As we enter the sev\u00adenth year of a new mil\u00adlen\u00adni\u00adum, the sad\u00addest thing to con\u00adtem\u00adplate is not only the prob\u00adlems we face, but the pathet\u00adic inad\u00ade\u00adqua\u00adcy of the intel\u00adlec\u00adtu\u00adal tools employed to address them. There has been, in effect, no progress in the way human social, polit\u00adi\u00adcal and eco\u00adnom\u00adic issues are dis\u00adcussed. It is as if we were attempt\u00ading to prac\u00adtice mod\u00adern med\u00adi\u00adcine, but inca\u00adpable of employ\u00ading any ter\u00admi\u00adnol\u00ado\u00adgy except the pre\u00adsci\u00aden\u00adtif\u00adic con\u00adcepts of \u201chumours\u201d, divine ret\u00adri\u00adbu\u00adtion, witch\u00adcraft and astrol\u00ado\u00adgy. That is sure\u00adly the state of affairs, for instance, when the idi\u00adot\u00adic \u201cleft\/right\u201d tem\u00adplate is employed to describe \u201cthe polit\u00adi\u00adcal spec\u00adtrum\u201d, or when the child\u00adish pseu\u00addo-intel\u00adlec\u00adtu\u00adal super\u00adsti\u00adtions of Marx\u00adism and Con\u00adser\u00advatism still pro\u00advide the frame of ref\u00ader\u00adence. These con\u00adcepts were worth\u00adless when they emerged and pet\u00adri\u00adfied two cen\u00adturies ago. That they remain dom\u00adi\u00adnant, unchanged, and inescapable in their putres\u00adcence, after all this time, sug\u00adgests that our politi\u00adcians, jour\u00adnal\u00adists, aca\u00add\u00ade\u00admics, and pun\u00addits are not capa\u00adble of rea\u00adson\u00ading, learn\u00ading, or grow\u00ading up.<\/p>\n
We face daunt\u00ading chal\u00adlenges, as a species. Much of the earth\u2019s resources are wast\u00aded, ruined, and destroyed, usu\u00adal\u00adly for the short-term ben\u00ade\u00adfit of a hand\u00adful of aris\u00adto\u00adcrat\u00adic gang\u00adsters. Sev\u00ader\u00adal inter\u00adtwined and syn\u00ader\u00adgis\u00adtic eco\u00adlog\u00adi\u00adcal dis\u00adas\u00adters loom, and they can only be addressed by a ratio\u00adnal polit\u00adi\u00adcal process. This is pos\u00adsi\u00adble only in demo\u00adc\u00adra\u00adt\u00adic poli\u00adties based on respect for human rights, and cul\u00adti\u00advat\u00ading an edu\u00adcat\u00aded, well-informed pub\u00adlic. Yet much of the world still remains in the hands of crim\u00adi\u00adnal gangs. Since the prob\u00adlems we face are glob\u00adal and inter\u00adde\u00adpen\u00addent, it is some\u00adwhat like one rel\u00ada\u00adtive\u00adly clean house\u00adhold try\u00ading to main\u00adtain its health when the adja\u00adcent neigh\u00adbours are dump\u00ading raw sewage in the street and heap\u00ading rat-filled piles of garbage in their yards.<\/p>\n
As long as an exploita\u00adtive Com\u00admu\u00adnist aris\u00adtoc\u00adra\u00adcy con\u00adtin\u00adues to rule in Chi\u00adna, for instance, no seri\u00adous glob\u00adal eco\u00adlog\u00adi\u00adcal prob\u00adlem can be solved.\u2026 and all of the world\u2019s elites are deter\u00admined to keep that par\u00adtic\u00adu\u00adlar gang of crim\u00adi\u00adnals in pow\u00ader as long as pos\u00adsi\u00adble. Africa has been aban\u00addoned to rot in abysmal pover\u00adty, and it func\u00adtions as an incu\u00adba\u00adtor for glob\u00adal pan\u00addemics. The Mid\u00addle East has been strate\u00adgi\u00adcal\u00adly med\u00addled with by the glob\u00adal pow\u00ader elite in such a way as to turn it into an incu\u00adba\u00adtor for psy\u00adchot\u00adic ide\u00adolo\u00adgies \u2015 the con\u00adcep\u00adtu\u00adal equiv\u00ada\u00adlent of dis\u00adease pathogens. Prim\u00adi\u00adtive ideas of eth\u00adnic hatred, col\u00adlec\u00adtivist con\u00adfor\u00admi\u00adty, racial mys\u00adti\u00adcism and reli\u00adgious fun\u00adda\u00admen\u00adtal\u00adism still dom\u00adi\u00adnate much of the world. Peo\u00adple func\u00adtion\u00ading in such con\u00addi\u00adtions are in no posi\u00adtion to solve eco\u00adlog\u00adi\u00adcal problems.<\/p>\n
But the sad\u00addest state of affairs is not in the areas which are ruled by mega\u00adlo\u00adma\u00adni\u00adac dic\u00adta\u00adtors and Com\u00admu\u00adnist Par\u00adty thugs, or, in the more com\u00admon sit\u00adu\u00ada\u00adtion, par\u00ada\u00adsitic oli\u00adgarchies hid\u00ading behind a thin veneer of fake \u201cdemo\u00adc\u00adra\u00adt\u00adic\u201d for\u00admal\u00adi\u00adties. These obvi\u00adous\u00adly back\u00adward places can, poten\u00adtial\u00adly, be improved by any pop\u00adu\u00adla\u00adtion deter\u00admined to rebel and reform. What I find most dis\u00adcour\u00adag\u00ading is the dis\u00adap\u00adpoint\u00ading per\u00adfor\u00admance of the ter\u00adri\u00adto\u00adries with demo\u00adc\u00adra\u00adt\u00adic expe\u00adri\u00adence. Though con\u00addi\u00adtions for the major\u00adi\u00adty of ordi\u00adnary peo\u00adple in these places are much bet\u00adter than for their fel\u00adlow human beings forced to live under dic\u00adta\u00adtor\u00adship, they are not evolv\u00ading demo\u00adc\u00adra\u00adt\u00adi\u00adcal\u00adly. At best, they are mere\u00adly hold\u00ading still, at worst they are rapid\u00adly erod\u00ading their demo\u00adc\u00adra\u00adt\u00adic her\u00aditage. This is man\u00adi\u00adfest\u00aded in sev\u00ader\u00adal ways.<\/p>\n
1) Demo\u00adc\u00adra\u00adt\u00adic ideas, intro\u00adduced as rad\u00adi\u00adcal inno\u00adva\u00adtions many gen\u00ader\u00ada\u00adtions ago, have remained fixed in their for\u00admu\u00adla\u00adtion. When peo\u00adple say \u201cdemoc\u00adra\u00adcy\u201d, they assume that it can only mean the var\u00adi\u00adous par\u00adlia\u00admen\u00adtary and con\u00adgres\u00adsion\u00adal insti\u00adtu\u00adtions that devel\u00adoped in the nine\u00adteenth cen\u00adtu\u00adry, with only minor tweak\u00ading in the twen\u00adti\u00adeth cen\u00adtu\u00adry. There is con\u00adfu\u00adsion between direct democ\u00adra\u00adcy (such as you find in the clas\u00adsic New Eng\u00adland Town Meet\u00ading) and rep\u00adre\u00adsen\u00adta\u00adtive democ\u00adra\u00adcy (which is a com\u00adpro\u00admise of direct democ\u00adra\u00adcy pro\u00adduced by the dile\u00adma of large scale polit\u00adi\u00adcal enti\u00adties). The sys\u00adtem of leg\u00adis\u00adla\u00adtures, par\u00adties and elec\u00adtoral pol\u00adi\u00adtics evolved slow\u00adly, and it is rea\u00adson\u00adable to expect it to evolve cau\u00adtious\u00adly. But cau\u00adtion has been replaced by paralysis.<\/p>\n
2) There has been con\u00adstant pres\u00adsure to degrade democ\u00adra\u00adcies into monar\u00adchy. This process is most accel\u00ader\u00adat\u00aded in the Unit\u00aded States, where greater and greater pow\u00aders have been hand\u00aded to the Pres\u00adi\u00addent, over suc\u00adces\u00adsive gen\u00ader\u00ada\u00adtions. Each fresh \u201cemer\u00adgency\u201d has been accom\u00adpa\u00adnied by addi\u00adtion\u00adal growth in the pow\u00ader of an office that the founders of that repub\u00adlic regard\u00aded with deep sus\u00adpi\u00adcion. Each suc\u00adces\u00adsive Pres\u00adi\u00addent has added more vis\u00adi\u00adble sym\u00adbol\u00adic trap\u00adpings of monar\u00adchy. It is the White House, not the Capi\u00adtol build\u00ading, which is invari\u00adably used to rep\u00adre\u00adsent the seat of gov\u00adern\u00adment. In Par\u00adlia\u00admen\u00adtary sys\u00adtems like Cana\u00adda, at least, this process has not gone as far, but it is a dan\u00adger in all democracies.<\/p>\n
3) There has been a sys\u00adtem\u00adat\u00adic attempt to recast democ\u00adra\u00adcies as just anoth\u00ader vari\u00adant of the Ide\u00ado\u00adlog\u00adi\u00adcal State \u2015 a mech\u00ada\u00adnism for pro\u00admot\u00ading some kind of his\u00adtori\u00adcist mys\u00adti\u00adcism and defined by an \u201ceco\u00adnom\u00adic sys\u00adtem\u201d. This is what is hap\u00adpen\u00ading when democ\u00adra\u00adcies are rep\u00adre\u00adsent\u00aded as being the polit\u00adi\u00adcal vehi\u00adcles of a pseu\u00addo-con\u00adcept labelled \u201cCap\u00adi\u00adtal\u00adism\u201d. This is a com\u00adplete fal\u00adsi\u00adfi\u00adca\u00adtion of the demo\u00adc\u00adra\u00adt\u00adic idea, and it aris\u00ades from an attempt to trans\u00adform a demo\u00adc\u00adra\u00adt\u00adic poli\u00adty into some kind of bul\u00adly ide\u00adol\u00ado\u00adgy like Com\u00admu\u00adnism. There is no \u201cide\u00adol\u00ado\u00adgy of Cap\u00adi\u00adtal\u00adism\u201d. That is an entire\u00adly Marx\u00adist con\u00adcept, refer\u00adring to an imag\u00adi\u00adnary \u201cstage\u201d in its incor\u00adrect deter\u00admin\u00adist fan\u00adta\u00adsy of his\u00adto\u00adry. Democ\u00adra\u00adcy was not intend\u00aded, designed or con\u00adceived of as an insti\u00adtu\u00adtion\u00adal vehi\u00adcle to pro\u00admote any such notion.<\/p>\n
4) Peo\u00adple in exist\u00ading democ\u00adra\u00adcies have ceased to see pol\u00adi\u00adtics as the domain of cit\u00adi\u00adzens, but as the spe\u00adcial\u00adized pro\u00adfes\u00adsion of a spe\u00adcial caste of \u201cpoliti\u00adcians\u201d. These peo\u00adple are not even pre\u00adtend\u00ading, any more, to delib\u00ader\u00adate upon pub\u00adlic pol\u00adi\u00adcy deci\u00adsions as they per\u00adceive them to be good or bad for the nation. It is under\u00adstand that the \u201ccareer\u201d of pol\u00adi\u00adtics exists for its own sake, and that the caste of politi\u00adcians is there for no oth\u00ader rea\u00adson than to con\u00adtin\u00adue to exist, with nei\u00adther respon\u00adsi\u00adbil\u00adi\u00adty for nor loy\u00adal\u00adty to the pub\u00adlic it was intend\u00aded to \u201crep\u00adre\u00adsent\u201d. The polit\u00adi\u00adcal par\u00adties are seen as trib\u00adal clus\u00adters with\u00adin this caste, which exist to per\u00adpet\u00adu\u00adate them\u00adselves, and which mere\u00adly take on or man\u00adu\u00adfac\u00adture \u201cissues\u201d as strate\u00adgies to per\u00adpet\u00adu\u00adate them\u00adselves. Gen\u00aduine issues (such as whether we are going to poi\u00adson our\u00adselves, or not), are sim\u00adply ignored as too much trou\u00adble to think about. It\u2019s not sur\u00adpris\u00ading, giv\u00aden this atti\u00adtude, that the intel\u00adlec\u00adtu\u00adal lev\u00adel in this polit\u00adi\u00adcal caste has declined pre\u00adcip\u00adi\u00adtous\u00adly. The men who found\u00aded the Unit\u00aded States where among the major intel\u00adlects of their times, often as accom\u00adplished in phi\u00adlos\u00ado\u00adphy, his\u00adto\u00adry, sci\u00adence, lit\u00ader\u00ada\u00adture and the arts as they were in pol\u00adi\u00adtics. Now it is pos\u00adsi\u00adble for a dis\u00adgust\u00ading, igno\u00adrant, intel\u00adlec\u00adtu\u00adal\u00adly worth\u00adless piece of shit like George W. Bush, Jr., to sit in the office that Thomas Jef\u00adfer\u00adson and George Wash\u00ading\u00adton inhab\u00adit\u00aded. For this alone, Amer\u00adi\u00adcans should feel the pro\u00adfound\u00adest shame. Cana\u00adda is doing a lit\u00adtle bet\u00adter, in this regard, but not much bet\u00adter. The same prob\u00adlem holds true for oth\u00ader democ\u00adra\u00adcies, to vary\u00ading degrees.<\/p>\n
5) Few of these pro\u00adfes\u00adsion\u00adal politi\u00adcians take demo\u00adc\u00adra\u00adt\u00adic ideas seri\u00adous\u00adly. As far as they are con\u00adcerned, \u201cdemoc\u00adra\u00adcy\u201d is mere\u00adly a quaint cer\u00ade\u00admo\u00adny that they are com\u00adpelled to go through in order to aquire their posi\u00adtions of author\u00adi\u00adty. Loy\u00adal\u00adty to par\u00adty lead\u00ader\u00adship or to cliques with\u00adin par\u00adties is their pri\u00adma\u00adry sense of oblig\u00ada\u00adtion, fol\u00adlowed by response to pres\u00adsures from the finan\u00adcial inter\u00adests that fund their cam\u00adpaigns. They see them\u00adselves as \u201crep\u00adre\u00adsent\u00ading\u201d their con\u00adstituents only in a some vague sym\u00adbol\u00adic sense.<\/p>\n
6) Few intel\u00adlec\u00adtu\u00adals in democ\u00adra\u00adcies have any inter\u00adest in demo\u00adc\u00adra\u00adt\u00adic ideas, and their chief enter\u00adtain\u00adment has been, since the time of Pla\u00adto, to ide\u00adal\u00adize dic\u00adta\u00adtor\u00adship and total\u00adi\u00adtar\u00adi\u00adan\u00adism, and to pro\u00admote the idea that democ\u00adra\u00adcy is inher\u00adent\u00adly inef\u00adfec\u00adtu\u00adal, irrel\u00ade\u00advant, or infe\u00adri\u00ador to aris\u00adto\u00adcrat\u00adic power.<\/p>\n
7) There is almost no pub\u00adlic under\u00adstand\u00ading of the fun\u00adda\u00admen\u00adtal aims of democ\u00adra\u00adcy. Democ\u00adra\u00adcy is not a \u201csys\u00adtem\u201d with the pri\u00adma\u00adry aim of pro\u00adduc\u00ading pros\u00adper\u00adi\u00adty, or of glo\u00adri\u00adfy\u00ading and per\u00adpet\u00adu\u00adat\u00ading a State. Democracy\u2019s pur\u00adpose is to pro\u00adtect the indi\u00advid\u00adual human being from arbi\u00adtrary force, to pro\u00adtect the weak from the strong, and to pre\u00advent indi\u00advid\u00adual beings from being bul\u00adlied, abused, or exploit\u00aded by col\u00adlec\u00adtive pow\u00ader. Whether the col\u00adlec\u00adtive pow\u00ader is exer\u00adcised by an army, a cor\u00adpo\u00adra\u00adtion or a church or a mob car\u00adry\u00ading torch\u00ades, the moral issue is the same. The pur\u00adpose of democ\u00adra\u00adcy is to make sure that the strong do not gang up on the weak and treat them as chat\u00adtel. The philo\u00adsoph\u00adi\u00adcal basis of democ\u00adra\u00adcy is the sanc\u00adti\u00adty of the human indi\u00advid\u00adual, and the recog\u00adni\u00adtion of absolute, invi\u00ado\u00adlable, and uni\u00adver\u00adsal human rights, applic\u00ada\u00adble to all indi\u00advid\u00adual human beings, with\u00adout exception.<\/p>\n
8) A major\u00adi\u00adty of peo\u00adple, both with\u00adin and with\u00adout func\u00adtion\u00ading democ\u00adra\u00adcies, con\u00adtin\u00adue to embrace the fal\u00adla\u00adcy that democ\u00adra\u00adcy is mere\u00adly an appendage of some par\u00adtic\u00adu\u00adlar \u201ccul\u00adture\u201d or region\u00adal tra\u00addi\u00adtion. This is some\u00adtimes pro\u00adpound\u00aded by peo\u00adple who wish to claim democ\u00adra\u00adcy as a unique man\u00adi\u00adfes\u00adta\u00adtion of their own coun\u00adtry, eth\u00adnic group, or reli\u00adgious tra\u00addi\u00adtion. But it is more often, and more mali\u00adcious\u00adly, assert\u00aded by intel\u00adlec\u00adtu\u00adals and aris\u00adto\u00adcrats who wish to pre\u00advent their own peo\u00adple from acquir\u00ading the lib\u00ader\u00adat\u00ading pow\u00ader and mate\u00adr\u00adi\u00adal ben\u00ade\u00adfits of democ\u00adra\u00adcy. Thus, you are like\u00adly to hear a sneer\u00ading dis\u00admissal of the \u201cWest\u00adern notion of democ\u00adra\u00adcy\u201d from any intel\u00adlec\u00adtu\u00adal who admires dic\u00adta\u00adtor\u00adship. The phrase is, on the face of it, an absur\u00addi\u00adty. Democ\u00adra\u00adcy is a tech\u00adnique that you employ when you want to make group deci\u00adsions with\u00adout vio\u00adlat\u00ading human rights. It is uni\u00adver\u00adsal\u00adly applic\u00ada\u00adble, not only to all human beings, at any time and in any place, but to any sen\u00adtient being, any\u00adwhere in the uni\u00adverse. It has noth\u00ading to do with eth\u00adnic\u00adi\u00adty or loca\u00adtion, and is not the prop\u00ader\u00adty or inven\u00adtion of any par\u00adtic\u00adu\u00adlar cul\u00adture. There is no human being on this plan\u00adet who does not deserve to live in a demo\u00adc\u00adra\u00adt\u00adic soci\u00adety, or for whom a demo\u00adc\u00adra\u00adt\u00adic soci\u00adety is unnec\u00ades\u00adsary or inappropriate.<\/p>\n
9) It is fun\u00adda\u00admen\u00adtal to the demo\u00adc\u00adra\u00adt\u00adic idea that only demo\u00adc\u00adra\u00adt\u00adi\u00adcal\u00adly elect\u00aded assem\u00adblies con\u00adsti\u00adtute legit\u00adi\u00admate gov\u00adern\u00adment. Any kind of polit\u00adi\u00adcal pow\u00ader or ter\u00adri\u00adto\u00adr\u00adi\u00adal rule that is not demo\u00adc\u00adra\u00adt\u00adi\u00adcal\u00adly elect\u00aded is, ipso fac\u00adto, not gov\u00adern\u00adment. It is mere\u00adly crime. The var\u00adi\u00adous dic\u00adta\u00adtors, gen\u00ader\u00adalis\u00adsi\u00admos, com\u00admis\u00adsars, and goons who have carved out ter\u00adri\u00adto\u00adries on the earth are mere\u00adly crim\u00adi\u00adnals, who should be treat\u00aded as such by all civ\u00adi\u00adlized human beings. But they are not: instead they are treat\u00aded as if their pow\u00ader was legit\u00adi\u00admate. They are accord\u00aded embassies and diplo\u00admat\u00adic priv\u00adi\u00adleges, and con\u00adstant\u00adly spo\u00adken of as if they rep\u00adre\u00adsent\u00aded the peo\u00adple they rule, and as if they had a right to rule them. This demon\u00adstrates that the bulk of politi\u00adcians in democ\u00adra\u00adcies do not, in fact, believe in democ\u00adra\u00adcy in any seri\u00adous way. If our politi\u00adcians actu\u00adal\u00adly believed in democ\u00adra\u00adcy, then no unelect\u00aded \u201cleader\u201d would ever be allowed to set foot on demo\u00adc\u00adra\u00adt\u00adic soil, or per\u00admit\u00adted to deposit mon\u00adey in a bank, or allowed any rep\u00adre\u00adsen\u00adta\u00adtion in any inter\u00adna\u00adtion\u00adal body. No pass\u00adport or doc\u00adu\u00adment of any kind issued by a dic\u00adta\u00adtor\u00adship would be rec\u00adog\u00adnized as valid. No court rul\u00ading in any dic\u00adta\u00adtor\u00adship would be rec\u00adog\u00adnized as legal\u00adly bind\u00ading. No claim to prop\u00ader\u00adty by a dic\u00adta\u00adtor or his hench\u00admen would be rec\u00adog\u00adnized. In fact, any such dic\u00adta\u00adtor would be arrest\u00aded on sight, as would any of his agents or sub\u00ador\u00addi\u00adnates. Any\u00adone who con\u00adduct\u00aded any kind of trade with a dic\u00adta\u00adtor, or gave him even a sin\u00adgle dime, would be charged with par\u00adtic\u00adi\u00adpat\u00ading in orga\u00adnized crime. Any politi\u00adcian in a democ\u00adra\u00adcy who was found shak\u00ading hands with, din\u00ading with, or even stand\u00ading in the same room as a dic\u00adta\u00adtor would be auto\u00admat\u00adi\u00adcal\u00adly impeached, deprived of their office, and charged with trea\u00adson. Because none of these things hap\u00adpen, it is evi\u00addent that democ\u00adra\u00adcy is nei\u00adther under\u00adstood by, or believed in by our politi\u00adcians. And if the peo\u00adple we elect to office to not under\u00adstand the basic prin\u00adci\u00adples of democ\u00adra\u00adcy, or believe in their valid\u00adi\u00adty, we should not be sur\u00adprised that our demo\u00adc\u00adra\u00adt\u00adic process\u00ades do not func\u00adtion very well.<\/p>\n
10) The col\u00adlec\u00adtivist cre\u00adation of gov\u00adern\u00adment known as the Cor\u00adpo\u00adra\u00adtion has been allowed to sub\u00advert all exist\u00ading democ\u00adra\u00adcies. By treat\u00ading this kind of col\u00adlec\u00adtive body as an \u201cimag\u00adi\u00adnary indi\u00advid\u00adual\u201d, demo\u00adc\u00adra\u00adt\u00adic poli\u00adties have, in effect, returned to the pre-demo\u00adc\u00adra\u00adt\u00adic con\u00addi\u00adtion of prim\u00adi\u00adtive soci\u00adeties ruled by hered\u00adi\u00adtary aris\u00adtoc\u00adra\u00adcies, baro\u00adnial fief\u00addoms, and col\u00adlec\u00adtivized estates. Once rec\u00adog\u00adnized in this way, Cor\u00adpo\u00adra\u00adtions are poten\u00adtial\u00adly immor\u00adtal \u201cstates with\u00adin a state\u201d, which can over\u00adride the rights of cit\u00adi\u00adzens and bend eco\u00adnom\u00adic process\u00ades to the advan\u00adtage of an aris\u00adto\u00adcrat\u00adic elite. The inter\u00adests of this aris\u00adtoc\u00adra\u00adcy inevitably con\u00adflict with the pub\u00adlic inter\u00adest, and with the inter\u00adests of the indi\u00advid\u00adual. Because this is not wide\u00adly under\u00adstood, even in coun\u00adtries with a long demo\u00adc\u00adra\u00adt\u00adic tra\u00addi\u00adtion, democ\u00adra\u00adcies are eas\u00adi\u00adly manip\u00adu\u00adlat\u00aded by the rich and pow\u00ader\u00adful, and trans\u00adformed into machines for enrich\u00ading an elite. In time, the priv\u00adi\u00adleges and perquisites of this elite hard\u00aden into a caste sys\u00adtem, the demo\u00adc\u00adra\u00adt\u00adic pro\u00adce\u00addures become inef\u00adfec\u00adtive, and ulti\u00admate\u00adly meaningless.<\/p>\n
11) Dur\u00ading the ear\u00adly phas\u00ades of the for\u00adma\u00adtion of demo\u00adc\u00adra\u00adt\u00adic nations, the process of democ\u00adra\u00adti\u00adza\u00adtion was accom\u00adpa\u00adnied by a cul\u00adtur\u00adal move\u00adment for more advanced and uni\u00adver\u00adsal edu\u00adca\u00adtion. It was under\u00adstood that the suc\u00adcess of demo\u00adc\u00adra\u00adt\u00adic gov\u00adern\u00adment depend\u00aded on the peo\u00adple hav\u00ading access to the best avail\u00adable infor\u00adma\u00adtion, and would flour\u00adish most where irra\u00adtional\u00adi\u00adty and super\u00adsti\u00adtion where replaced by rea\u00adson and knowl\u00adedge. In the larg\u00ader democ\u00adra\u00adcies, this atti\u00adtude has been large\u00adly aban\u00addoned. In the most pow\u00ader\u00adful nation on Earth, it is now pos\u00adsi\u00adble for peo\u00adple who reject the foun\u00adda\u00adtion of bio\u00adlog\u00adi\u00adcal sci\u00adence to con\u00adtrol the allo\u00adca\u00adtion of med\u00adical care, for peo\u00adple who think the world was cre\u00adat\u00aded in 4004 BC<\/span> to deter\u00admine ener\u00adgy poli\u00adcies, and for for\u00adeign pol\u00adi\u00adcy to be deter\u00admined by peo\u00adple who can\u2019t remem\u00adber the dif\u00adfer\u00adence between Aus\u00adtria and Aus\u00adtralia. While the pop\u00adu\u00adla\u00adtion as a whole is not over\u00adwhelm\u00ading\u00adly devot\u00aded to prim\u00adi\u00adtivism and super\u00adsti\u00adtion, politi\u00adcians have espe\u00adcial\u00adly favoured and encour\u00adaged the most back\u00adward and irra\u00adtional seg\u00adments of soci\u00adety, and heed\u00aded their voic\u00ades far more than their num\u00adbers deserve. This is no acci\u00addent. It is typ\u00adi\u00adcal behav\u00adiour of a cor\u00adrupt elite in a dying society.<\/p>\n 12) Intel\u00adli\u00adgent dis\u00adcus\u00adsion and acute analy\u00adsis will be nec\u00ades\u00adsary to see our way through the prob\u00adlems that loom ahead. Unfor\u00adtu\u00adnate\u00adly, the lan\u00adguage of pol\u00adi\u00adtics is hope\u00adless\u00adly gar\u00adbled by the accep\u00adtance of a set of con\u00adcep\u00adtu\u00adal cat\u00ade\u00adgories, slo\u00adgans, and terms which bear no resem\u00adblance to any events in the real world, or to any process of rea\u00adson\u00ading. A per\u00adfect exam\u00adple is the \u201cright \/ left\u201d notion, an out\u00adgrowth of medieval mys\u00adti\u00adcism and nine\u00adteenth cen\u00adtu\u00adry total\u00adi\u00adtar\u00adi\u00adan thought, which is designed specif\u00adi\u00adcal\u00adly to reduce any polit\u00adi\u00adcal analy\u00adsis to inco\u00adher\u00adent gib\u00adber\u00adish. It is on the same intel\u00adlec\u00adtu\u00adal lev\u00adel as clas\u00adsi\u00adfy\u00ading the whole world as Guelphs and Ghi\u00adbelines or sort\u00ading out polit\u00adi\u00adcal views by exam\u00adin\u00ading the entrails of chick\u00adens. Once used only in prim\u00adi\u00adtive total\u00adi\u00adtar\u00adi\u00adan cir\u00adcles, this fool\u00adish con\u00adcept has grown steadi\u00adly in influ\u00adence over the last cen\u00adtu\u00adry, until it has engulfed and ren\u00addered use\u00adless almost any polit\u00adi\u00adcal dis\u00adcus\u00adsion. The Unit\u00aded States is now intel\u00adlec\u00adtu\u00adal\u00adly par\u00ada\u00adlyzed by it. The even more child\u00adish \u201cred state \/ blue state\u201d ver\u00adsion has reduced polit\u00adi\u00adcal dis\u00adcus\u00adsion to such a moron\u00adic lev\u00adel that it is unlike\u00adly that any seri\u00adous prob\u00adlem will ever be addressed.<\/p>\n So there it is. We are fac\u00ading some prob\u00adlems that threat\u00aden the very exis\u00adtence of the human race, oth\u00ader prob\u00adlems that threat\u00aden the qual\u00adi\u00adty of our lives, and oth\u00aders that threat\u00aden our free\u00addom and the her\u00aditage of our civ\u00adi\u00adliza\u00adtion. The prob\u00adlems can only be addressed if we 1) cur\u00adtail the pow\u00ader of the crim\u00adi\u00adnal gangs who run a large por\u00adtion of the plan\u00adet, and 2) renew, reform, and strength\u00aden democ\u00adra\u00adcy. To do this, we must reject cen\u00adturies of irra\u00adtional thought and inco\u00adher\u00adent terminology.<\/p>\n Who will under\u00adtake these tasks? Hope\u00adful\u00adly, the gen\u00ader\u00ada\u00adtion that leaves the sec\u00adond mil\u00adlen\u00adni\u00adum behind, and embraces the third.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" As we enter the sev\u00adenth year of a new mil\u00adlen\u00adni\u00adum, the sad\u00addest thing to con\u00adtem\u00adplate is not only the prob\u00adlems we face, but the pathet\u00adic inad\u00ade\u00adqua\u00adcy of the intel\u00adlec\u00adtu\u00adal tools employed to address them. There has been, in effect, no progress \u2026<\/p>\n