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My pet theory is that there will always be a constant loop much like the prey-predator relationship. We start by going in one direction i.e. liberalism, then we
by belval 6y ago
My pet theory is that there will always be a constant loop much like the prey-predator relationship. We start by going in one direction i.e. liberalism, then we realize that some pieces of authoritarianism might be good for a problem we currently have, so we water it down a bit.
Fast forward 50-70 years, we realize that the balance has swung too much to one side so we try to do a sharp turn. That action causes an overcompensation which is when revolution and violence happen. Finally we end up back at some sort of liberalism and the circle begins anew.
I see it as a result of generation gap. We don't know the value of something until we lose it. Right now the public doesn't value freedom of speech as much as it used to so we are right on track to have it more limited.
- pydry 6y agoWe're on a loop alright, but it's caused by the interplay of the more numerous working/underclasses and elites struggling to stay on top. Currently we are at the bit of the loop where the underclasses are thrashing out and the elites are trying to channel that rage somehow.
- musingsole 6y agoI don't think it's a given that revolution and violence reset the cycle to liberalism. There would appear to be plenty of examples where the chaos just ushers in a greater degree of authoritarianism and how much liberalism that follows a power change is just caused by the period of new power consolidating its control? Even if it's a matter of picking the right start and stop times to a cycle, every iteration would be heterogeneous enough that calling it a cycle is probably missing some important behaviors.
- belval 6y agoAbsolutely, to be clear I don't have the arrogance to think that I can explain the complexity of western society in a single HN comment. I am just a software engineer.
- Kim_Bruning 6y agoFortunately -in many civilized countries- we have institutionalized and ritualized the act of having a revolution every 4 years. As with many such rituals, -and as long as everyone sticks to the prescribed acts- this reduces the bloodshed immeasurably. With a little luck, the only victims are dead trees and broken pencils.