To sustain the illusion of “justice” and “reasonableness” of the oligarchic system, the masses must be kept at a low intellectual and cultural level, along with propaganda. They must be rendered incapable of critical thinking, and moral norms must be destroyed so that human conscience does not motivate behavior.
The Ideological Conflict: A Historical Recapitulation
After the victory of communism at the beginning of the last century (yes, communism did NOT LOSE in the ’80s, but WON in the ’30s and ’40s: everything that the oligarchic system claimed as a product or as a label of “democracy” is actually the result of its lost battles against the communist and labor parties and movements. Stalinism, imposed through violence, coercion, and distorted into an authoritarian grotesque of communism – lost, whereas socialism, achieved through mass movements, strikes, protests, and unions – won), education became accessible to all. But the reactionaries, post-eighties, managed to regain their positions in all areas, including education, turning it into a parody today.
Accessibility to Parody
After these triumphs, education, formerly the bastion of the elite, opened its doors to all. Institutions founded on principles of enlightenment and liberation were vital for the intellectual advancement of the proletariat. However, this period was short-lived, as the reactionaries managed to regain control post-eighties.
Theorist Paulo Freire’s work, Pedagogy of the Oppressed (1968), elucidates how education can be weaponized to either liberate or oppress. During the twentieth century, education’s potential as a liberating force was glimpsed but later subverted into a parody of its former self.
Oligarchic Self-Sabotage
By stifling intellectual growth, suppressing culture, and eroding moral norms, the oligarchy sought to diminish the people’s capacity for critical thinking and conscience-driven behavior. Ironically, these actions set in motion the very forces that could lead to the system’s downfall. Undoubtedly, a generation shaped in this way is incapable of contributing to technical, scientific, or economic progress. In attempting to ensure its own safety, the oligarchy lays the foundation for the collapse of its own system.
The path from victory to parody in education, shaped by the capitalist system’s struggle against communism, presents a cautionary tale. It illustrates that suppression of thought, culture, and morality, far from ensuring stability, can foster the very forces that may lead to a system’s implosion.
The Decadence of the West:
The fall in moral and intellectual possibilities within Western society can be traced back to the Mickey Mouse generation and has escalated systematically to the Tik-Tok generation. The nature of entertainment and media consumed by children and young adults has been reshaped, devolving into a parody of true culture.
Historically, heroes were embodiments of moral qualities like honor, dignity, and self-denial. The classics of Homer and Virgil and the legends of Robin Hood promoted emulation of these virtues. Now, we witness an inversion of values, especially in promoted Marvel productions.
Misrepresentation of Heroism
Perhaps we will conduct a more comprehensive analysis of anti-culture imposed on the growing generations in the future, but here as a sidenote, we can point out the inversion of values in the promoted Marvel productions. The emanation of values is presented in every culture through Heroes. They are figures embodying to the greatest extent some moral quality worthy of respect – honor, dignity, self-denial, love, etc. By inspiring admiration, they prompt us to emulate them, to act like them, and to behave like them. For the weakest-willed, emulation might be reduced to wearing a hat like Robin Hood, walking like him, etc. Very cleverly with Marvel, the superior qualities do not represent personal virtues that could be emulated at all. There’s no courage, honesty, etc., in epic form; instead, these superior qualities are fantastical and unattainable – like the ability to shrink, turn into stone, etc. “Heroes” did not exert any effort to acquire them; they did not need any personal positive qualities. And as far as they are heroes and as we perceive them as such, we want to emulate them: as it is impossible to own an iron suit, we will be as rude as “our heroes”, as ill-mannered as them, as selfish as them, as self-satisfied as them. These are qualities with which they abound. Ultimately, these “heroes” cultivate the lowest and most unpleasant personal qualities, which have been condemned throughout the history of humanity.
The emulation of such false heroes leads to a culture that is rife with rudeness, ill-manners, selfishness, and self-satisfaction.
Oligarchy’s Rush to Intellectual and Moral Abyss
After the Cold War’s end, the oligarchy eagerly worked to impose intellectual and moral decline, attempting to shield itself from scrutiny regarding its economic and moral legitimacy. This rush towards degradation seemed victorious until the surprising resurgence of a sovereign country demonstrated the superiority of education and morality within the bounds of normalcy.*
The Western world, rather than teetering on the edge of the abyss, appears to have already plunged into it. The time to divert course has passed, and now the responsibility lies in building a healthy society amidst the deterioration.
Regardless of whether the West will be within the third or fourth world, we are still responsible for building a healthy society.
China’s Alternative Path
While far from defining China as a communist or socialist country, it’s evident that its economic, social, educational, and upbringing policy is more rational and socialist in nature. China’s concessions in the capitalist direction, perhaps akin to an Aikido fight, reveal a strategy to turn those concessions against themselves. Perhaps it exposes itself to serious danger that the newly formed oligarchy may attempt to seize power like in the West and perhaps has taken measures to prevent it. China’s politics are not our subject for now, but definitely, the economic, social, educational, and upbringing policy of this country is far more socialist (rational) and undoubtedly shows the superiority of such a specific type of policy.
The West’s cultural decline, from the Mickey Mouse generation to the Tik-Tok era, is more than a superficial trend. It reflects a systematic deterioration of moral and intellectual values. The misrepresentation of heroism in popular media and the oligarchy’s rush towards intellectual and moral decay paints a grim picture of the present and future.
However, alternative paths exist, as evidenced by China’s more rational policy. The decadence of the West serves as a cautionary tale, urging us to critically evaluate our culture, values, and leadership. As we navigate these turbulent times, the lessons of history, literature, and global perspectives offer a beacon to guide us away from the abyss and towards a more enlightened, virtuous society.
The oligarchy is so intoxicated by its power that, like Caligula, it places a modern Incitatus at the head of the government. Apparently, the abilities of some leading “rulers” to make independent decisions, to possess will, and even to gesture adequately are comparable to those of representatives of the animal kingdom. This is an extreme demonstration of power by the oligarchy and complete contempt for the people.
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