Dear Friends,
It seems to me, there’s a perpetual war going on for the future of mankind. Two opposing forces struggle to make the world in their own likeness. The war is between chaos and order… totalitarianism and anarchy vie. Neither is evil and neither is bad. They have their own interest. The outcome of their fight is good and bad. A totalitarian government isn’t necessarily bad, only if it’s run by human beings or anything touched by us. Anarchy in and of itself isn’t bad, it’s just that human beings will abuse each other if allowed. In both cases the strong prey on the weak. In anarchy it’s done by violence directly and in totalitarianism law serves the strong at the cost of the weak. Anarchy appeals to our desire to be free and totalitarianism appeals to our desire to be safe. Meanwhile, they deliver the opposite.
If we examine the core principles of all political factions, we find many seek freedom for themselves and totalitarianism for everyone else. Some are more willing to allow others freedom while a few even seek to chain themselves. The first serves anarchy while the second serves totalitarianism. Yet even in the most totalitarian government there is freedom for the despot. Just as in the most anarchistic society there’s order for the strong. The trick then is to craft a system that incorporates both anarchy and totalitarianism. A system that creates and sustains order, protects the weak, and limits the strong. History has given us examples of such government. The war between chaos and order toppled them though. Because such a system is a delicate balance and ambition upends balance.
I was listening to NPR a few years ago and some ambitious elite, in a rare moment of honesty said, he thought the future would be more like Aldus Huxley’s Brave New World than Orwell’s 1984. I took him to mean he thought the world is heading towards totalitarianism, the only question is… what form would it take? A regimented society was a given, the government would intrude on our personal lives in ways that would horrify, disgust, and appall us. Both nightmares showed us such a society but the industrial form of totalitarianism of Brave New World is what that elite envisioned. He thought a utopian world government would preclude the need for perpetual war. This showed he lacked the understanding that there is a perpetual war between chaos and order, that he’s a soldier in.
The elitist’s foundational principle is the certainty that totalitarianism will lead to world peace, prosperity, and penitence. They see the world’s problems as stemming entirely from individual freedom. Stop people from acting badly, by force, and no one will act badly. That’s simple enough. Though totalitarianism always results in mass slaughter, famine, and unrest. Meanwhile, the populist believes in human nature to do the right thing and so advocates for chaos. Believing that all problems come from overly powerful government. Few, however, believe in absolute totalitarianism or anarchy. Each serves their army up to a point. Changing sides is common in the war between chaos and order. Because if one side gets too powerful many are repulsed and switch sides.
Thus the war between chaos and order continues unabated. If it’s not in the news, it’s in the courts, on the streets, and in our homes. Many assume we’ve already lost. They plan to guide us to a totalitarian utopia where we’ll own nothing and be happy… or else. As in Brave New World. Others seek as much anarchy as possible. The middle ground is huge though. It includes those that seek to protect the weak from the strong, allow maximum freedom, and unlimited prosperity. It’s like blending fire and ice to reach a comfortable 70 degrees. The truth is, no side can lose in a perpetual war. The victims are the soldiers who are ground up. Sometimes chaos needs help and sometimes order needs a hand. To thread the needle of actual justice. The war rages on, you are a soldier, so choose sides well.
Sincerely,
John Pepin
