Superb stuff indeed. An intellectual of depth recognizing the paucity of a world run by shallow, zealous midwits; whether they be Soviet Commissars or Western Maniac Bureaucrats.
"A plague on both your houses." Mercutio as he dies in Romeo and Juliet
Man, do I love this post, Yuri. He hits on so many things that I had to reread it 3 times.
Much of what he says fits in nicely with this prescient quote (sorry for length, but I think everyone should read more of what this guy has to say):
...The belief that order must be intentionally generated and imposed upon society by institutional authorities continues to prevail. This centrally-directed model is premised upon what F.A. Hayek called “the fatal conceit,” namely, the proposition “that man is able to shape the world according to his wishes,” or what David Ehrenfeld labeled “the arrogance of humanism.”
That such practices have usually failed to produce their anticipated results has generally led not to a questioning of the model itself, but to the conclusion that failed policies have suffered only from inadequate leadership, or a lack of sufficient information, or a failure to better articulate rules. Once such deficiencies have been remedied, it has been supposed, new programs can be implemented which, reflective of this mechanistic outlook, will permit government officials to “fine tune” or “jump start” the economy, or “grow” jobs, or produce a “quick fix” for the ailing government school system.
Even as modern society manifests its collapse in the form of violent crime, economic dislocation, seemingly endless warfare, inter-group hostilities, the decay of cities, a growing disaffection with institutions, and a general sense that nothing “works right” anymore, faith in the traditional model continues to drive the pyramidal systems. Most people still cling to the belief that there is something that can be done by political institutions to change such conditions: a new piece of legislation can be enacted, a judicial ruling can be ordered, or a new agency regulation can be promulgated.
When a government-run program ends in disaster, the mechanistic mantra is invariably invoked: “we will find out what went wrong and fix it so that this doesn’t happen again.” That the traditional model itself, which is grounded in the state’s power to control the lives and property of individuals to desired ends, may be the principal contributor to such social disorder goes largely unexplored..."
I propose that as soon as governments can keep the roads from being marked by potholes, then and only then should they be allowed to address things like "climate change" or "inequity"
Many fair critiques of the West. Our decline was perhaps a foreordained result of the Enlightenment’s death of God, but I respectfully disagree with your implied critiques of pacifism. The interests of the citizens of the US have never been served by military adventure abroad. A strong case could be make that our interference in WWI led to the rise of both the National and International Socialism (communism) plus WWII.
The material well-being that is — culturally and quite universally — our greatest goal is our greatest weakness. “Good time lead to weak men, weak men lead to hard times…”
Indeed the spiritual life in America is weak among everyday people but it is non existent among our government leaders. They believe themselves to be the man-god and have no belief in the God-man. They absolutely reject Jesus Christ and His teachings and commandments for us because this means placing the spiritual far above the material and most men are densely adhered to the material because they have no belief in the eternal but only in what is right in front of them and what can give them pleasure and satisfy them in the here and now. This is leading to the destruction of the world and eventually to the destruction of many souls for eternity.
"But the fight for our planet, physical and spiritual, a fight of cosmic proportions, is not a vague matter of the future; it has already started. The forces of Evil have begun their decisive offensive. You can feel their pressure, yet your screens and publications are full of prescribed smiles and raised glasses. What is the joy about?"
Such an unbelievable speech! I have read it three times—but it obviously requires a fourth. In the text of the speech published by the Ethics and Public Policy Center (Sohlzenitzyn (sic) at Harvard) there follows some two dozen editorials and essays—some immediate, others written at a comfortable distance. These pieces are by some of the biggest commentators and public intellectuals of the time (around 1980). All, except one—a graduate student—Charles Kesler—struggled mightily to fit together S’s reality and their view of western democratic society—and only succeeded in limping along. Kesler nailed it—the epicenter of S’s historical reality is MODERNITY ITSELF. See further S’s Letter to the Soviet Leaders.
Every time I read something of his he only grows in my rather weak and unimportant eyes. He grows ever larger—the world will hear much of him in the 21st century.
While it's hard to know what impact this had on the 1978 graduating class, at least they sat and listened. I can't imagine Harvard's 2024 class being respectful enough to even do that. But then I doubt that he or anyone with similar views would have even be allowed to speak on any Ivy League campus. Such a sad time
"A decline in courage may be the most striking feature that an outside observer notices in the West today. The Western world has lost its civic courage, both as a whole and separately, in each country, in each government, in each political party, and, of course, in the United Nations. Such a decline in courage is particularly noticeable among the ruling and intellectual elites, causing an impression of a loss of courage by the entire society.”
More wisdom in this prophetic 1978 address than most of the graduates heard in their entire Harvard matriculation. Thank you for the posting.
we've been demoralized for sure...not by the bolsheviks of Russia but by those whop ut the bolsheviks in power.... fifth column within the USA... really worldwide
Absolutely a barn burner. I'm in agreement with you. People are lost to materialism and hedonistic pleasures and care nothing for legacy. Neither for their families or as individuals and certainly not as a sense of duty to the land of abundance we inherited. Excellent work 👏
This speech was for us today. Hopefully it is not too late to do something about it.
This is an outstanding post. Solzhenitsyn was a genius, he truly understood humanity from a very high level. We would do well to heed his warnings.
Also, his 200 Years Together is quite a read, often shadowed by his Jewish inheritors.
Superb stuff indeed. An intellectual of depth recognizing the paucity of a world run by shallow, zealous midwits; whether they be Soviet Commissars or Western Maniac Bureaucrats.
"A plague on both your houses." Mercutio as he dies in Romeo and Juliet
The West has not only lost its courage and will, it has lost its sanity.
And good old fashion horsesense; which is EARNED through the experience of separating hay from horseshit.
That takes effort, which has been offshored to the state/media.
We need to get back to our roots.
I fear economic collapse is the only thing that will sharpen minds.
Actually, getting off screens would sharpen minds immensely.
well said
It was stolen, by subversive "educators".
Man, do I love this post, Yuri. He hits on so many things that I had to reread it 3 times.
Much of what he says fits in nicely with this prescient quote (sorry for length, but I think everyone should read more of what this guy has to say):
...The belief that order must be intentionally generated and imposed upon society by institutional authorities continues to prevail. This centrally-directed model is premised upon what F.A. Hayek called “the fatal conceit,” namely, the proposition “that man is able to shape the world according to his wishes,” or what David Ehrenfeld labeled “the arrogance of humanism.”
That such practices have usually failed to produce their anticipated results has generally led not to a questioning of the model itself, but to the conclusion that failed policies have suffered only from inadequate leadership, or a lack of sufficient information, or a failure to better articulate rules. Once such deficiencies have been remedied, it has been supposed, new programs can be implemented which, reflective of this mechanistic outlook, will permit government officials to “fine tune” or “jump start” the economy, or “grow” jobs, or produce a “quick fix” for the ailing government school system.
Even as modern society manifests its collapse in the form of violent crime, economic dislocation, seemingly endless warfare, inter-group hostilities, the decay of cities, a growing disaffection with institutions, and a general sense that nothing “works right” anymore, faith in the traditional model continues to drive the pyramidal systems. Most people still cling to the belief that there is something that can be done by political institutions to change such conditions: a new piece of legislation can be enacted, a judicial ruling can be ordered, or a new agency regulation can be promulgated.
When a government-run program ends in disaster, the mechanistic mantra is invariably invoked: “we will find out what went wrong and fix it so that this doesn’t happen again.” That the traditional model itself, which is grounded in the state’s power to control the lives and property of individuals to desired ends, may be the principal contributor to such social disorder goes largely unexplored..."
- Butler Shaffer
I propose that as soon as governments can keep the roads from being marked by potholes, then and only then should they be allowed to address things like "climate change" or "inequity"
I'll 2nd that!
Many fair critiques of the West. Our decline was perhaps a foreordained result of the Enlightenment’s death of God, but I respectfully disagree with your implied critiques of pacifism. The interests of the citizens of the US have never been served by military adventure abroad. A strong case could be make that our interference in WWI led to the rise of both the National and International Socialism (communism) plus WWII.
The material well-being that is — culturally and quite universally — our greatest goal is our greatest weakness. “Good time lead to weak men, weak men lead to hard times…”
Indeed the spiritual life in America is weak among everyday people but it is non existent among our government leaders. They believe themselves to be the man-god and have no belief in the God-man. They absolutely reject Jesus Christ and His teachings and commandments for us because this means placing the spiritual far above the material and most men are densely adhered to the material because they have no belief in the eternal but only in what is right in front of them and what can give them pleasure and satisfy them in the here and now. This is leading to the destruction of the world and eventually to the destruction of many souls for eternity.
"But the fight for our planet, physical and spiritual, a fight of cosmic proportions, is not a vague matter of the future; it has already started. The forces of Evil have begun their decisive offensive. You can feel their pressure, yet your screens and publications are full of prescribed smiles and raised glasses. What is the joy about?"
Such an unbelievable speech! I have read it three times—but it obviously requires a fourth. In the text of the speech published by the Ethics and Public Policy Center (Sohlzenitzyn (sic) at Harvard) there follows some two dozen editorials and essays—some immediate, others written at a comfortable distance. These pieces are by some of the biggest commentators and public intellectuals of the time (around 1980). All, except one—a graduate student—Charles Kesler—struggled mightily to fit together S’s reality and their view of western democratic society—and only succeeded in limping along. Kesler nailed it—the epicenter of S’s historical reality is MODERNITY ITSELF. See further S’s Letter to the Soviet Leaders.
Every time I read something of his he only grows in my rather weak and unimportant eyes. He grows ever larger—the world will hear much of him in the 21st century.
While it's hard to know what impact this had on the 1978 graduating class, at least they sat and listened. I can't imagine Harvard's 2024 class being respectful enough to even do that. But then I doubt that he or anyone with similar views would have even be allowed to speak on any Ivy League campus. Such a sad time
"A decline in courage may be the most striking feature that an outside observer notices in the West today. The Western world has lost its civic courage, both as a whole and separately, in each country, in each government, in each political party, and, of course, in the United Nations. Such a decline in courage is particularly noticeable among the ruling and intellectual elites, causing an impression of a loss of courage by the entire society.”
More wisdom in this prophetic 1978 address than most of the graduates heard in their entire Harvard matriculation. Thank you for the posting.
we've been demoralized for sure...not by the bolsheviks of Russia but by those whop ut the bolsheviks in power.... fifth column within the USA... really worldwide
The world has changed. One Ring rules them all:
https://rayhorvaththesource.substack.com/p/on-ring-to-rule-them-all
All I can do is draw a line in the sand, beyond which life is not worth living:
https://rayhorvaththesource.substack.com/p/freedom-is-what-freedom-does-but
Absolutely a barn burner. I'm in agreement with you. People are lost to materialism and hedonistic pleasures and care nothing for legacy. Neither for their families or as individuals and certainly not as a sense of duty to the land of abundance we inherited. Excellent work 👏
Too many rules make for too many bureaucrats, pretty much.
This.
And the more laws; the more corrupt the state