The Dark Side of the Democracy is a 2003 book by Michael Mann. I’m reading it now and the main subject seems to be the genesis of genocides. The book made me think and inspired some thoughts that are probably out of its scope or disregarded by it. Anyway, I decided to put those together and write this piece. So, the post title is mainly for click-bait. Peccavi.
Modern Western thought puts a lot of effort into studying differences between various groups of humans, into defining those differences to make them useful at some point (the book I mentioned doesn’t seem any different). I would even assume that sometimes it creates new ones. Genocides and other conflicts will probably disappear when we learn to see the mankind (is it still ok to say “mankind” or should I say “themkind”?) as an ornament where each piece matters both as a separate piece and as a part of the whole (Tony Blinken would say that pieces are “entwined”). Whenever a piece is removed or blended with other pieces, the whole becomes damaged for a long time, if not forever.
One of those totally artificial, manufactured differences is the Democracy vs. Non-democracy thing. It is the good old “them versus us” concept used to create conflicts outside and also inside a group, because the definition of democracy is very fluid. It is non-binary, I would say. Also, it is never clear who is included into Team Democracy at the global and national level. What is the exceptional “demos” that is secured by democracy, that is “leaning on its everlasting arms” and will be saved?
And, yes, this idea of Democracy became almost a religion with its crusades/jihads and missionaries (NGOs). And the purpose of religious wars is always loot and/or power. Apparently, it often implies throwing some little genocidal or kill party on the way to success.
Modern genocides got more sophisticated, though. While there is that top level with the Golden Democratic Billion versus the rest of untermenschen with their oil, gold, gas, lands and cheap labor, the Golden Billion tries very hard to not stain its shiny image with too much blood (fails at it consistently). So it doesn’t openly attack the untermenschen. It studies those old, sore conflicts between these untermenschen and rekindles them or creates new ones. Let the beasts kill each other for our benefit, yeah. And we will later come as peacemakers.
Interestingly, the Church of Democracy now has trouble keeping its own adepts under control. There are signs of schism like the January 06 protests. Those new dissenters and protestants are now called a Threat to Democracy or Domestic Terrorists and persecuted in every possible way.
It is not yet a genocide, and even if there is a hot conflict it will not be an ethnic one, yet, it has a very similar origin: a mental rift is detected or manufactured to make people first hate and then probably kill each other. Maybe the term “genocide” is a bit misleading, because one group of humans can be led, forced, inspired, driven etc. to exterminate another group of humans on a variety of pretexts.
In my opinion conflict-building has the following major components:
- dehumanization of the enemy
- continuous fear-mongering
- promise of future profit disguised as good cause
In general, it is always one “versus” another and never one “and” another. Muslims versus Christians and not Muslims and Christians, for example.
The book I mentioned seems to avoid this root cause analysis of genocides, though maybe I’m wrong and my conclusions are premature and hasty. I will finish it, anyway. And, as I said, it is good that it made me think and pushed to write this little post.
PS: If you are a Russian-speaker, you can check my new Yandex Dzen blog. It tries to be less political (fails), includes some very amateur poetry and attempts at writing prose. I still miss my Twitter, though. Damn the Democracy, I got excommunicated!
talk of “democracy” in the west – especially the US – has as much purpose as discussing the “historical jesus”. a powerful myth widely accepted but lacking any evidence. even seemingly “socialist” and “democratic” policies such as the “new deal” only comes from the fear of the “elite” when pitchfork and guillotine sales go up. feudalism is alive and well.
the US is a plutocracy and as such every vote is a vote for a cog in that system. look at the recent defenestration of “the squad” for even suggesting that the US sacrifice lockheed profits for the sake of peace and a world where their kids won’t have three heads and glow in the dark.
“We live in a Narrative Matrix controlled by Plutocratic and Military Institutions who’ve created an ILLUSION of Democracy.” -Caitlin Johnstone.
Who owns the media? The Oligarchs. They use it to indoctrinate, propagandize and fomenting division. They keep us divided, hence conquered. Who controls the narrative controls the world.
I learned this from Caitlin and Ian’s Dad.
I always enjoy reading you.
Best to you both.
well, yes)
Western democracy is corrupted. By those who cannot be named.
Thanks for your post Maria.
> There are signs of schism like the January 06 protests. Those new dissenters and protestants are now called…
I think, much earlier.
I personally count it from BLM/BlueLM rift, and Fergusson case. The way that was spinned in MSM largely reminded me of Vradievka.
Thougb other blogs predicted this trajectory since 2014 or earlier.
That said, there should be some telling between “schism/rift” (runaway system, loss of control if not agony) and applying usual method to unusual objects (“нас за що”, Bolivar cannot carry two, etc).
Basically, if we believe something changed qualitatively – we have to point at the changed quality.
For those, who used to feel themselves “part of golden billion” and “temporarily embarassed billioneers” their happenned demotion into “domestic terrorists” is some watershed. But for “the system” and its steermen… I am not sure.
P.S. Were you banned by Twitter or do you mean the Great Russian Firewall?
Of your bulletpoints…
– dehumanization of the enemy
Directly with BLM crowd.
Indirectly (“they will kill you as animals, if you won’t shoot first”) with BlueLM.
– continuous fear-mongering
Essence of both, not sure who was proactive and who was reactive.
– promise of future profit disguised as good cause
Directly with BLM.
Probably reactionary (as “retaining”, “preserving” rather than gaining or obtaining) with BlueLM, not sure.
Yes, BLM too. All manufactured.
I was banned, maybe St Elon will change this). I’m not fan of his tho). I have almost 1000 followers, sad..
Good post! Thanks
I’ve been contemplating for weeks a post of my own on the sad state of Western culture. This post by Maria helps me to see how the worthwhile goal of “democracy” is used to divide us.
I recently encountered a fellow native of the Detroit area, Jeffrey Sachs, who came to a similar conclusion at the Athens Democracy Forum — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ec2E4k1K52E