Western Civilization

The Quest for the Best: Is it in the Eye of the Beholder?2
- Culture, Western Civilization
- October 28, 2022
The claim that beauty is in the eye of the beholder is an expression of philosophical relativism. It confuses and conflates goodness, truth and beauty with preference, prejudice and opinion. Preference has a kinship with prejudice and is often kindled by it. It can distort our ability to see beauty. Many young people prefer rock
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What Thought-Leaders Can Learn from St. Augustine 1
- Philosophy, Culture, Western Civilization
- October 13, 2022
Public discourse is at a nadir. There is plenty of debate, especially over politics and morality. But it is generating way more heat than light. People on all sides are frustrated with their opponents. “Why don’t they see the light?” For any single interlocutor, one possible answer is that the person is not actually seeking
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The Revival of Phonics May Sound the Death Knell for Tyranny 14
- Education, History, Western Civilization
- October 10, 2022
I came across some good news today. The kind of news that makes me think there is some hope for America and its citizens. “What is this good news?” you might ask. It’s simple, really: schools are beginning to teach phonics again. “Is that all?” I can hear you reply. “That’s not such a big
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The Classics Are for Everyone, Not Just Old, Dead, White Men 6
- Education, History, Literature, Western Civilization
- October 7, 2022
Yes, yes, and yes! That was what I shouted, in the silence of my heart, when I finished Louis Markos’ online review “How Classical Education Can Liberate Black America.” Earlier that same week, I’d read yet another account of an attack on the classics of Western civilization, the Great Books as they were once called,
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Raising Boys to Be Real Men 5
- Family, Culture, Education, Western Civilization
- October 4, 2022
If you’re a young, marriageable woman these days—or even if you’re the parent or grandparent of one—you’ve probably asked the following question once or twice: “Where are all the good men?” To be sure, there’s no shortage of males, but there just doesn’t seem to be the “real men” types—those who embrace masculinity and the protector
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A 5th Century Guide to Happiness in a World Full of Pain, Loss, and Injustice 2
- Philosophy, History, Western Civilization
- October 3, 2022
My mother passed away in August four days short of her 70th birthday. When we lose something we love, it’s easy to feel bitter, resentful, cheated. It’s easy to feel that life is cruel, systematically robbing us of everything good until we are left with nothing. And while these feelings are understandable—forgivable even—they miss far
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