Maybe it started with the downward turn in the U.S. economy, but regardless of its origin there nevertheless is a growing “apocalyptic” concern amongst Westerners – primarily, Americans. Of course, this dynamic is nothing new: the Great Depression, WWII, 1984, Y2K, and 9-11 are all instances that engendered vibrant apocalyptic expectation.
What sorts of things are on people’s minds during this moments? The decline of morality, genocide, corrupt political power, economic depression, bankruptcy of organized religion, etc., to mention a few. Of course, much of this hype has been brought about through misunderstandings of the Book of Revelation and the completely misguided pronouncements made by unpleasant preachers. What do all of the above American events also have in common? Well… history has not ended, there has been no Antichrist; although, I don’t think there ever will be one.
The collapse of morals, etc,. I believe are all characteristics of what we call nihilism, which, according to Nietzsche, is what the Western world was on the brink of circa the late 19th century. I happen to agree with Nietzsche… as well as with MacIntrye, Milbank, Lyotard… who all claim that modernity and its secular ideologies in general has collapsed.
The Western world is crumbling, and it has nothing to do with the Antichrist. Secular democracy has failed. Utilitarianism and deontological based ethical theories are useless. Organized religion is bankrupt, and the Christian church offers us a pick between cold tradition, fanaticism, hypocrisy, conservatism, or motivational speaking. Technology is out of control. The Machine controls us. Capitalism has proven to be not worth the quality of life that it promised.
Education has failed. Our universities are turning into businessmen-training skills-providing vacuums with all the glamor of cheap beer and tons of immature slutty girls. College grads leave with a diploma that is useful for either pay-raises or fire-kindling. Americans know how to read, and yet they don’t know how to read literature. They can speak, but they can’t articulate. When I tell someone I am studying philosophy the response is something like this: (1) confused facial expression, (2) the word: “interesting” and then either (3) “So… like psychology?”, (4) “What can you do with that?”, or (5) “What’s that?”
To make matters worse for me, I can’t help but wonder if after over 11 years of higher education I might not even be able to get a job. Humanities departments everywhere have to do what never has had to happen since the beginning of liberal arts education – namely, to prove their worth. What a ridiculous idea!
Our culture, which claims it does not need philosophy anymore, is in actuality in need of philosophy more than ever. What ever happened to the days when philosophers and artists moved entire nations? What would it like to be Socrates facing charges for corrupting the youth? Or to be Aristotle running for your life because of your ideas? Or Hobbes? Or Kant having your lectures observed by the Russian military? Or Hegel, being so politically influential that the Prussian government had to try to proactively stop Hegel’s ideas from spreading?
The world is ending. How do I know this? Britney Spears has more influential power than Plato.
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I hoist a PBR to my kindling.