The accolade. Canvas by Edwar Blair Leighton (1853-1922)[/caption]Traditionalism, in its proper meaning, cannot be understood if its hierarchical aspect is neglected. Unfortunately, this is more often than not the case with modern conservatives who pretend to be proponents of traditionalism while in fact lacking any knowledge of its principles. It is by understanding true hierarchy that we can make the distinction between those who are merely concerned about preserving an empty shell in the form of traditional customs and rituals, and those who wish to revitalize the Essence that provides those forms with true meaning.
Religious rituals, “the nuclear family”, civilization itself, all of these forms mean very little when detached from their Essence. Mere sentimentalism is not enough to give human life any more value and meaning than it could give to a war that is fought for nothing but materialistic benefits of a certain social class.
To understand hierarchy, one must have the ability to dissect the false value attributed to everyday life and materialistic notions of superiority and inferiority, which are in constant flux and therefore lack any real sense of objective hierarchy. The hierarchy we are concerned with goes beyond the mere rat race imposed by society. That is not to say that the direct results of our activities are of no importance, but rather that the hierarchy we wish to revitalize is one that is first and foremost rooted in objective (and therefore Transcendent) Principles, which can be observed and lived by only after a certain superior disposition has been internalized. Once this inner change occurs, the purely materialistic outlook of cause and effect is replaced with a superior Duty towards the Divine, the Transcendent Principle, that takes precedence over “facts and figures” which cannot hold any value in-and-of themselves.
The conservatives who cannot imagine life without the idea of social progress and hold dearly to technology and modern science, have lost sight of Transcendence, and have replaced it with a sentimental worship of Matter, which is why they are the staunchest proponents of pragmatism, rationalism, status quo, and so on. They wish to cling unto the empty shell of Tradition only due to their personal interests, often as a convenient escape from nihilism. Unfortunately for them, this attempt at preservation cannot be long-lasting, as it’s bound to produce a rebellion with the next generation, as young people find this meek stance to be utterly hypocritical.
And so it seems that it is harder to feel disdain towards the absurdist who rebels against the worship of this falsified Tradition, for he is at least some of the time concerned with Truth.
All in all, there are three recognizable ways of responding to this problem:
- Worship or empty respect of some traditional form(s)
- A complete break from Tradition into Absurdism
- A revitalization of Tradition with the focus on its Essence, without the misplaced sentimentalism of modern conservativism.
If we are to follow the third option, a hierarchical, vertical form of thinking which goes beyond materialism is of utmost importance. It is the difference between an exciting, virile and flourishing Tradition, and a stale conservatism for which utilitarianism is the highest (and perhaps only) ideal.
We cannot share the unsubstantiated belief in the profundity of utilitarianism, because it has shown itself to be useless in spiritually replacing Tradition. Utilitarianism is Transcendence debased of actual Transcendence, a worship of productivity based on a debased form of morality. Conservatives propose that relieving suffering is a good enough reason to “seize the day”. What they fail to realize is that without consciousness there is no suffering, and therefore it is much simpler and more intelligent to not have children and commit suicide than it is to work towards a future Utopia, or to protect the decadent status quo from the unknown, which is even more preposterous.
With the first option debunked, we should now analyze the second option; the nihilist, the absurdist, the one who feels that life is cosmic joke and might even find a perverse pleasure in that thought. Nietzsche characterized this position as a potential stepping stone, towards a higher realization – passive nihilism turned into active nihilism. So it might be valuable to note that we are not criticizing this state if it’s transitory, which is almost a necessity for many today, but rather the acceptance of it as a necessary or even positive long term solution. The argument to be made against this position is that it can be held only by someone who was not introduced to Tradition in its proper form. Therefore the absurdists and nihilists are correct in their rebellion against false Tradition, but they should redirect their energies towards understanding real Tradition, instead of dwelling in darkness till the end of their days. Then they will realize that their conclusions are not a product of superior Intellect, but rather of healthy intuition that was lacking in knowledge.
For any person that suddenly discovers Tradition, it is crucial that a sense for hierarchy is developed, otherwise the result could be a fall into depressive, burgeoisie conservatism that is a product of weakness, lack of knowledge or both.
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