionalism. As we know, conservatism essentially seeks to preserve or re-create the particular social or economic conditions of the fairly recent past. It’s just nostalgia for yesterday’s newest thing (1950’s worship, longing for gilded age economics, etc). As it cannot by its nature contain new ideas, it lacks all positive or active force.
In contrast, traditionalism looks to the entire history of man (or one’s particular heritage), seeking certain functional cultural traits that simply work better. These universal human behaviors are not bound to a particular time in history, and they are as fresh today as ever. In fact, elements of traditionalism may be seamlessly included in a program of innovative, progressive, and future oriented ideology.
Traditionalism vs. Conservatism
by Man of the North
http://manlyexcellence.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=19526
To be a man was to give constant proof of one’s manliness–to be more a man today than yesterday, more a man tomorrow than today. To be a man was to forge ever upward toward the peak of manhood, there to die amid the white snows of that peak.
A concrete example:
Conservatism: Seeking to return to the suburban life of 60 years ago, with nuclear families living in little pink houses, with beaver out in the yard and stay at home mother, while father works at some office.
Traditionalism: Realizes that isolating one woman in a house alone all day with a bunch of kids is not actually traditional or time-proven, and leads to mental breakdowns. Realizes that women should indeed care for children, but that people are meant to live in an extended family with female relatives and/or the father around to help out.