Of Gods, Governments and Ghouls
Doug Casey made the point in one of his entertaining articles that a free person could physically bond with a socialist, but not psychologically. He rated that as being on the same order of probability as successfully psychologically bonding with a chimpanzee – which caused me to chuckle. It is of course entirely true; though I think that even physical bonding with a socialist would be a rare event, occurring only under the influence of too much alcohol.
In the 17th century, Rene Descartes wrote, “cogito ergo sum” – I think therefore I am. This was the cogent expression of a revolutionary concept at a time when most people believed that emotions and consciousness existed externally. People went to such places as fairgrounds to find the happiness that could be obtained there. They believed that a god and other forces such as witches and bad spirits, ordained their lives; that external forces determined their thoughts and actions and moods.
Four hundred years later nothing has changed, with the exception that many have transferred their servile allegiance to governments instead of gods. One belief is on the same order of irrational magnitude as the other. The difference as a concept between the validity and authority of a god and a government is non-existent. Many believe that happiness can exist in a piece of legislation passed or a pill swallowed, in the same manner that many still believe in the word of god. People avidly read about the ‘famous’ in glossy magazines and watch them on television with the tenuous hope that they too will become famous by doing so. Tarot cards, crystal balls, feng shui and astrology are thriving.
What Descartes was bringing into the light of day is that there are two sorts of people: those who believe that they are wholly in charge of their own destiny, in this life and beyond, and those who believe that they are merely leaves in the gusting winds of gods, governments and ghouls.
Democracy is always and everywhere doomed to failure because there are far more gusting leaves than there are free people. Most people do not and have never accepted ‘cogito ergo sum’. They believe that they exist therefore they need to be told what to do; “Non est ergo sum credo” – I don’t think therefore I am not responsible (according to Google Latin). These people infest all areas of society, but are most numerous in parliaments, prisons and public services.
Conflict between these two quite distinct species is entirely predictable and unstoppable. Those who don’t think and merely exist, presume a right to live off those who think and produce. The latter rightfully and strongly resent this; they are also beginning to resist it. The gap is widening; the pressure is building.
It would be better were the two groups to separate out and evolve in their own ways. They have already almost entirely stopped breeding together; why not formalize it?
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