“Pondering what conditions might ever bring despotism to American democracy, Tocqueville imagined an America that would have seemed downright science-fictional in the 19th century – a nation characterized, on the one hand, by an ‘innumerable multitude of men, alike and equal, constantly circling around in pursuit of the petty and banal pleasures with which they glut their souls,’ and, on the other, by the ‘immense, protective power’ of the state. In the 21st century, however, it begins to sound quite familiar;
‘That power is absolute, thoughtful of detail, orderly, provident, and gentle. It would resemble parental authority if, fatherlike, it tried to prepare its charges for a man’s life, but on the contrary, it only tries to keep them in perpetual childhood. It likes to see the citizens enjoy themselves, provided they think of nothing but enjoyment. It gladly works for their happiness but wants to be the sole agent and judge of it. It provides for their security, foresees and supplies their necessities, facilitates their pleasures manages their principle concerns, direct their industry, makes rules for their testaments, and divides their inheritance. Why should it not entirely relieve them from the trouble and thinking and all the cares of living?’
Diana West
The Death Of The Grown-UP – pg. 88
1.) It is forever the case that if a people will refuse to look to God’s sovereignty and providential care that the result will be that the State will enter into that vacuum to play the god who will be sovereign and providential. This is where we have come to in 2025 and it will only get worse.
2.) The above quote is only an elongated version of Klaus Schwab’s “You’ll own nothing and be happy.” You’ll own nothing because the state will own it all and you’ll be happy because the state will provide “Bread and circuses,” to keep you amused just as Tocqueville observed above.
3.) Clearly, if the above is a proper definition of “despotism” we are currently living under despotism. However, there is nothing that says we can’t go from despotism unto despotism.
4.) This quote from Diana West was driven by the observation that the State becomes this way when the citizenry abandons its role as parents over children. If parents will not parent their children, if parents will not teach their children standards and responsibility, if parents will not teach their children right from wrong then the State, as God walking on the earth, will step in and teach them all this from a Statist/humanist world and life view. Children, may indeed, become more responsible if parents won’t parent, but it will be the kind of responsible child desired by Stalin or Mussolini, or some other despot. If parents will not parent, then the State will and if parents do not parent and the State does … well, God help us all.
5.) Above Tocqueville mentions how the God-State desires the citizenry to have their banal pleasures. This struck me in light of our “Sports-ball” culture. This struck me in light of how we now “do worship,” in our entertainment centers we call “churches.” Clergy amusing people is probably the best we can hope for anymore given how badly the citizenry has been dumbed down in light of the constant preoccupation with banal pleasures.
You really don’t think it is accidental that our culture only allows people banal pleasures do you? Long ago decisions were made that ensured that there would be no time for contemplation or thinking beyond what was being fed to the populace by the appointed propaganda outlets. Long ago it was decided that both man and wife would be put on a treadmill that would keep them so busy and exhausted all they could possibly long for were an occasional banal pleasure. Long ago, it was decided that the State would preoccupy the children in Government babysitting centers (called “public schools”) inculcating into the children the desire for a life of banal pleasures.
And so, here we are. Getting into this was far easier than even the thought of getting out of this.
