--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Conservative Mind describes a cast of…" description: "\"“The Conservative Mind describes a cast of intellect or a type of character, an inclination to cherish the permanent things in human existence. On many..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6f/russell-kirk-6909_human-existence_the-conservative-mind-describes-a-cast-o_342306.jpg" --- # The Conservative Mind describes a cast of intellect or a… ![“The Conservative Mind describes a cast of intellect or a type of character, an inclination to cherish the permanent things in human existence. On many prudential questions, and on some general principles, conservatives may disagree from time to time among themselves; so this book offers a certain…” quote by Russell Kirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6f/russell-kirk-6909_human-existence_the-conservative-mind-describes-a-cast-o_342306.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6f/russell-kirk-6909_human-existence_the-conservative-mind-describes-a-cast-o_342306.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6f/russell-kirk-6909_human-existence_the-conservative-mind-describes-a-cast-o_342306.jpg) > ““The Conservative Mind describes a cast of intellect or a type of character, an inclination to cherish the permanent things in human existence. On many prudential questions, and on some general principles, conservatives may disagree from time to time among themselves; so this book offers a certain diversity of opinions. Yet the folk called "conservative" join in resistance to the destruction of old patterns of life, damage to the footings of the civil social order, and reduction of human striving to material production and consumption.”” [Russell Kirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-kirk/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Conservatives value enduring traditions and social stability, resisting shifts toward materialism and the erosion of long‑standing social structures. **In simple terms:** Conservatives protect tradition and social order. Key Takeaway Uphold lasting values, question fleeting trends. Themes tradition social order materialism stability Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical political When to use this quote - policy debates - community organizing - education curricula Key Concepts Political philosophy cultural continuity Questions to Reflect On - What traditions serve society today? - How can we balance preservation with innovation? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on tradition can hinder necessary progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conservative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conservative/) [Conservatives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conservatives/) [Europe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/europe/) [Human existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-existence/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Social order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-order/) ## Related quotes > [We've shown Canadians that, when we have a strong message and when we stick to our principles, Conservatives can win anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-scheer/we-ve-shown-canadians-that-when-we-have-a-strong-message-and-when-we/) [Andrew Scheer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-scheer/) > [In order to accommodate to change and to the contrast of phenomena, the intellect does not require any shocks and inner upheavals; it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-simmel/in-order-to-accommodate-to-change-and-to-the-contrast-of-phenomena/) [Georg Simmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-simmel/) > [I don't think having a conservative mind in 2012 is a cool thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/machine-gun-kelly/i-don-t-think-having-a-conservative-mind-in-2012-is-a-cool-thing/) [Machine Gun Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/machine-gun-kelly/) > [Sometimes, it might be called conservative; sometimes it might be called liberal. 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He's basically a moderate.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/a-republican-establishment-member-in-the-media-would-be-david-brooks/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [“Noam Chomsky observes that: “The political policies that are called conservative these days would appall any genuine conservative, if there were one around to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-befumo/noam-chomsky-observes-that-the-political-policies-that-are-called/) [Joseph Befumo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-befumo/) > [I think an old style of addressing environmental problems is ebbing, but the rise of the so-called conservative, political movement in this country is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-hawken/i-think-an-old-style-of-addressing-environmental-problems-is-ebbing/) [Paul Hawken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-hawken/) > [In today's impoverished dialogue, critiques of liberalism are often naively called "conservative," as if twenty-five hundred years of Western intellectual tradition presented no other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/in-today-s-impoverished-dialogue-critiques-of-liberalism-are-often/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [I'm very, very so-called conservative on the military. 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I want to build up - you know, our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-very-very-so-called-conservative-on-the-military-i-want-a-very/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The Republicans have picked that as the one thing that they want to hang on to to try to gain some political stand, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-republicans-have-picked-that-as-the-one-thing-that-they-want-to/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [It has been surprising to me that so few conservatives have voiced concern over the precedence that are being set in favor of suppression…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bovard/it-has-been-surprising-to-me-that-so-few-conservatives-have-voiced/) [James Bovard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bovard/) > [The criterion of mental health is not one of individual adjustment to a given social order, but a universal one, valid for all men,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-criterion-of-mental-health-is-not-one-of-individual-adjustment-to/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [The good society is marked by a high degree of order, justice, and freedom. Among these, order has primacy: for justice cannot be enforced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-kirk/the-good-society-is-marked-by-a-high-degree-of-order-justice-and/) [Russell Kirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-kirk/) > [In any society, order is the first need of all. Liberty and justice may be established only after order is tolerably secure. But the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-kirk/in-any-society-order-is-the-first-need-of-all-liberty-and-justice-may/) [Russell Kirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-kirk/) > [“To narrow natural rights to such neat slogans as "liberty, equality, fraternity" or "life, liberty, property," . . . was to ignore the complexity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-kirk/to-narrow-natural-rights-to-such-neat-slogans-as-liberty-equality/) [Russell Kirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-kirk/) ## More by Russell Kirk > [“Only portions of the globe still enslaved by the enemies of the people refrained from congratulating President Zingu and Premier Villiers-Kolama upon the astounding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-kirk/only-portions-of-the-globe-still-enslaved-by-the-enemies-of-the/) [Russell Kirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-kirk/) > [“Manfredo -- Your Excellency -- how can you, even you, hope...?" 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So far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-kirk/why-do-we-not-exhaust-the-heritage-of-the-ages-spiritual-and-material/) [Russell Kirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-kirk/) > [The modern spectacle of vanished forests and eroded lands, wasted petroleum and ruthless mining, national debts recklessly increased until they are repudiated, and continual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-kirk/the-modern-spectacle-of-vanished-forests-and-eroded-lands-wasted/) [Russell Kirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-kirk/) [Explore all 96 Russell Kirk quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-kirk/) ## More Conservative quotes > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [There's no authoritarian structure at Reed College, but the education is conservative. So what you have is a lot of students who are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/there-s-no-authoritarian-structure-at-reed-college-but-the-education/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [Progressive Conservative candidates from Quebec want to exert real power in Ottawa, not simply be content with playing a secondary role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-campbell/progressive-conservative-candidates-from-quebec-want-to-exert-real/) [Kim Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-campbell/) > [Play small ball. Get back to basics. I would say that you need to be a conservative, but you need to maintain your independent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-tantaros/play-small-ball-get-back-to-basics-i-would-say-that-you-need-to-be-a/) [Andrea Tantaros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-tantaros/) > [I am a conservative type of person, so sometimes when I'm chilling with myself, people always come ask me, 'What's wrong with you? 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For me conservatism means accepting reality. I acknowledge that there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristina-schroder/conservative-feminism-is-such-an-artificial-term-that-doesn-t-mean/) [Kristina Schroder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristina-schroder/) [Browse all 2,995 Conservative quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conservative/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The Conservative Mind describes a cast of intellect or a type of character, an inclination to cherish the permanent things in human existence. On many prudential questions, and on some general principles, conservatives may disagree from time to time among themselves; so this book offers a certain diversity of opinions. 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