It has been a busy week for me so this is the first chance I have had to communication how great the Melbourne Traditionalists Conference went!
The Friday night was the meet and greet designed to let people meet each other and to talk, to which we had 20 people come along. We had sandwich wraps and donuts to eat as well as drinks, bizarrely water and red wine were both favourites, but not together to my knowledge. It was great to see a room full of our people, all talking and enjoying each others company. The venue being an old bank from the 1880's which had been done back up, people were very complimentary of the building. It is spring in Melbourne and Friday we had our first really hot day, 28 degrees, so the night was warm but that simply added to the atmosphere.
That night it rained and Saturday was back to 18 degrees. The Conference started 15 minutes late, but once it was underway it moved along quite smoothly. First up we had a talk on the Anti-Suffragette Movement, which was well received as well as informing the attendees on a movement that has purposely been forgotten. Next up we had, What has Christianity done for us?, the speaker had prepared much more than expected and had to cut his talk short. However that wasn't what made the talk the most controversial of the Conference, it was either Christianity was a Universal religion or a religion of Nations. Then we had the most asked about topic on Shakespeare and Conservatism where a good argument was made that people do not view the Bards plays correctly. For example, Romeo and Juliet is today portrayed as a Romance, but it is in fact a Tragedy with a moral centre. That love should not be extreme, you should not love too much or too little.
We then had lunch, $250 of fish and chips with a choice of salads, which was lovely. We also had lamington cakes and cup cakes during the morning, along with water, soft drinks and hot drinks.
After lunch we had the keynote speaker, Frank Salter speak on his ideas for advancing Anglo-Australia. A lot of strategic thinking and ideas for moving forward, while also asking the question why have our elites betrayed us. Then I gave the final speech of the day, Traditionalism - the way forward. More strategy and ideas for moving forward. My talk was based on three blog posts I had written, Things I admire about the Left, How to fight back & The broad-front strategy.
Frank Salters speech was filmed and we will be making it available in the next week or so. My speech was filmed and the audio recorded separately, which proved to be a good thing as after 15 minutes of recording me my extreme beauty made the camera stop working. The audio is good so we will also make that available.
We finished off the formal section of the Conference with some people giving short presentations on various topics, one was on a recent trip to Europe where we were told that Melbourne was much worse than Munich, sad but I can't say that I was surprised. We then had the most controversial moment of the Conference when an attendee said he was in favour of a big Australia. It was a reminder to me that we each still carry Liberal ideas inside of us and often we don't know it.
The Conference ended and everybody had some time to socialise with each other and to have a drink and relax. We then walked a few blocks to a Greek restaurant where we had our banquet. More socialising, great food and some good ideas came out of the night. Overall I'm very happy with the Conference, the attendees were great, really good quality people, people who I'm happy are on our side. The talks were first rate with a wide range of topics and good questions during the question and answer periods.
If you were there you know what I'm talking about and if you weren't I encourage you to attend a Conference near you.
Upon Hope Blog - A Traditional Conservative Future
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Tuesday, 23 October 2018
Tuesday, 16 October 2018
Instructions for the Conference
For anyone who has signed up for the Melbourne Traditionalists Conference this weekend I will send out the address via text and further instructions via email. Both will go out this Thursday afternoon.
For anyone who likes to do things at the last minute, ticket sales will end at midday on Friday. Anything received after that time will not be accepted as that is when I need to confirm catering.
Everything is set to go and I look forward to seeing everyone this weekend!
Mark Moncrieff
Upon Hope Blog - A Traditional Conservative Future
Another Article You Might Like?
Things I Hate About the Left
For anyone who likes to do things at the last minute, ticket sales will end at midday on Friday. Anything received after that time will not be accepted as that is when I need to confirm catering.
Everything is set to go and I look forward to seeing everyone this weekend!
Mark Moncrieff
Upon Hope Blog - A Traditional Conservative Future
Another Article You Might Like?
Things I Hate About the Left
Thursday, 11 October 2018
The Sixty-Seventh Month
Another great month, although I feel as if I just wrote the last update a few days ago! Obviously not true as there are a few articles that I wrote between then and now.
Nine countries over 100, with one over 1000 but many of the usual suspects aren't there. In the last month I have had 4,178 visitors, my worst day was 24th September with 64 visitors and my best day the 7th October with 310 visitors.
September-October
August-September
Nine countries over 100, with one over 1000 but many of the usual suspects aren't there. In the last month I have had 4,178 visitors, my worst day was 24th September with 64 visitors and my best day the 7th October with 310 visitors.
September-October
August-September
The United States, the Ukraine are up and the United Kingdom is slightly up.
Australia, Unknown Region, Indonesia, Germany and Singapore are all down.
The Philippines and Poland are now in the top 10.
While France and Brazil have both left the top 10.
I have also had visitors from the following countries: France, Netherlands, Denmark, Finland, Austria, Italy, Hungary, Albania, Romania, Moldova, Estonia, Russia, Turkey, Lebanon, U.A.E., Bangladesh, China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, Vietnam, South Africa, Lesotho, New Zealand, Canada, Costa Rico, Ecuador, Chile.
I hope to see you again soon.
Mark Moncrieff
Upon Hope Blog - A Traditional Conservative Future
Another Article You Might Like?
Tuesday, 9 October 2018
Do We Have Free Will?
Over on another post I received some comments from a reader who calls himself ImmigrationFacts, I include below the full exchange.
Blank State! Unfree Will! We are animals afterall!
No, non of these things are true.
People are born ignorant, we do not possess knowledge, however we do possess instincts and preferences. One thing I have always found interesting is how babies react to men. Some babies love men and others find them the scariest creatures in existence. No knowledge, maybe instinct but definitely a preference. If babies have a preference how can they be blank states?
They cannot be, it is simply wrong, I would go so far as to say it is absurd!
Now I agree that people are much more influenced than they think, they take more notice of popular opinion, personal opinion and advertising then they think. But there is a very good reason for people to do that, in most cases it helps them to fit in and it normally has no cost. It is a sort of stereotyping, a shorthand that even when wrong is rarely disastrously wrong. However that does not mean that every action is done without conscious thought. If that were true then individuals could not operate as individuals, but people do.
However, if we have no free will then how do we think and how do we carry out actions?
The argument made here is a good one, that we do not have full control of our faculties, which is true, thats why it's good. However it has been taken to it's illogical conclusion.
We are biological creatures, we have instincts that we do not need to think about to carry out, it is hardwired into us, an automatic response. If you have ever fallen over you will have experienced this. If you have ever been tongue tied then you would know that not everything is automatic. Many of the things that we do in life need both thinking and action, it's not enough to know what to say you also have to say it.
Sometimes we think thoughts that we don't like or we act in ways that aren't the "real us". Why don't we do that all the time? If we have no free will how do we have self control? If we have no free will how can there be a real us? If we have an unfree will or a partial will does that mean we are automations? Or that some other force or will controls us?
That there are limits to free will is true, that we are not always in total control is also true, but to think that we have little to no control is not true. Who robbed the bank, me with my free will or me with my unfree will? Thats the argument of children and the guilty.
Are people animals?
We are certainly biological and we are much in common with animals. We share 99% of our DNA with chimpanzees, we also share 56% of out DNA with fruit flys. In other words, DNA, the basic building blocks of life are really basic. However it is not the things that make us similar that define us but the things that make us different. Did you know that if a human child 9 years of age was the oldest human on Earth that that child would be the most intelligent creature on the planet?
We are much more than animals, we are even in a biological sense so much more complex than them that we are unique. Maybe in the universe there are other creatures as intelligent, or even more intelligent than us. Unless they are also human then we would remain unique. Our ability to solve problems, to make and use tools, to think, to build societies, cultures and civilizations, to know that the future is real and not simple another day. To call humans animals is to misunderstand both animals and humans. I would also add something that history has taught, when people begin to think that people are animals then people start being treated as animals. We treat animals as animals because that is their nature, but it is not ours.
I hope ImmigrationFacts does not feel picked on, I wanted to give a more complete answer than a blog comment can make.
Upon Hope Blog - A Traditional Conservative Future
Another Article You Might Like?
Why Does Liberalism Hate the Family
-
ImmigrationFactsDelete
If you have no free will what force compelled you to comment?
Mark Moncrieff -
perhaps, an 'unfree' will? why must it be free - why not partially or full determined?
I don't like analytical philosophy because it's generally pointless, but in this case, using Ockham's Razor, can't I just say 'something compelled me' or 'there was some psychological need that was fulfilled by me writing'?
Does a thought come when I will it? Or does a thought come when it does and I may (or may not) reflect on it?
You don't need 'free will' to explain human behaviour. We are animals afterall. And I'd argue that the concept of free will leads to an erroneous understanding of human behaviour.
Some cultures don't have the concept of free will as we understand it and they function just fine.
Blank State! Unfree Will! We are animals afterall!
No, non of these things are true.
People are born ignorant, we do not possess knowledge, however we do possess instincts and preferences. One thing I have always found interesting is how babies react to men. Some babies love men and others find them the scariest creatures in existence. No knowledge, maybe instinct but definitely a preference. If babies have a preference how can they be blank states?
They cannot be, it is simply wrong, I would go so far as to say it is absurd!
Now I agree that people are much more influenced than they think, they take more notice of popular opinion, personal opinion and advertising then they think. But there is a very good reason for people to do that, in most cases it helps them to fit in and it normally has no cost. It is a sort of stereotyping, a shorthand that even when wrong is rarely disastrously wrong. However that does not mean that every action is done without conscious thought. If that were true then individuals could not operate as individuals, but people do.
However, if we have no free will then how do we think and how do we carry out actions?
The argument made here is a good one, that we do not have full control of our faculties, which is true, thats why it's good. However it has been taken to it's illogical conclusion.
We are biological creatures, we have instincts that we do not need to think about to carry out, it is hardwired into us, an automatic response. If you have ever fallen over you will have experienced this. If you have ever been tongue tied then you would know that not everything is automatic. Many of the things that we do in life need both thinking and action, it's not enough to know what to say you also have to say it.
Sometimes we think thoughts that we don't like or we act in ways that aren't the "real us". Why don't we do that all the time? If we have no free will how do we have self control? If we have no free will how can there be a real us? If we have an unfree will or a partial will does that mean we are automations? Or that some other force or will controls us?
That there are limits to free will is true, that we are not always in total control is also true, but to think that we have little to no control is not true. Who robbed the bank, me with my free will or me with my unfree will? Thats the argument of children and the guilty.
Are people animals?
We are certainly biological and we are much in common with animals. We share 99% of our DNA with chimpanzees, we also share 56% of out DNA with fruit flys. In other words, DNA, the basic building blocks of life are really basic. However it is not the things that make us similar that define us but the things that make us different. Did you know that if a human child 9 years of age was the oldest human on Earth that that child would be the most intelligent creature on the planet?
We are much more than animals, we are even in a biological sense so much more complex than them that we are unique. Maybe in the universe there are other creatures as intelligent, or even more intelligent than us. Unless they are also human then we would remain unique. Our ability to solve problems, to make and use tools, to think, to build societies, cultures and civilizations, to know that the future is real and not simple another day. To call humans animals is to misunderstand both animals and humans. I would also add something that history has taught, when people begin to think that people are animals then people start being treated as animals. We treat animals as animals because that is their nature, but it is not ours.
I hope ImmigrationFacts does not feel picked on, I wanted to give a more complete answer than a blog comment can make.
Upon Hope Blog - A Traditional Conservative Future
Another Article You Might Like?
Why Does Liberalism Hate the Family
Saturday, 6 October 2018
Two Weeks until the Melbourne Traditionalists Conference!
Everything is moving quickly now with only a fortnight to go. I have confirmed all of the speakers, I have booked the venue as well as the banquet. Everything is set. So this is my final post inviting anyone interested in the Melbourne Traditionalists Conference, who has not paid already, to do so as soon as possible via the trybooking link below.
Our keynote speaker is Frank Salter, who researches, writes and consults on genetics and ethnicity, if that interests you check out the link and have a look at his books on Amazon.
If anyone attending has any dietary or mobility issues please let me know via email.
Melbourne Traditionalists Conference 2018
Dates: 19 October, Friday 7pm, Meet and Greet
20 October, Saturday, 10am-5pm Conference
7pm Banquet
Venue: The venue is a very nice building, old and beautiful in the inner suburbs of Melbourne, Australia. The location will be revealed to those attending the week of the Conference.
Cost: Concession $75
Full Price $100
Everything in Australian Dollars, if your unsure if you are Concession of Full Price send me an email.
Register: To register and pay for the Conference go to trybooking
Lecture Topics
1. The History of the Anti-Suffragette Movement
2. Christianity, Morality and the West
3. Shakespeare and Conservatism
4. Anglo-Australia
5. Traditionalism, the way forward
What do you get for your money? 5 lectures, lunch and banquet, all non-alcoholic drinks, all inclusive.
If you have any questions please send me an email at uponhopeblog(at)gmail.com
I look forward to seeing you there!
Mark Moncrieff
Upon Hope Blog - A Traditional Conservative Future
Another Article You Might Like?
Leftism and Occultism
Our keynote speaker is Frank Salter, who researches, writes and consults on genetics and ethnicity, if that interests you check out the link and have a look at his books on Amazon.
If anyone attending has any dietary or mobility issues please let me know via email.
Melbourne Traditionalists Conference 2018
Dates: 19 October, Friday 7pm, Meet and Greet
20 October, Saturday, 10am-5pm Conference
7pm Banquet
Venue: The venue is a very nice building, old and beautiful in the inner suburbs of Melbourne, Australia. The location will be revealed to those attending the week of the Conference.
Cost: Concession $75
Full Price $100
Everything in Australian Dollars, if your unsure if you are Concession of Full Price send me an email.
Register: To register and pay for the Conference go to trybooking
Lecture Topics
1. The History of the Anti-Suffragette Movement
2. Christianity, Morality and the West
3. Shakespeare and Conservatism
4. Anglo-Australia
5. Traditionalism, the way forward
What do you get for your money? 5 lectures, lunch and banquet, all non-alcoholic drinks, all inclusive.
If you have any questions please send me an email at uponhopeblog(at)gmail.com
I look forward to seeing you there!
Mark Moncrieff
Upon Hope Blog - A Traditional Conservative Future
Another Article You Might Like?
Leftism and Occultism
Thursday, 4 October 2018
Doers and Thinkers
Why doesn't the truth of our message spread quicker? Why do people keep returning to the same ways of thinking, even when logic and experience should move them along? Why are so many people still asleep to the crisis of our Civilization, even when they can feel that something is wrong?
I have been contemplating this for quite some time and then I realised that I was doing something that they were not doing, contemplating. In other words I was thinking, I was a thinker. But most people are not thinkers, instead they are doers. They get up and go to work, they see sporting fixtures, they study, they feed babies. They don't think about why they do what they do they simply do it. I'm very glad people feed babies instead of thinking about it!
It's true that many things need to be done and the doers are a very important part of society, without them society would fail. But it must be pointed out that even drunks are doers, not everything that is done needs to be done. Just as not ever thought needs to thought.
Many doers would point out that they think, but what they do is wonder. They ask questions that they don't really seek answers for. But thinking, real thinking is painful, the answers change the colour of your world, it often makes you feel like you are drowning under the weight of the answer. Doers rarely let that happen to them, their smarter than that. Thinkers are often smart enough to think of a problem, but they are not always smart enough to come up with a solution. Thinkers often get burnt out and become doers.
Doers let other people do their thinking for them, we all let other people think for us, because thinking is hard. And the reality is that we cannot afford the luxury of thinking for ourselves on ever issue all the time. The real world demands attention. So we must let others bear the load. In the past Churches, Trade Unions, local dignitaries did our thinking for us and if it was good enough for them then it was good enough for us. Today many people let the media do their thinking for them and because they are not thinkers they do not see the problem.
Thinkers can lead themselves into mental quagmires, something that doers rarely do. For them the world is binary, divided into two parts, the part they live and experience and the world that is presented to them. That means that they can reject either their own experiences, which many do, or that they can reject the way the world is presented to them. And once that opinion is formed it is really hard to budge, but not impossible.
That is why Liberalism will not allow certain people or ideas to gain any publicity. People might start letting the wrong thinkers do their thinking for them. Which is why we need to keep pushing!
Upon Hope Blog - A Traditional Conservative Future
Another Article You Might Like?
Morrison and Immigration
I have been contemplating this for quite some time and then I realised that I was doing something that they were not doing, contemplating. In other words I was thinking, I was a thinker. But most people are not thinkers, instead they are doers. They get up and go to work, they see sporting fixtures, they study, they feed babies. They don't think about why they do what they do they simply do it. I'm very glad people feed babies instead of thinking about it!
It's true that many things need to be done and the doers are a very important part of society, without them society would fail. But it must be pointed out that even drunks are doers, not everything that is done needs to be done. Just as not ever thought needs to thought.
Many doers would point out that they think, but what they do is wonder. They ask questions that they don't really seek answers for. But thinking, real thinking is painful, the answers change the colour of your world, it often makes you feel like you are drowning under the weight of the answer. Doers rarely let that happen to them, their smarter than that. Thinkers are often smart enough to think of a problem, but they are not always smart enough to come up with a solution. Thinkers often get burnt out and become doers.
Doers let other people do their thinking for them, we all let other people think for us, because thinking is hard. And the reality is that we cannot afford the luxury of thinking for ourselves on ever issue all the time. The real world demands attention. So we must let others bear the load. In the past Churches, Trade Unions, local dignitaries did our thinking for us and if it was good enough for them then it was good enough for us. Today many people let the media do their thinking for them and because they are not thinkers they do not see the problem.
Thinkers can lead themselves into mental quagmires, something that doers rarely do. For them the world is binary, divided into two parts, the part they live and experience and the world that is presented to them. That means that they can reject either their own experiences, which many do, or that they can reject the way the world is presented to them. And once that opinion is formed it is really hard to budge, but not impossible.
That is why Liberalism will not allow certain people or ideas to gain any publicity. People might start letting the wrong thinkers do their thinking for them. Which is why we need to keep pushing!
Upon Hope Blog - A Traditional Conservative Future
Another Article You Might Like?
Morrison and Immigration
We are influenced by what we are exposed to - period. Yes, we can reject a minority of things we are exposed to based on previous experience and reflection, but we pretend we do this much more than we actually do.
We are a blank slate and we are mostly not in control of the quill. We don't realise this because of our myth of 'free will', which is a lie, but a lie nearly everyone in the West believes in.