Traditionalism today means standing on different ground from all existing recognized factions

After reading my reply (posted in October 2004) to the charge that I see everyone as an enemy, a reader wrote this wonderful e-mail that justifies the existence of VFR:

Seeing you describe your principled stand against the spectrum of ideological factions arrayed against our civilization reminds me of your value to me as a reader (besides the topical/illustrative commentary per se). In order for people to talk differently about these things, people first must have permission to think differently—especially important for pervasive liberal principles forming the bedrock of popular opinion, such as the idea that minorities and their (sub) cultures must not be criticized as such. As a rule, when people find one faction repugnant they find another to champion. As we have seen since 2000, they then conform their thinking in most or all ways to the faction. If all major ideological factions are working against our civilization’s interests, that means that most people will necessarily ally themselves with counterproductive factions and views. Now, I have always been radically free of the influence of others’ opinions, and yet since I caught on to your blog last year I have found that my thinking was bound by some of these prohibitions. Even for unusually independent-minded folk like myself, watching you illustrate the verboten truth of the matter gives us further permission to see and think clearly about these matters. I see myself destined for political leadership, and I know there must be such others being changed by your site.

Posted by Lawrence Auster at January 11, 2006 01:50 AM | Send