Our first task is to ascertain whether our assumption in the headline has any reality or not. This will involve our looking closely at the symbols and institutions that provided the so far prevailing sense that, yes, our world was open,free. liberal, and modern.
What were those symbols and institutions?
Our brightest spot in the modern world was Science. It was her ascent to prominence, that gave all the impression that, yes, our world has sharply risen from the past!But Science is still there, ever progressing and kicking.Why then she should be a cause for the world to be pushed back into the status of a rogue and archaic one?
We should be forced to accept, that despite our air-crafts, inter-planetary space-ships,our high-tech IT,most conspicuous of her achievement was her nuclear weapons! It was an atom-bomb that saved the world from the clutches of fascist forces in WW-2! It was this bomb that helped the world to continue her momentum through liberty and openness!
Yes, acquiring weaponry strength had become very essential step to preserve basic human freedom from rogue elements! So, modern States had become the PATRONS of Science in the modern world. State started deciding, into what field research has to be concentrated.Finance of Science had become a State subject.States enslaved Science! This author think,no open minded man can refute the above plain fact about the fate of Science today. Science is a prisoner of the State institution today. All the top scientists today are under pay rolls of governments. Spirit of inquiry,openness,absolute objectivity are somewhat gone.So she still continue with her old dogma, that everything is physical, so life is simply a mechanical,zero-sum game!
Now, let us take up the institution of State itself. It was always a King's State that was the one and only model available with mankind. Modern philosophers like Machiavelli and Thomas Hobbes had forcefully suggested, that to counter the 'brutish,nasty' nature of ordinary man, a strong State is essential.
But, the American founding fathers had envisioned an altogether different model of State, when their group of all migrants to the new continent( of America) were faced with the GREAT task of devising a new model of government.They were unique in their finding, that the government of EQUAL men should exclusively be an institution that exclusively constituted to PROTECT and SAFE-GUARD that exclusive end! Thus, the American miracle had took place in modern world!
World looked at the new system of government, American Democracy, with great awe! French government had sent a judicial officer, Alexis D Tocqueville to America, to study and report to his home State.
He reported, among other many things;( he wrote a full book, 'American Democracy!)
“In America the lowest classes have conceived a very high notion of political rights, because they exercise those rights; and refrain from attacking the rights of others in order to that their own may not be violated.”
“ To the European, a public officer represents a superior force; to an American, he represents a RIGHT. In America, then, it may be said that no one renders obedience to man, but to justice and law.”
“Hereto no one in the US has dared to advance the maxim that everything is permissible for the interest of the society, an impious adage which seems to have invented in an age of freedom to shelter all future tyrants’
But before our eyes, America had turned around in later years,leaving all her exclusive and unique stand as the symbol of FREEDOM and LIBERTY of man into the richest and the most powerful
(weaponry wise) nation in the world!
The great TWIST had taken place hence forth. America had become the leader of world-Capitalism. Her obsession with individual freedom had found an excellent avenue for expression in Capitalism, the individual liberty of man to pursue his ways to acquire happiness. Wealth creation had become a way of free-flowing self-expression for many in the country, thus transforming her into industrial leader in the world! American liberalism had found this new way, and it changed her world view drastically! Following blog link might tell this story bit more elaborately:http://understandinginflationinanewlight.blogspot.in/2015/03/where-has-liberalism-landed-us.html
Her unique democratic model had to play second fiddle to these new industrial giants, in order to achieve PROGRESS of the country and her People! PROGRESS had become exclusively ECONOMIC progress. This was another great shift of American preferences; 'inalienable human liberty' has given way for 'inalienable rights of the economic man', and his pursuit of happiness. Ayan Rand had famously wrote in her book 'Capitalism- an unknown ideal' :( page 324)
(weaponry wise) nation in the world!
The great TWIST had taken place hence forth. America had become the leader of world-Capitalism. Her obsession with individual freedom had found an excellent avenue for expression in Capitalism, the individual liberty of man to pursue his ways to acquire happiness. Wealth creation had become a way of free-flowing self-expression for many in the country, thus transforming her into industrial leader in the world! American liberalism had found this new way, and it changed her world view drastically! Following blog link might tell this story bit more elaborately:http://understandinginflationinanewlight.blogspot.in/2015/03/where-has-liberalism-landed-us.html
Her unique democratic model had to play second fiddle to these new industrial giants, in order to achieve PROGRESS of the country and her People! PROGRESS had become exclusively ECONOMIC progress. This was another great shift of American preferences; 'inalienable human liberty' has given way for 'inalienable rights of the economic man', and his pursuit of happiness. Ayan Rand had famously wrote in her book 'Capitalism- an unknown ideal' :( page 324)
" The 'gimmick' was the switch of the concept of rights from political to the economic realm" She describes the then Democratic administration's reaffirming the 'economic bill of rights', which 'Roosevelt had written into the conscience of the nation some years ago', like the rights for jobs, right to earn enough for food and clothing, right for decent home, education, health etc.
Above sad twists had transformed ( or at least diluted) her inception stage exclusive purpose of the State, 'protecting the inalienable rights of man', into protecting the 'economic' rights of man, as shown in the just above paragraph. Functionaries of Democracy had turned protectors, sponsors and even partners ( neo-liberalism) in the new 'development ( progress) mantra of the age! Ayn Rand harshly criticized the new development as 'Statism'. She said, the new Statism in America had vulgarized the otherwise straight and self, or market regulated system of Capitalism into a TAXATION REGIME. Taxation regime had pumped 'huge, 'no man's wealth' ( Ayn Rand) into the hands of the State actors, thus changing the entire system into NOT so 'exclusively protective of the inalienable rights of man'!
The new Capitalistic regime had no great demand for 'inalienable human liberty'. She more needed loyal, passive,hard-working factory workers than a people obsessed with their individual liberty! There were obviously clashes in the factories and other work places over these two, often opposite stands of factory owners and workers. We know that, it was this sudden deterioration of the status of factory workers and their rights that paved way for Karl Marx to formulate his Communist ideology, an anathema to Capitalism.
We know its historic outcome too; A great wall has divided modern world, the communist block and the Capitalistic block. Long years of COLD WAR has run, until finally Russian Communism has collapsed! The other communist nation,China, has transformed into a semi-capitalistic-semi-communist system.
We were discussing the deterioration of the institution of Democratic institution of State; the unique transformation of the world, with 'inalienable liberty of man' her face-mark has gradually got diluted and degenerated into what we call,' neo-liberalism', where State had abandoned her previous position as exclusive champion of human/individual liberty into a patron of her industrialists! State heads started acting as Chief Marketing officers for their country's industry and their products. People's State had turned an exclusive Economic entity! Man has become a cog in the machine of this giant industrial unit! This has indeed altered drastically, her earlier position as the exclusive protector of the rights of man!
Citizens too were compelled to shift their priority; the earlier 'liberty seeker' has turned a 'wage seeker' or a 'job-seeker'! Economic survival has become his prime priority in life! He was ready to forfeit his 'individual liberty' for the regularity of his wages!
Every open minded observer may have to admit, that among the institutions we inherited from the past ages, the institution of STATE was the most unreformed, to the level of its still remaining a an EVIL tradition. Following blog link will provide more data on this subject:http://direneedofreinventingdemocracy.blogspot.in/2015/03/modern-notion-of-state-means-usurping.html
Fall of the notions of Globalism, pluralism and Multiculturalism
We have seen above the fall of the great institution of Science, State, 'inalienable liberty of man' etc. With the rise of industry into unprecedented levels, market expansion has become a natural need of the industry. She was acutely aware that world consists of different cultures, religions and life patterns. So she very smartly projected a global man devoid of his native attachments, chiefly an ideal 'consumer' of her products and services! She smartly created, through 24x7 TV advertisements, class distinctions based on use of various gadgets,home appliances,auto-mobiles, cloths, travel, stay, food style etc.Man was taught to constantly wish for personal SUCCESS, achieved through being a consumer of different CLASS of products and services.The rise of a global 'middle' class was the chief result of the above grand campaign.
These men got ready to abandon their local language, culture, and even religious faith to become part of this global class! It was a phenomenal success! These men relentlessly pursued SUCCESS, by buying more and more, and attempting to get into the next class distinction/identity.( from middle class to upper class, and then to the true elite-class) Following paper might explain this special feature of modern world better:http://understandinginflationinanewlight.blogspot.in/2015/03/seeking-origins-of-notion-of-human.html
In short, the tradition and Value of Globalism, Pluralism etc were not genuine cultural developments, marking the mind of man expanded and progressed,but that arose from the narrow aspiration of industrial class for expanded MARKETS; expanded to global level!.It was merely a commercial strategy or part of such an agenda. We all know, such fake products and values, when NOT supported by genuine intentions of mind, will definitely fail.And it failed!
Free-Market could not sustain the FREE, OPEN and LIBERAL concept of modern world! Despite its appx 250 years of history, about 70% of world population still remains either poor, or low-income,according to PEW's Global poverty reports! ( see link:http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/09/23/seven-in-ten-people-globally-live-on-10-or-less-per-day/)
The better minimum income levels of Western Nations, including that of America might give the impression to the reader that, it was due to Capitalism, these Nations fared better. But remember the recent OCCUPY agitations in USA, wherein the agitators said, their struggle is against the rule of 1% over the 99%! It simply means, mere minimum income level is not the chief criterion of social equality, but the income difference, and the affluence difference.This difference is worse than poverty;food poverty will kill the body,but self-identity poverty will kill minds/selves of man!
It is not lack of food or quality shelter that makes these 70% perpetually agitated. It is their above referred lack of opportunity to be a part of mainstream that has a different affluence level. These 70% feel, they lost everything; their traditional culture, religion, food habits etc.In short, they are deprived of their sense of SELF. The world has drastically changed. They lost their old selves, which is difficult to be recaptured.
Following blog link might explain the above catastrophe of the modern world better: http://communicationonnewworldorder.blogspot.in/2016/06/enlightenment-era-ideal-of-free-man.html
In the above referred blog-post, author explains how the ordinary white-Americans, mostly not much educated working class Americans had voted Mr.Trump to power. These men were victims of Globalism, Migration, and the lose of their traditional culture and self-identity!
Similar story from India and Muslim world also has been narrated.
Now, if USA is against Globalism, Migrants and Muslims, India's majority religion-Hinduism- is up in arms against the 20% religious minorities in the country ( mainly Muslims) The Brexit tussle in UK also has a similar story. Good percentage of Britishers want the country for themselves. The news from France, Australia etc are also not different. The Western concept of global man, free, secular, open and liberated remains a failed idea and image today, with no buyers! Nations and people increasingly seek out their local,native culture, traditions and religion.The sense of the 'other', other culture, and other religion is sharp as never before. Bigotry is at its peak. Yes, looking at all those evidences and its causes, it is clear that, 'modern world' does not deserve to be to called by that name any more. We have once again back to zero. We are a rogue age today, with no universal values, direction or peace in place.
America, the originator of the idea and hope that world can be open,free, secular and liberal, has now withdrawn from that role, especially after the ascend of President Trump as her President. She has withdrawn from the much important Environmental pact too with other major European Nations.She thinks, that she gained nothing from being at the LEADER position of open world, except her additional burden on her budget. Now, as we all know, the totalitarian world power, China is very actively trying to occupy vacant role, as World leader! It will mean, her spreading the idea that, totalitarianism and progress can go hand in hand! Wont' it be a dangerous idea for the world? A very unhealthy one?
The absence of any voice of rational 'sense', or its agency in the modern world
During the pre and post Enlightenment era, there were many voices of Reason, and'sense'in the world.The idea of 'inalienable' rights of man, American founding fathers claimed,was SELF-EVIDENT in nature! Today also, there are many such 'self-evident' truth and directions in the world for truly seeking eyes.But issue today is that, there is no such 'truth seeking eyes' today> Most of the thinkers and think-tanks, Universities etc are part of the Neo-Liberal coterie. They wish to remain safe and well remunerated under this or that regime, or par of this or that corporate giant. Freedom they already have, thanks to the wealth and power they enjoy. The freedom and sense of dignity of ordinary 70% of the population is NOT in their immediate concern! So, isolated voices of outcry has no takers today.
Media, the exclusive story tellers of the world are also attached to this or that regime, or corporate entities. Most of them are directly owned by major corporate entities.
UN and her various associate organizations, as every one of us know, are passive non-players in any of the above referred global issues. It is most sad. She suffers from lack of pro-active leader figures.
She is every where, in every conflict of the world, but predominantly in Red-Cross like, post conflict charity acts.She suffer from lack of strong voice in any global conflict. Global conflicts are many; The US vs.N.Korea conflict, India vs.China conflict are best examples. All the Nations involved in the conflicts are Nuclear powers!
Still, the major influence-makers are the naive journalists of major News papers and TV channels. No one knows,whether they report the actual reality, or their reports and stories push&prompt these players into action on the lines suggested by them!
Now, can we conclude, that modern world has suddenly turned a rogue age, with no sensible direction, Values, peace and rational authority?
Authored by: Abraham J. Palakudy
He is a researcher and seeker into subjects like human-reason, mind, metaphysics,philosophy, future of humanity,spirituality etc.
He can be contacted at: ajoseph1@rediffmail.com
Or Twitter: Voice of Philosophy@jopan1
His brief profile and other blogs:https://www.blogger.com/profile/14249415589712707293
We were discussing the deterioration of the institution of Democratic institution of State; the unique transformation of the world, with 'inalienable liberty of man' her face-mark has gradually got diluted and degenerated into what we call,' neo-liberalism', where State had abandoned her previous position as exclusive champion of human/individual liberty into a patron of her industrialists! State heads started acting as Chief Marketing officers for their country's industry and their products. People's State had turned an exclusive Economic entity! Man has become a cog in the machine of this giant industrial unit! This has indeed altered drastically, her earlier position as the exclusive protector of the rights of man!
Citizens too were compelled to shift their priority; the earlier 'liberty seeker' has turned a 'wage seeker' or a 'job-seeker'! Economic survival has become his prime priority in life! He was ready to forfeit his 'individual liberty' for the regularity of his wages!
Every open minded observer may have to admit, that among the institutions we inherited from the past ages, the institution of STATE was the most unreformed, to the level of its still remaining a an EVIL tradition. Following blog link will provide more data on this subject:http://direneedofreinventingdemocracy.blogspot.in/2015/03/modern-notion-of-state-means-usurping.html
Fall of the notions of Globalism, pluralism and Multiculturalism
We have seen above the fall of the great institution of Science, State, 'inalienable liberty of man' etc. With the rise of industry into unprecedented levels, market expansion has become a natural need of the industry. She was acutely aware that world consists of different cultures, religions and life patterns. So she very smartly projected a global man devoid of his native attachments, chiefly an ideal 'consumer' of her products and services! She smartly created, through 24x7 TV advertisements, class distinctions based on use of various gadgets,home appliances,auto-mobiles, cloths, travel, stay, food style etc.Man was taught to constantly wish for personal SUCCESS, achieved through being a consumer of different CLASS of products and services.The rise of a global 'middle' class was the chief result of the above grand campaign.
These men got ready to abandon their local language, culture, and even religious faith to become part of this global class! It was a phenomenal success! These men relentlessly pursued SUCCESS, by buying more and more, and attempting to get into the next class distinction/identity.( from middle class to upper class, and then to the true elite-class) Following paper might explain this special feature of modern world better:http://understandinginflationinanewlight.blogspot.in/2015/03/seeking-origins-of-notion-of-human.html
In short, the tradition and Value of Globalism, Pluralism etc were not genuine cultural developments, marking the mind of man expanded and progressed,but that arose from the narrow aspiration of industrial class for expanded MARKETS; expanded to global level!.It was merely a commercial strategy or part of such an agenda. We all know, such fake products and values, when NOT supported by genuine intentions of mind, will definitely fail.And it failed!
Free-Market could not sustain the FREE, OPEN and LIBERAL concept of modern world! Despite its appx 250 years of history, about 70% of world population still remains either poor, or low-income,according to PEW's Global poverty reports! ( see link:http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/09/23/seven-in-ten-people-globally-live-on-10-or-less-per-day/)
The better minimum income levels of Western Nations, including that of America might give the impression to the reader that, it was due to Capitalism, these Nations fared better. But remember the recent OCCUPY agitations in USA, wherein the agitators said, their struggle is against the rule of 1% over the 99%! It simply means, mere minimum income level is not the chief criterion of social equality, but the income difference, and the affluence difference.This difference is worse than poverty;food poverty will kill the body,but self-identity poverty will kill minds/selves of man!
It is not lack of food or quality shelter that makes these 70% perpetually agitated. It is their above referred lack of opportunity to be a part of mainstream that has a different affluence level. These 70% feel, they lost everything; their traditional culture, religion, food habits etc.In short, they are deprived of their sense of SELF. The world has drastically changed. They lost their old selves, which is difficult to be recaptured.
Following blog link might explain the above catastrophe of the modern world better: http://communicationonnewworldorder.blogspot.in/2016/06/enlightenment-era-ideal-of-free-man.html
In the above referred blog-post, author explains how the ordinary white-Americans, mostly not much educated working class Americans had voted Mr.Trump to power. These men were victims of Globalism, Migration, and the lose of their traditional culture and self-identity!
Similar story from India and Muslim world also has been narrated.
Now, if USA is against Globalism, Migrants and Muslims, India's majority religion-Hinduism- is up in arms against the 20% religious minorities in the country ( mainly Muslims) The Brexit tussle in UK also has a similar story. Good percentage of Britishers want the country for themselves. The news from France, Australia etc are also not different. The Western concept of global man, free, secular, open and liberated remains a failed idea and image today, with no buyers! Nations and people increasingly seek out their local,native culture, traditions and religion.The sense of the 'other', other culture, and other religion is sharp as never before. Bigotry is at its peak. Yes, looking at all those evidences and its causes, it is clear that, 'modern world' does not deserve to be to called by that name any more. We have once again back to zero. We are a rogue age today, with no universal values, direction or peace in place.
America, the originator of the idea and hope that world can be open,free, secular and liberal, has now withdrawn from that role, especially after the ascend of President Trump as her President. She has withdrawn from the much important Environmental pact too with other major European Nations.She thinks, that she gained nothing from being at the LEADER position of open world, except her additional burden on her budget. Now, as we all know, the totalitarian world power, China is very actively trying to occupy vacant role, as World leader! It will mean, her spreading the idea that, totalitarianism and progress can go hand in hand! Wont' it be a dangerous idea for the world? A very unhealthy one?
The absence of any voice of rational 'sense', or its agency in the modern world
During the pre and post Enlightenment era, there were many voices of Reason, and'sense'in the world.The idea of 'inalienable' rights of man, American founding fathers claimed,was SELF-EVIDENT in nature! Today also, there are many such 'self-evident' truth and directions in the world for truly seeking eyes.But issue today is that, there is no such 'truth seeking eyes' today> Most of the thinkers and think-tanks, Universities etc are part of the Neo-Liberal coterie. They wish to remain safe and well remunerated under this or that regime, or par of this or that corporate giant. Freedom they already have, thanks to the wealth and power they enjoy. The freedom and sense of dignity of ordinary 70% of the population is NOT in their immediate concern! So, isolated voices of outcry has no takers today.
Media, the exclusive story tellers of the world are also attached to this or that regime, or corporate entities. Most of them are directly owned by major corporate entities.
UN and her various associate organizations, as every one of us know, are passive non-players in any of the above referred global issues. It is most sad. She suffers from lack of pro-active leader figures.
She is every where, in every conflict of the world, but predominantly in Red-Cross like, post conflict charity acts.She suffer from lack of strong voice in any global conflict. Global conflicts are many; The US vs.N.Korea conflict, India vs.China conflict are best examples. All the Nations involved in the conflicts are Nuclear powers!
Still, the major influence-makers are the naive journalists of major News papers and TV channels. No one knows,whether they report the actual reality, or their reports and stories push&prompt these players into action on the lines suggested by them!
Now, can we conclude, that modern world has suddenly turned a rogue age, with no sensible direction, Values, peace and rational authority?
Authored by: Abraham J. Palakudy
He is a researcher and seeker into subjects like human-reason, mind, metaphysics,philosophy, future of humanity,spirituality etc.
He can be contacted at: ajoseph1@rediffmail.com
Or Twitter: Voice of Philosophy@jopan1
His brief profile and other blogs:https://www.blogger.com/profile/14249415589712707293
