Within the Triadic Modes of Integration Theory (TMIT) framework, modern typical ordinary conservatism represents a hybrid mode of thought—primarily the M1 (Pragmatic Dogmatic Mode)—blending elements of the Dogmatic Authority Mode (DAM) and the Rational Integration Mode (RIM). Cognitively, psychologically, and culturally, it embodies a mixture of rational adaptation and traditional intrinsicism—valuing reason when it serves stability but subordinating it to inherited or authoritative moral frames [1][3].
1. Cognitive and Epistemological Character
Modern ordinary conservatism is partially rational but not fully objective. Its thinking begins with a priori assumptions—religious faith, natural law, or historical tradition—and then applies pragmatic reason to preserve or justify them. In Peikoff’s DIM terminology, this is a misintegration of type M1: the mind starts with a "One" (a fixed ideal, such as divine will or moral order) and then deduces or rationalizes the "many" (policies or cultural norms).
Thus, conservatives often use rational argumentation instrumentally but not as the foundation of their worldview—the base remains intrinsicist. Rand described such thinking as “rationalistic traditionalism,” where abstract moral truths are treated as self-evident yet supported by practical logic when convenient [2].
Epistemologically, this mode acknowledges empirical reality, unlike pure intrinsicism (M2), but does not ground morality or politics inductively in objective evidence—it depends on authority or metaphysical "givens." This produces a semi-rational cognition, prone to invoking “common sense,” “heritage,” or “eternal values” as axioms rather than conclusions [4].
2. Psychological Dimension (Freud/Berne Integration)
Psychologically, ordinary conservatism blends Freud’s superego and Berne’s Parent ego state with a partially functional ego/Adult. The Critical Parent voice dominates (“this is how it’s always been done”) but allows limited Adult reasoning for pragmatic correction when times demand adaptation.
Thus, the conservative psyche functions as a Parent-led but Ego-assisted system—rules are sacred, yet negotiation with reality exists. The result is a personality structure favoring discipline, tradition, and order but uneasy with radical novelty. This combination stabilizes cultures but constrains intellectual innovation [1].
3. Cultural and Ethical Manifestation
Culturally, M1 conservatism sustains hierarchies, duty, and moral continuity. It values empirical success (capitalism, law, family, and religion), but frames them in intrinsic moral language—e.g., “family values are sacred,” “freedom comes from God,” or “the nation is an organic whole.”
Such expressions show a DAM core with RIM instrumentation: divine or traditional absolutes implemented through practical reason. Its ethic is not the Objectivist ethic of rational self-interest, but a collective moral traditionalism that uses pragmatic logic to preserve moral structure [2][3].
Historically, this appears in thinkers like Burke, who defended tradition as “accumulated wisdom” rather than as a rationally validated structure. In the modern world, ordinary conservatism manifests as pragmatic defense of heritage systems—religion, patriotism, family—without full philosophical grounding, yet also resisting postmodern disintegration.
4. Comparative Position within TMIT
| Mode | Description | Relation to Conservatism |
|---|---|---|
| DAM (M2) | Pure authority, intrinsicist dogma | Historical theocracy or theocratic nationalism—not typical modern conservatism but its ancestral root |
| RIM (I) | Objective rational integration | Classical liberalism / Enlightenment rationalism |
| M1 | Pragmatic dogmatism mixing DAM & RIM | Modern typical conservatism |
| D1/D2 | Subjectivist fragmentation or emotional relativism | Modern liberalism and leftism |
Hence, modern conservatism acts as a transitional hybrid: maintaining moral order through selective reasoning, a halfway point between rigid dogma and empirical rationality. It keeps societies stable but intellectually stagnant when reason is subordinated to tradition.
5. Summary in TMIT Terms
- Dominant Mode: M1 – Pragmatic Dogmatic Mode (DAM + partial RIM integration).
- Epistemology: Intrinsicist-pragmatic; faith and tradition rationalized logically.
- Psychology: Superego/Parent dominant; Ego/Adult partially engaged.
- Ethics: Duty- or virtue-based traditionalism, justified pragmatically.
- Cultural Outcome: Stability, discipline, moral order—but limited adaptability and philosophical coherence.
- Historical Function: Bridge between dogmatic past (M2 societies) and rational modernity (I societies).
In TMIT’s synthesis, ordinary conservatism represents a semi-rational but authority-grounded worldview—neither fully objective nor purely dogmatic. Its thinking strives for order through loyalty to inherited meaning systems, rationalized for modern life. It is, in essence, the thinking of continuity through cautious reason—an M1 balancing act that keeps civilization stable but not self-renewing [1][2][3][4].
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