Western Civilization

The Arts Won’t Save Us 6
- Culture, Western Civilization
- February 21, 2024
I have lately noticed an uptick across conservative platforms regarding the importance of fine arts in traditional society. Most of it I agree with, especially considering its influence on education and wonder. But the trend often emphasizes that fine arts will play a major role in winning the modern culture war. Is this really true?
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The Musical Heroism of Guido d’Arezzo 1
- Culture, History, Western Civilization
- January 24, 2024
Of all living things, only humans seem to have the drive and capacity for documentation, record-keeping, and writing for the purposes of porting information and wisdom to others with the hope of influencing and binding the future. We’ve done this since the beginning of recorded history, from cave dwellings to the Code of Hammurabi through
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Patriotism, Gratitude, and Western Civilization 3
- Culture, Western Civilization
- January 11, 2024
Many years ago, I attended West Forsyth High School near Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Though our sports teams then were generally mediocre, at basketball and football games our cheerleaders would inevitably break into a chant: “WEST IS BEST! WEST IS BEST!” That cheer came back to me while reading “The Decline and Fall of the Descendants
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Creche, Credo, Courthouse: Reminders of Western Civilization at Christmas 0
- Culture, Western Civilization
- December 11, 2023
The creche has gone on display at the Warren County Courthouse in Front Royal, Virginia. There we see the figures we might expect—Mary, Joseph, the newborn in the manger, the Magi, and several animals. Beside the creche stands a plain white wooden cross about four feet high. The statues are a bit timeworn, and to
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The Heroism of Civilization 1
- Culture, Western Civilization
- December 11, 2023
A long-held but somewhat flexible fantasy I have engaged in periodically since about middle school has me doing some truly unusual, heroic thing—perhaps pulling someone from a fire or heroically diving into the rapids to save some helpless person from drowning or even taking a bullet to protect a child. (I’m afraid of heights, so
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An Attitude of Gratitude and Gratitude with Attitude: Thanksgiving 2023 1
- Culture, Western Civilization
- November 21, 2023
An idea sent me to my calculator. The United States is 247 years old. I am 72 years old. Simple division revealed that I have lived in this country for 29.2 percent of its history as a nation. Good grief! Hand me a cane and call me Methuselah! Another three years, if I am so
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