Without the peril of destruction of the best in civilization there would be no motive to conservative action and no honor in being a man. The poetic imagination…in some ages belongs principally to the radicals; but in our time it is in the keeping of the conservatives. There is something better than dynamic conservatism, and that is imaginative conservatism…And if we Americans are to lead the nations, we shall have to think less and less about doubling or tripling the standard of living and more and more about what makes life worth living.—Russell Kirk, Beyond the Dreams of Avarice
Essays on or by Dr. Kirk may be found here. The Imaginative Conservative applies the principle of appreciation to the discussion of culture and politics—we approach dialogue with magnanimity rather than with mere civility. Will you help us remain a refreshing oasis in the increasingly contentious arena of modern discourse? Please consider donating now.
We hope you will join us in The Imaginative Conservative community. The Imaginative Conservative is a journal for those who seek the True, the Good, and the Beautiful. We address culture, liberal learning, politics, political economy, literature, the arts and the American Republic in the tradition of Russell Kirk, T.S. Eliot, Edmund Burke, Irving Babbitt, Wilhelm Roepke, Robert Nisbet, Richard Weaver, M.E. Bradford, Eric Voegelin, Christopher Dawson, Paul Elmer More, and other leaders of Imaginative Conservatism.
Please keep these daily quotes coming! They are the perfect and nutritious accompaniment to a morning cup of coffee, inspiring me and putting the cosmos into perspective for the day ahead. Many thanks!
Stephen Masty