This site exists to help traditionalists in Eltham and the north-east of Melbourne get connected.
Why traditionalism? Modern Western societies have been shaped by a belief system called liberalism. Liberalism claims that the highest good in society is individual autonomy. This means that the individual must be self-determining: that we must self-create who we are from our own will and reason.
But this rules out much that traditional societies considered significant in life. For instance, we don't get to self-determine our own sex, our own ethnicity, objective standards of morality or the basic form of the family. Liberal moderns are committed to making these aspects of life not matter.
But they do matter. They are important to our self-identity, to our relationships, to community life, and to the most significant of our personal aspirations.
What is worse, the liberal principle undermines the future of our own distinctive Western tradition. It is a principle which only recognises the atomised individual and not the larger culture and civilisation he or she belongs to.
Most people are not liberals, but the Western political class is. The major political parties, the media, the schools and the universities are committed to liberal modernity. We cannot look to these institutions to act on our behalf.
We are going to have to act for ourselves. It makes sense to do this locally, in the communities we live in.
Eltham Traditionalists are getting this happening here in the north-east of Melbourne. We have made steady progress and are meeting regularly and encouraging others elsewhere to do the same.
There is more information on the aims of Eltham Traditionalists here. For more information on contacting the webmaster or getting involved click here.
Mark Richardson
swerting@bigpond.com
