That’s progress!

Ford T. Modell

I am reading a book by John Lennox on the six days of creation. As usual, unbidden thoughts intrude. I had a crazy thought. The rise of modernity coincides with a rise in notions that have been elevated to the point of ideology. From “I think therefore I am” to the deconstructionists and the end of meaning, the intellectual positions are nothing more than hypothetical musings similar to young people playing “what if…” Obviously, and I mean really obviously the statement, “there is no truth” can’t be true. But that kind of self refuting assertion is everywhere! It is inescapable.

So my mind tried a “what if” of it’s own. What if we as a global people are becoming stupider? Looking at the worldly places of power, where are the great leaders? Huh? My country? Europe? Asia? The Middle East?

What is literature today but the most mindless entertainment; frightfully vulgar, silly superheroes “saving the multiverse” in spandex, pornographic idles and indoctrination and propaganda? Is there a great moral purpose or moral tension revealed for lengthy contemplation? Anywhere?

Then I asked myself, “would we know it if we were getting stupider?” I doubt that we would for a number of reasons. Firstly, we no longer seem to recognize wisdom when confronted with it. Secondly, knowledge accrues. We are overwhelmed with knowledge and it is stored everywhere digitally and in books and on tape. I can ask the internet how many pounds of torque is needed for a 53 Studebaker cylinder head and it will tell me. The curve representing available knowledge is going straight up. Knowledge is not wisdom or even smarts. It is nothing more than data. Meanwhile first principles are trashed and the scientistical bureaucrats intone that data is all that is needed to “know” all that can be known. It’s a clever little tautology. If it ain’t data, it has no meaning and therefore can’t be discussed because it is unscientific. So the glaring refutation is merely ignored. “Nothing to see here folks…”

This leads to insane propositions, which are accepted as reality. Imagine people really believing that we are nothing more than electrical impulses that can someday be “downloaded” to silicone chips allowing us to live forever. Us! Who slaver over the prospect of a piece of meat or chocolate confection, happy forever on a virtual screen of flashing pixels. As if the soul can be captured electronically… As if the mind was just an app. But the “brightest” (and they would call themselves additionally “the best”) are actually working toward this “goal” as if… And they think of themselves as “experts”.

So the growth of knowledge (I suspect) is hiding the decay of intelligence. Where is our Homer? Our Aristotle? Our Peter and Paul? Where is our Aquinas? Derrida? Where is our Da Vinci? Basquiat? Where is our Shakespeare? Stan Lee?

Our stated goals in society are silly because there is no understanding or even acceptance of the concept of human nature and human limitations. We are stuck in a culture that is nothing more than hubris and rebellion against reality. And who does that sound like?

The stupid rise to the top floating on a deluge of data with no context. With no first principles to provide an anchor, when the stupid get to positions of power they have complete freedom of movement to churn the waters and make waves. Chaos. Our Pope is the poster boy for the phenomenon. Sentimentality overcomes wisdom at every encounter. The ancient Greeks, fearing hubris, would be terrified of what is coming, what is (as they understood only too well) inevitable. Hubris is a one way street to destruction. We have forgotten what hubris is. We celebrate self-love and fanciful projection as liberation. We look forward to a more virtual existence as our heaven. We will cure disease, have plenty, be equal with every intention or dream, end war, all go to college and get straight As, all be “creative”, never have to clean our rooms and carry moonbeams home in a jar because… That’s progress!

Ford T. Modell