The spread of ideological cancer occurs more rapidly today because of social media hysteria, emotional group think and algorithms that are designed to control human behavior and thought. In the essay “What Unifies the Enemies of Civilization?” the authors, Arjun Khemani and Loga Chipkin, critique six modern ideologies that contribute to the destruction of Western civilization.
Their analysis, published at Human Progress, covers a range of modern ideological movements, from radical environmentalism to social justice activism, suggesting that these groups share a fundamental opposition to progress, prosperity and reason.
Analysis breaks down 6 harmful ideologies that endanger Western civilization
The essay emphasizes that authoritarian, anti-meritocratic and collectivist ideologies, such as socialism, limit personal freedoms and impede innovation. These socialist movements are underpinned by the ideological rot of extreme environmentalism, scientism, relativism, dogmatism and doomerism. For instance, the push for "Net Zero" emissions represents an illogical, centrally-planned world – an insane utopian fantasy that overlooks the vital relationship between energy production, economic growth and human well-being.
In contrast, the authors advocate for decentralized creativity and realistic ecological stewardship as a pathway to sustained human advancement. To get there, truth must replace moral relativism, and the pursuit of truth must take precedence over dogmatism and scientism.
- Socialism and Centralized Institutions: The essay critiques socialism not merely as an economic model of oppression and wealth confiscation, but as a consolidation of power that stifles individual freedoms and innovation. By promoting centralized control in the name of equity and socialism, this ideology leads to the suppression of market forces that have historically lifted millions out of poverty.
- Extreme Environmentalism: Extreme environmentalism is an anti-human movement, seeking to roll back industrial progress under the guise of “saving the planet.” True ecological stewardship would not threaten to dismantle infrastructure that is critical to the very survival of modern populations. Extreme environmentalism threatens to dismantle the technological advancements that have vastly improved living standards worldwide. It also leads to the consolidation of power into the hands of the few, who will end up controlling the bottleneck of resources that were intentionally restricted.
- Scientism: The authors distinguish between science and scientism, the latter being the ideological misuse of scientific findings to support political agendas. They warn that reliance on industry-funded studies can lead to corrupt public policies that result in unintended consequences, while consolidating power and false authority into the hands of an elite orthodoxy that demands we all “follow the science" and worship authority figures.
- Relativism: The essay critiques relativism as a rejection of objective truth. Relativism undermines rational debate and social cohesion in an attempt to appease everyone’s feelings, especially the feelings of the cowardly weak. By promoting the idea that all perspectives are equally valid, relativism erodes the foundations of Western civilization, which are built on the pursuit of universal truths. By appeasing everyone with politically correct phrases, the masses ultimately conform to fraudulent narratives and are easily deceived by lies from official sources.
- Dogmatism: The authors also argue that modern ideologies are often driven by dogmatism. They point to cancel culture and social media censorship as a symptom of this dogmatism, which stifles dissent and hinders the open discourse necessary for societal progress. The dogmatism of official COVID-19 narratives, for example, ultimately misled millions, causing great societal division and suffering, while leading many into the hands of a false savior.
- Doomerism: The belief that the world is headed for inevitable catastrophe -- or doomerism -- only fosters a sense of helplessness and despair. This mindset justifies authoritarian measures and undermines the spirit of innovation that is essential for overcoming challenges and adapting to the world.
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