Forgive me for resurrecting an old thread, but it seemed the right place for what follows:
If you like your condemnations of post-modernism to include the charge that it's bringing about the end of Western civilisation, then the article below is for you. (I doubt I agree with every line, but a couple of things did strike a chord.)
Statism, Post-Modernism, and the Death of the Western World
by Steven LaTulippe
[...]
Perhaps the most important task of any civilization is to develop a single, coherent system of morality (and to transmit that system to its youth). A functioning society requires almost continual interaction between citizens. And that, in turn, requires a high level of trust. Without that trust, and without a common set of principles on which to base it, the entire system unravels.
Post-modernism is marked by extreme relativism, secularism, and multiculturalism. In fact, post-modernism prides itself in its disdain for any system of ethics, believing this disdain represents "liberation" from oppressive social structures.
We can see the results of this philosophy all around us. We needn’t sail into the controversial shoals of sexual morality to appreciate the political ramifications of this post-modern view (though a deluge of illegitimacy and the accelerating break-down of the nuclear family are ultimately incompatible with a free republic*).
On the contrary, we need look no further than our foreign policy and the status of our political leadership. Our attack on Iraq, based as it was on lies and deception, is exhibit A. Our use of torture, the repeal of habeas corpus, the CIA rendition program, etc. represent the breakdown of a moral compass at the highest levels of our government.
* an interesting assertion, but I would probably need to see that argued in more detail. D.
It's from lewrockwell.com, a US libertarian website that condemns welfare and warfare (indeed their favourite term of abuse is the 'welfare-warfare' state.) Their slogan is "anti-state, anti-warfare, pro-market". (Lew Rockwell himself quite likes the Amish and Enoch Powell. Make of that what you will.)
btw, I originally stumbled upon this in the comments on commentisfree but I can't remember where so I don't know to whom I should tip my hat.
2 comments:
Oh blimey, as an anti-postmodern about-to-be-Labour voter, this is not what I need for peace of mind...
;-)
Forgive me for resurrecting an old thread, but it seemed the right place for what follows:
If you like your condemnations of post-modernism to include the charge that it's bringing about the end of Western civilisation, then the article below is for you. (I doubt I agree with every line, but a couple of things did strike a chord.)
Statism, Post-Modernism, and the Death of the Western World
by Steven LaTulippe
[...]
Perhaps the most important task of any civilization is to develop a single, coherent system of morality (and to transmit that system to its youth). A functioning society requires almost continual interaction between citizens. And that, in turn, requires a high level of trust. Without that trust, and without a common set of principles on which to base it, the entire system unravels.
Post-modernism is marked by extreme relativism, secularism, and multiculturalism. In fact, post-modernism prides itself in its disdain for any system of ethics, believing this disdain represents "liberation" from oppressive social structures.
We can see the results of this philosophy all around us. We needn’t sail into the controversial shoals of sexual morality to appreciate the political ramifications of this post-modern view (though a deluge of illegitimacy and the accelerating break-down of the nuclear family are ultimately incompatible with a free republic*).
On the contrary, we need look no further than our foreign policy and the status of our political leadership. Our attack on Iraq, based as it was on lies and deception, is exhibit A. Our use of torture, the repeal of habeas corpus, the CIA rendition program, etc. represent the breakdown of a moral compass at the highest levels of our government.
* an interesting assertion, but I would probably need to see that argued in more detail. D.
Full article here.
It's from lewrockwell.com, a US libertarian website that condemns welfare and warfare (indeed their favourite term of abuse is the 'welfare-warfare' state.) Their slogan is "anti-state, anti-warfare, pro-market". (Lew Rockwell himself quite likes the Amish and Enoch Powell. Make of that what you will.)
btw, I originally stumbled upon this in the comments on commentisfree but I can't remember where so I don't know to whom I should tip my hat.
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