In “Crisis of the Modern World,” René Guénon vividly describes a troubling phenomenon: the spread of Western confusion into the East, threatening the very foundations of ancient traditions. This theme of decline, which echoes through the works of both Guénon and Julius Evola, challenges us to confront the forces undermining the spiritual and intellectual foundations of society. The decline of the West is not merely a regional issue; it is a global crisis that demands a deep understanding of Traditionalism to grasp its full implications.
The Western Crisis and Its Global Reach
Guénon begins by identifying the origins of modern confusion in the West, a region that has lost its connection to the sacred and the transcendent. Historically, the West’s encroachment on the East was limited to physical domination—conquests, colonialism, and economic exploitation. While brutal, these forms of domination did not penetrate the spiritual core of Eastern societies. Traditional civilizations in the East managed to preserve their ancient wisdom, remaining largely unaffected by Western materialism.
However, Guénon warns of a more insidious threat: the infiltration of Western ideas into the minds of Easterners. This intellectual colonization, facilitated by Western education and propaganda, is leading to the emergence of “Westernized” Easterners—individuals who have abandoned their traditional roots for the illusions of modernity. These figures, although not representative of the East as a whole, are nonetheless dangerous. They spread the same confusion that plagues the West, contributing to the global crisis.
Julius Evola, another prominent Traditionalist thinker, shared Guénon’s concerns. Evola saw the modern world as a deviation from the perennial truths that have guided humanity for millennia. He believed that the West, in its obsession with material progress and individualism, had severed its connection to the sacred order. This severance has led to the spiritual and cultural decay that Guénon describes—a decay that is now spreading beyond the West.
The Spiritual Crisis of Modernity
Guénon and Evola both emphasize that the modern crisis is fundamentally spiritual. The West’s decline is not just a matter of political or economic instability; it is a deeper, more profound loss of meaning and purpose. The traditional world, whether in the East or West, was grounded in a sacred order that provided a sense of coherence and continuity. This order has been shattered by modernity, which reduces everything to the material and the temporal.
For Guénon, the modern world is in the final phase of the Kali-Yuga, the “Dark Age” in Hindu cosmology. This period is characterized by the dissolution of spiritual principles and the triumph of materialism. The traditional spirit, once vibrant and central to human life, is now withdrawing, retreating into isolated centers of wisdom that are increasingly difficult to access. The rise of Westernized Easterners is a symptom of this decline, as they abandon the eternal truths of their own traditions for the fleeting promises of modernity.
Evola, too, saw modernity as a descent into chaos. He believed that the West’s embrace of rationalism, democracy, and egalitarianism had led to the erosion of traditional hierarchies and the rise of mediocrity. For Evola, the solution to this crisis was not to reform modernity but to transcend it—to return to a worldview that acknowledges the primacy of the sacred and the hierarchical order of the cosmos.
The Global Implications: A World at Risk
Guénon poses a crucial question: will the East merely undergo a temporary crisis due to modern influences, or will the entire world be dragged into the West’s downfall? The answer, he suggests, is uncertain. While the spiritual power inherent in tradition may ultimately triumph, there is a real possibility of a period of complete darkness before this occurs. The traditional spirit, though eternal and indestructible, may withdraw entirely from the outward world, leading to what Guénon calls the “end of a world.”
This apocalyptic vision is not limited to the West. The confusion and chaos that originate in the West are now spreading globally, threatening to engulf the entire world in the same materialistic and anti-traditional outlook. The West, with its relentless proselytism, seeks to impose its worldview on all cultures, destroying the spiritual foundations of societies that have long resisted its influence.
Evola warned that the West’s crisis could lead to a global collapse if not countered by a revival of traditional values. He argued that the modern world, with its focus on quantity over quality, was inherently self-destructive. The spread of Western ideas to the East, facilitated by Westernized Easterners, only accelerates this process. In the end, the very ideas that the West has exported—nationalism, materialism, and secularism—may turn against it, leading to its ultimate downfall.
The Path Forward
As Guénon and Evola both indicate, the decline of the West is a symptom of a deeper spiritual crisis that affects the entire world. The spread of Western confusion into the East, the erosion of traditional values, and the triumph of materialism are all signs of a world in decline. However, the Traditionalist perspective also offers hope. The traditional spirit, though under siege, is eternal. It may withdraw temporarily, but it will ultimately triumph, dispersing the darkness of modernity with the light of eternal truths.
For those seeking to understand the nature of this crisis and the path forward, a return to the wisdom of Tradition is essential. Guénon’s “Crisis of the Modern World” is a key text in this regard, offering profound insights into the nature of the modern crisis and the potential for a spiritual renaissance.
To explore these ideas further, we recommend reading Crisis of the Modern World by René Guénon. It provides a deeper understanding of the issues discussed here.
