The Growing Omnipotence Of The State All modern revolutions have ended in a reinforcement of the power of the State. 1789 brings Napoleon;1848, Napoleon III; 1917, Stalin; the Italian disturbances of the twenties, Mussolini; the Weimar Republic, Hitler. These revolutions, particularly after the First World War had liquidated the vestiges of divine right, still…
“God without man is no more than man without God.” — GWF Hegel Individuality replaces faithreason replaces the biblepolitics replaces religion and the churchearth replaces heavenwork replaces prayerpoverty replaces hellman replaces Christ. …to conquer God,to make Him a slave,amounts to abolishing the transcendencethat kept the former master in powerand to preparing,with the ascendancy of…
After finishing Albert Camus’s work, The Plague, I returned to the text to mark several sections of singular philosophical statement. The segment chosen this morning is relevant to consideration of our post-covid-19 return to “normality”, the start-up of the economy. It is unclear what economy will be possible. Capitalist economies are marketplaces designed for…
The day passed with no more than the usual fretfulness over the prospects of staying healthy. Also, hoping, praying that the economy and society will be intact, when the quarantine is lifted. I did the usual seasonal chores around the house and yard. It never occurred to me once that today was Good Friday. …
Waking this morning, I remember what it was like to awaken as a child. Children are permitted to live in an idyllic world. They are cared for, they are at the beginning of a long learning curve, of all that responsibility entails. With responsibility comes stress. Stress is what it is like to be…
I know it’s not the Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River, but still, at the North Aurora Dam on the Fox River — the river has a voice. At the end of my bicycle ride yesterday I found the fishermen absent from the elevated spot at the end of the dam. I walked up,…
The news is not good. I read the Weekend Briefing from the New York Times this morning. While reading, a chill came over me. The realization came, that I am an observer of these events — and a participant. We Americans do not like being told what to do. Authority, even legitimate authority provokes…
How long is this going to last? Here in Illinois we continue to practice the advisory social distancing. There is no order to remain at home as is the case in San Francisco, or the deployment of the National Guard as in New Rochelle, New York. We Americans are quite slow to recognize that…
Perhaps I ought to select a unique title for what will be or has been written today. Though, the order of the day, and for many days ahead will be “social distancing.” The days ahead will entail a large helping of boredom. That means avoiding contact, as close of 6 feet with others. Remaining…
When a war breaks out, people say: “It’s too stupid; it can’t last long.” But though a war may well be “too stupid,” that doesn’t prevent its lasting. Stupidity has a knack of getting its way; as we should see if we were not always so much wrapped up in ourselves. In this respect…
