In late modernity all public activities, especially those promoted and implemented by states and their bureaucrats have become rather boring, putting it mildly. The callousness and phoniness that characterizes politically organized entities have managed to alienate the global sheeple (human mass) to a point where there seems to be no return. Even when the status quo claims victory on certain issues, vis-a-vis the desire of the mass, these so called victories always leave lingering aftertastes that are not always palatable. Sincerity has become anathema to politicos and bureaucrats, at all levels. As a result, the sheeple is left with no other choice, but to harbor heightened resentments towards the elites and their organizations across the planet!
The case of France is a very clear example of what is unfolding in late modernity. The upheaval of the French, which has been going on for over a year, is not to be dismissed lightly. Crony capitalism propped up by the ideology of neoliberalism has lost all credibility, at least amongst those who have earn their keeps. See Graham’s and Escobar’s articles on page 38. Admittedly, decades of brainwashing by various establishment institutions, not excluding the family, has zombified the large majority of the global sheeple. Stifled thinking brought about by the intentional mental suffocation of the global order cannot augur well when the time comes for humanity to face formidable real challenges. And real challenges are now brewing below the surface, all over the world. Generalized conflicts and hot wars might present themselves as results of our elites’ misguided policies involving, amongst other things, migration, trade wars, polarizing globalization, covert and overt colonization, etc. Our callous meddling with the natural world will also have severe consequences. While all these scenarios are gradually unfolding, our so-called leaders, not only political, spend their time superficially pontificating about matters that have no real substance in the scheme of things. Just look at the theatrics that is going on in the capital of a country that is considered the leader of the Western world!
As if that is not enough of a comedy, we also have a continuous parody here in the periphery. We waste our precious time wallowing in a world that is neither here nor there. We wrongly assume that we will still have an opportunity to achieve a standard of living that currently exists in the west. When serious analysis is applied on these foolish sentiments, all the envisioned dreams tend to disappear into nightmares. For example, where are we going to get the cheap energy/non-renewable resources that will propel us to such an extravagant and wasteful life style? With polite dummies, silence is the preferred answer to such inconvenient queries. On the other hand, situation can become quite explosive when dealing with individuals who think they have the mental prowess of a genius. Understandably, those who are less secured in their wisdom and intelligence will daftly parrot what they have been told by their masters, rather furiously. Therefore, caution must be exercised in dealing with such mental midgets. Unfortunately even mere learned knowledge (of the very basic types) has become a rare commodity in our dependence craving ‘make believe’ continent! To our hyphenated elites who seriously lack anchoring values/essence, independent attitude and self-respect have lost their meanings!
Late modernity is characterized by parasitic accumulation in the sphere of material reproduction, compliment of crony capitalism. In the realm of generalized culture, it is narcissistic alienation that has taken the reign. Instead of social orientations that should encourage cohesive family formations, we have managed to institute the crass culture of the privileged elites who only know how to spew unfulfilling temporal gratifications devoid of any meaningful purpose. Only the genuinely sick can relate to such soul draining existence! Humanity cannot exist without purpose, however mundane that purpose might seem to the alienated. Social reproduction itself is one of the major driving forces of collective existence. But all these are now relegated to the backburner, so to speak. No wonder why Caitlin is in such a convulsive mood about the whole mess! See her article next column.
The global mass has lost confidence when it comes to the intentions and deeds of the manipulative elites. At the same time, the elites do not want to understand the predicaments of the mass. The elites surmise that they can get by with effective lies. What the elites don’t get however, is this. ‘Insecurity is always weakness; sincerity even in error is strength.’ (George hennery Lewes) “I want to be remembered as someone who is sincere. Even if I made mistakes, they were made in sincerity. If I was wrong I was wrong in sincerity. I can deal with a person who was wrong, as long as he was sincere.” Malcolm X. Good Day!