The Endarkenment

Time to move on?

I’m writing this week’s essay as a response to my friend’s query on the Enlightenment principles I wrote about regarding one nation invading another nation. My friend’s observation is that the United States, the best example of Enlightenment principles put into practice, has made the Americans a powerhouse, with mixed results.

You know what that means, mixed results? That there is a negative side as well as a positive one.

Let’s pinpoint the Enlightenment principle I referred to. That individuals have a right to their own life. That they are sovereign in themselves. By extension, nations are sovereign as well. This is supposed to keep others out who are not citizens. Naturally, nations have visitors, and individuals who ask for citizenship. Most nations have immigration policies, rules, laws. These are based on the needs of the nation. Those needs may stretch across several reasons for allowing individuals into the country on a permanent basis. But this is short space; we don’t have time to get into complexities. We are here today to look at those particular principles that has made America rich, powerful, and arrogant.

In 1776, Thomas Jefferson spelled out the idea of the sovereign individual when he wrote, “…all Men are created equal, and are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.”

The issue with that phrase, one that is quoted over and over, is that it was a nod to that sovereign individual principle, nonetheless, it had a qualifier. One had to a freeborn individual to participate. This God given right did not apply to the 4 million slaves in America.

That is, perhaps, the first hypocrisy of America. From that point on it was bound to get worse. And it did.

The Declaration of Independence was a well written document meant to inspire, and attract participants to the cause of American independence. Most especially, fighting men. Because once such a document is published, the people who wrote it, voted on it, and distributed it to be read abroad, had to be willing to back up those words. Otherwise, they would be a laughing stock, never to be taken seriously.

The British, German, French, Danish and Jewish colonists who made up the bulk of the king's subjects, were serious. They did what they had to do because they wanted a certain result. Independence. Which came with many perks, like the ability to trade with others, directly, without going through British companies. They wanted their own international companies. Because that too, the ability to do business with whomever one wishes to do business with, is a basic right.

Also a part of this equation is the natural resources available to the Americans. Mixed in with the Industrial Revolution, it is no wonder that many Americans that were enterprising, became wealthy. And then, as today, there was a global market. Americans wanted to participate in that market, as Americans.

Two concepts to keep in mind are these. 1-Capitalism is not as new as moderns like to think it is. In my search of history, I’d say it was the Phoenicians who were the first big capitalists, and, 2-globalists. The Greeks and Romans were about conquering with armies, whilst the Phoenicians won others over with goods and an amazing port in the first city built for trade, Carthage.

What little I know of the situation, of Ukraine and Russia, reminds me more of the conflict between Rome and Carthage. There was a difference in their skills, too. Rome’s engineers were the best in their world. Carthaginians knew how to make a buck. Together, they would have ruled the world. But like the Ukrainians, Carthage said no. And paid a horrible price for it.

I do not think the world will allow that scenario again.

The principles of the Enlightenment are like the principles of the Christian philosophy. Under God, all individuals are indeed, created equal. However, the Church espoused a big dose of responsibility that goes with self ownership. I submit that this is where the Enlightenment went wrong, that we are all free, nonetheless, responsibility, duty, and such, cannot be forced. This is true of nations and the people in them. However, when a nation is powerful, like the United States, that responsibility carries an awful weight that can be a cudgel against other nations that don't follow America's directives.

In other words, America has been known to bully other nations.

At some point, this bullying will get America into deep doo-doo. Why? Because the laws of nature will prevail. What goes around, comes around. And here’s why.

The Enlightenment, like the Church, has been corrupted. It has become the Endarkenment. The insanity that we seem to be surrounded by, is only nature's way of telling us an older generation needs to die off. We are, after all, only human. All things must endure the natural cycle, of birth, growth, maturing, aging and death. Even ideas.

As C.S. Lewis reminded us, older generations tend to leave messes for the younger generations to clean up. Lewis recommended that older generations end that practice, and step back to allow the new generation to work the levers of power. It is a difficult idea, as the world ages, and the older generation hangs on. There are more and more families now that have four generations alive simultaneously. Many complain about the younger generation. I suggest, given more responsibility, the younger generation will be forced to grow up, to handle things on their own terms. If they fail, they will learn. Let them understand that those principles of the Enlightenment have to be lived, or evaluated in the light of reality. That the world is a much smaller place than it was in the 18th century. It no longer takes months to get to the other side of the planet. In 17 hours I can be on the other side of the world. Time to deal with that reality.

I suggest, to begin this transition, Putin and Biden both need to go home. Xi as well. Anyone over 60, go home and take care of the grandchildren. Teach. Raise funds for charities. Be useful in positive change. And, for God's sake, stop interfering in your children's lives. Let them fall down, and pull themselves up. You did it. So can they. Let those younger adults fix all those problems they blame their parents for. Because nothing teaches faster than hands-on learning. That’s the new Enlightenment. Letting go.