Karl Popper's text (1) is of a disconcerting relevance that must serve as the starting point for a new reflection on the attacks carried out by various currents of thought and political movements against our democratic societies, which stem from the ideas of the Enlightenment.
This is a beautiful essay. I might only make a couple of comments:
(1) Unfortunately, the term "Open Society" has been co-opted by the adversaries of open societies. It is sort of Orwellian, really.
(2) Karl Popper's work in the 40s included 2 massive volumes, examining the question of "tolerance". One of Popper's main conclusions was that if a society is tolerant of intolerance, it will not survive very long.
And again, in another Orwellian twist, the progressives/wokeists/critical justice warriors and their fellow travelers cloak their demands in the sheep's clothing of "tolerance". This is "weaponized compassion", as some have dubbed it. Of course, there is nothing "tolerant" or "fair" or "diverse" or "inclusive" or "kind" or "just" about what the woke push for. But as long as they call it tolerant, fair, diverse, inclusive, kind, just, etc., it is enough to fool a fairly substantial fraction of the population, a good portion of the time. And at least over the short term, this subterfuge can carry the day, at least temporarily.
Are these ironically self-described "anti-racists" and "anti-fascists" now sufficiently revealed and unmasked that their power and leverage and influence is starting to diminish? One can only hope.
Thank you very much for your valuable comment and insights. I fully agree. How can we fight these bad ideas ? I believe with a mix of Rabelaisian ridicule and Socratic method. But this may not be sufficient. The problem is the younger generation and the though manipulation by ideologues of these young and unprepared minds. One can only reach their minds when providing an attractive alternative to the present day though manipulation.
"Their trade is subversion and the will to power. The notion of truth and justice is meaningless to them, and if it has any content, it is filled with distortions and myths."
Subversion of the developed democracies, only.
"Democratic societies must rediscover their MEANING (where do we come from, where are we going, etc.) and the courage to affirm the values that are ours."
It's the latter that is essential: the courage to insist that Western civilization is a gem beyond price and must be preserved.
This is a beautiful essay. I might only make a couple of comments:
(1) Unfortunately, the term "Open Society" has been co-opted by the adversaries of open societies. It is sort of Orwellian, really.
(2) Karl Popper's work in the 40s included 2 massive volumes, examining the question of "tolerance". One of Popper's main conclusions was that if a society is tolerant of intolerance, it will not survive very long.
And again, in another Orwellian twist, the progressives/wokeists/critical justice warriors and their fellow travelers cloak their demands in the sheep's clothing of "tolerance". This is "weaponized compassion", as some have dubbed it. Of course, there is nothing "tolerant" or "fair" or "diverse" or "inclusive" or "kind" or "just" about what the woke push for. But as long as they call it tolerant, fair, diverse, inclusive, kind, just, etc., it is enough to fool a fairly substantial fraction of the population, a good portion of the time. And at least over the short term, this subterfuge can carry the day, at least temporarily.
Are these ironically self-described "anti-racists" and "anti-fascists" now sufficiently revealed and unmasked that their power and leverage and influence is starting to diminish? One can only hope.
Thank you very much for your valuable comment and insights. I fully agree. How can we fight these bad ideas ? I believe with a mix of Rabelaisian ridicule and Socratic method. But this may not be sufficient. The problem is the younger generation and the though manipulation by ideologues of these young and unprepared minds. One can only reach their minds when providing an attractive alternative to the present day though manipulation.
"Their trade is subversion and the will to power. The notion of truth and justice is meaningless to them, and if it has any content, it is filled with distortions and myths."
Subversion of the developed democracies, only.
"Democratic societies must rediscover their MEANING (where do we come from, where are we going, etc.) and the courage to affirm the values that are ours."
It's the latter that is essential: the courage to insist that Western civilization is a gem beyond price and must be preserved.