Trendy people make no secret of their trendiness. They proclaim it as if it were worthy of imitation. In my reading, which is not always pleasant, I came across a sentence that rises from the very heart of trendiness: “Lifestyle always overpowers traditional morality.” It is a sweeping phrase and, as such, is not true. There are still human beings who place morality above lifestyle. There continue to be moms and dads, for example, who stubbornly attend to their appropriate duties.

The phrase has a political ring to it, suggesting as it does that giving one’s lifestyle priority over traditional morality is now the socially acceptable way to live. The whistle has blown, signaling lifestyle as a paramount value for everyone. There is no longer anything to be ashamed of; your lifestyle must come first. That’s the way we should all live.

And what are we to think of “traditional morality? Is it now moribund? It may have served others in the past, but that was the past. Now is the future and things are changing. The word “tradition” has become a locus of confusion. Has tradition reached its expiration date? Is it time for it to be replaced? It was good for a while, but it is no longer adaptable to the current age.

Morality is “traditional” only from the standpoint of the present. In terms of what it is, it is perennial. We read the Dialogues of Plato, view the paintings of Michelangelo, listen to the music of Bach and realize that these stalwart souls are speaking to us despite the centuries that exist between us. The Ten Commandments have permanent relevance. Humanity has not changed, though lifestyles have. To place the ephemeral above the long-lasting is to invert the order of culture and invite catastrophe.

History is replete with examples of cultures that gave priority to lifestyle. With everyone dedicated to his own lifestyle, the unity required to ensure community was lost. Thus, such cultures forgot what was needed in order to survive and consequently perished. Sex and Culture, by J. D. Unwin, a British anthropologist, is a massive study comparing eighty “uncivilized” cultures with sixteen “civilized” cultures. Covering a history of 4,000 years, the study reveals that when heterosexual monogamy was practiced, a society attained a high degree of cultural energy. This energy was particularly evident in the arts, science, and technology. But, when people rebelled against moral restrictions and inhibitions, there was a consequent loss of creative energy, resulting in the decline and eventual destruction of their civilization. Professor Unwin did not find any exceptions to this phenomenon.

Journalist Daniel Janosik has made the following statement, applying Unwin’s findings to the current situation in the United States: “From the rise of divorce, the breakdown of the family, and the re–definition of marriage itself, to the rampant increase of internet pornography and the growing danger of pedophilia, American culture is fragmenting at an alarming rate.  Why has there been such an outbreak of sexually deviant and sexually destructive acts?  Will we heed his words as a nation, rise above this unraveling of our moral fabric, and find healing, or will we continue our race to the ocean, lemming–like and filled with fury and futility?”

Shakespeare has framed the dynamic behind the decline and fall of a civilization aptly in a single sentence: “The gods are just, and of our pleasant vices make instruments to plague us” (King Lear, Act 5, scene 3). Virtue is needed for a culture to prosper as a civilization. Self-interest is centripetal; the individual places himself at the center. To sustain a civilization, there must be an outward centrifugal movement in which citizens are working together for a common good.

Tradition is giving honor to what lasts, to what survives trends. To assign priority to trend over tradition represents an upheaval of calamitous proportions. Marriage between a man and a woman should not be viewed in the narrow perspective of being “traditional.” It is not a particular species of marriage. It is permanent and invariable. Trends are the product of three evil sisters: immediacy, simplicity, and expediency. In themselves they may be entirely harmless. But they can harm society when they are given priority over things that are more important, such as generosity, sacrifice, love, dedication, hard work, and creative energy.

The word “heritage” adds an important dimension to the word “tradition.” It has a more personal connotation since it incorporates the notion of “inheritance.” Our ancestors bequeath us our heritage. It is instrumental in establishing our personal identity. We would not know who we are if we were cut off from the family tree. We should heed the words of Abraham Lincoln. “Our defense,” he declared, “is in the preservation of the spirit which prizes liberty as the heritage of all men, in all lands, everywhere. Destroy this spirit and you have planted the seeds of despotism around your own door.”

We ask the question, What should be my top priority? We have tradition to assist us and our heritage to guide us in answering it. Christianity tells us to put God first and then everything else will fall into its proper place. There is a place for trends, but they should always be subordinate to higher and more lasting values. “Love God and do what you want,” said Augustine. He knew about priorities and became a saint.