“Social cohesion is a necessity, and mankind has never yet succeeded in enforcing cohesion by merely rational arguments. Every community is exposed to two opposite dangers: ossification through too much discipline and reverence for tradition, on the one hand; on the other hand, dissolution, or subjection to foreign conquest, through the growth of an individualism and personal independence that makes co-operation impossible. In general, important civilizations start with a rigid and superstitious system, gradually relaxed, and leading, at a certain stage, to a period of brilliant genius, while the good of the old tradition remains and the evil inherent in its dissolution has not yet developed. But as the evil unfolds, it leads to anarchy, thence, inevitably, to a new tyranny, producing a new synthesis secured by a new system of dogma. The doctrine of liberalism is an attempt to escape from this endless oscillation. The essence of liberalism is an attempt to secure a social order not based on irrational dogma, and insuring stability without involving more restraints than are necessary for the preservation of the community. Whether this attempt can succeed only the future can determine.”

Bertrand Russel, The History of Western Philosophy

Where we are now

Never have I heard such a brilliant explanation of the conundrum humanity finds itself in when attempting to develop a functional society and government. Reminiscent of Jordan Peterson discussing Order v. Chaos, Alan Watts and his talk of the game of Black and White, and almost all things in life there is a duality hidden at the core of the “problem.”

Liberalism in its purest form Russel says is an attempt to “escape this endless oscillation” between too much order and too much chaos, too much security, and too much liberty, too much state control, and too much individual freedom. He at least seems optimistic upon writing in 1945 that there is still hope for that dream. Here in the year 2022, it seems there is slightly less hope for it. It seems the general populace is all but over the experiment of America and is content to go on consuming as much as they are capable of getting their hands on until armageddon. Any participation in the process of government to them seems futile and a waste of the precious little time they have between working shifts at a dead-end job or two that barely keeps their head above water.

So we find ourselves here in 2022, amid another economic crisis betraying and exposing the stress fractures in the foundation of this society for decades, pretending the bill never has to be settled. Amid that economic anxiety, social tensions are rising amid more and more social divisions. In-groups get smaller and more militant, communication breaks down, and common ground and unity are forgotten. “Social cohesion is a necessity” as Russell states if we hope to continue the experiment of civilization, but it tests my idealism and optimism to the limit to believe that it can be achieved solely through appeal to rational arguments. There appears too much of the irrational in us, the emotions cloud, and distort until we are carried away and will not be swayed by anything so trivial and banal as facts and logic. Access to information has made us all so painfully aware of how little control we have any more to affect actual change.

The worst part is that things aren’t looking bright on the horizon. The supreme court has begun to dab on precedent with abandon, overturning Roe after 50 years, amid a national baby formula shortage no less. The Texas Republican Party and I can only speculate the Republican parties in many states have begun to see the writing on the wall and are ready for their moment. They represent the “new tyranny” that comes in after anarchy develops in a society from the proliferation of individual liberty. They would place their beloved dogmas and creeds back outside courthouses and in schoolrooms in order to regain what they feel was lost by them being removed. They would have us go back to that “golden age” of America when its promise almost seemed like something it could actually deliver.

To be fair the other extreme is just as dangerous and pernicious, only in a different way. As dangerous and malevolent as much of the GOP has become, the democratic party is a wet noodle and without the backbone to play its role and balance the pull of the status quo and conservatism with progressive ideals and new horizons of individual empowerment they leave the door wide open for the power plays that conservatives are making all over the place right now.

Where to go from here?

It seems we have a few options for future routes to take here, we either find a way to establish social cohesion through rationality and mutual interest, or we continue to ensure that cooperation will be impossible because of the overemphasis on individuals over the collective and usher in the end of another empire, hoping maybe that out of the ashes of this one a better one may rise? Seems like a gamble I’d rather not take. Not when the answers are so blatantly obvious, the problem is our collective will is not there. The dissolution has a hold and maybe it is past the tipping point, maybe all this is just sound and fury and wasted breath. Maybe. But maybe not.

Is there a way out? Can we actually avoid what seems the inevitable collapse of this system? I genuinely would like to know myself, but I suppose we may have to stay tuned to find out. I will continue trying to find ways to shout into the void, touch minds through sincere conversations, and strive daily to be the change I would like to see in this world. Will you join me? What is your vision for an ideal society?