George Orwell's review of Mein Kampf/ Ron Wood's analysis

[TomMcC]

We've talked about Orwell's views into a possible future. I found the analysis of Orwell's review to be of interest and maybe telling of human nature. Maybe things really don't change that much when it comes to who we are and how we react to the societies we live in. Maybe the societies of men really don't change at a fundamental level. Ron Wood is a Christian apologist for those that eschew things Christian. Though Ron is basically an Arminian and I'm a Calvinist, I still find Ron's analysis' very interesting on some subjects...this is one of them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LA4gI69CMsg

[prepare]

“Hitler has grasped the falsity of the hedonistic attitude to life. Nearly all western thought since the last war, certainly all “progressive” thought, has assumed tacitly that human beings desire nothing beyond ease, security, and avoidance of pain. In such a view of life there is no room, for instance, for patriotism and the military virtues. Hitler, because in his own joyless mind he feels it with exceptional strength, knows that human beings don’t only want comfort, safety, short working-hours, hygiene, birth-control and, in general, common sense; they also, at least intermittently, want struggle and self-sacrifice, not to mention drums, flag and loyalty-parades ... Whereas Socialism, and even capitalism in a grudging way, have said to people “I offer you a good time,” Hitler has said to them “I offer you struggle, danger and death,” and as a result a whole nation flings itself at his feet”
― George Orwell

This internal dichotomy certainly exists within human nature. Not only on an individual level but on a societal level as well as each generation passes through their twenties and thirties more ideological and ripe for struggle and change.

When you examine the history of the left side of this struggle, one of the aspects that stands out is the desire to eliminate the problem...tyranny, oppression, slavery, injustice, guns, alternative viewpoints, and eventually entire groups of people and races. This aspect of egoic human nature has not changed. The ego desires to assert itself through conflict. On an individual level this plays out in simple argument and can also escalate all the way up to murder. On the collective level this eventually leads to war.

There is no doubt this collective dichotomy is in full swing and we being primed for a showdown.

This Thomas Jefferson quote is as real today as steam rising off of a dead body on a cold winter day.
“The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.”

[Honu]

Sub to his channel for some time as he has good stuff

For others this came out also very good to watch

[prepare]

There is a lot of commonality in the build up to wars; human nature hasn't changed, lies, propaganda, distrust, manipulation, attempts to control, playing one side against the other, etc.
The bottom line though is when government forces their will against the people depriving them of their rights they will resist. The stronger a government imposes their will the stronger the resistance will be.

[TomMcC]

It seems we have talked ourselves into a lot things over the centuries. And no matter how hard we try we can never attain that peace of mind we so desperately long for. And now look at the mess we have. I have found that the joy of pleasure is most fleeting, yet the prospect of war quite terrifying.

In this life there will be trials and tribulation.

[SteyrAUG]

“Hitler has grasped the falsity of the hedonistic attitude to life. Nearly all western thought since the last war, certainly all “progressive” thought, has assumed tacitly that human beings desire nothing beyond ease, security, and avoidance of pain. In such a view of life there is no room, for instance, for patriotism and the military virtues. Hitler, because in his own joyless mind he feels it with exceptional strength, knows that human beings don’t only want comfort, safety, short working-hours, hygiene, birth-control and, in general, common sense; they also, at least intermittently, want struggle and self-sacrifice, not to mention drums, flag and loyalty-parades ... Whereas Socialism, and even capitalism in a grudging way, have said to people “I offer you a good time,” Hitler has said to them “I offer you struggle, danger and death,” and as a result a whole nation flings itself at his feet”
― George Orwell

For ironic comparison. "I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat," - Winston Churchill. Both were probably guilty of paraphrasing Garibaldi.

[SteyrAUG]

It seems we have talked ourselves into a lot things over the centuries. And no matter how hard we try we can never attain that peace of mind we so desperately long for. And now look at the mess we have. I have found that the joy of pleasure is most fleeting, yet the prospect of war quite terrifying.

In this life there will be trials and tribulation.

With the exception of the loss of loved ones, I happen to be quite content. Things could be easier, things could be better...but I'm mindful of the fact that thousands have it worse than me and would trade places in an instance.

And I happen to know people who personally have "almost nothing" but live a very content and full life. Sometimes it's all about perspective. But I'm not going to become a Buddhist about every thing and forgo attachments to things, people and places and attempt to even eliminate desire about the way things should be. To me it's a fool errand and the worst outcome is success. Loss is pain, that is because the more human we are the more we care about people, places and things and if it's important enough, the loss can be severe enough to actually kill us.

But I wouldn't have it any other way. I wouldn't want to be so enlightened I no longer fear or feel it, I wouldn't want to be so indifferent to everything and everyone around me that I simply didn't notice the loss of things that should be important.

I try to be about solutions rather than problems, but there are those things you simply can't fix. So I try and just remember the good times with people, places and things and try and fill the void of loss with those memories.

[duece71]

How long would it take for a country like the US, or Japan, or a modernized European country to become governed by a totalitarian regime/dictator? We have seen examples of this, Hitler rose to power in a very short time. Do totalitarian regimes rise due to a power struggle or due to a society wanting ease, security and an avoidance of pain?

[TomMcC]

With the exception of the loss of loved ones, I happen to be quite content. Things could be easier, things could be better...but I'm mindful of the fact that thousands have it worse than me and would trade places in an instance.

And I happen to know people who personally have "almost nothing" but live a very content and full life. Sometimes it's all about perspective. But I'm not going to become a Buddhist about every thing and forgo attachments to things, people and places and attempt to even eliminate desire about the way things should be. To me it's a fool errand and the worst outcome is success. Loss is pain, that is because the more human we are the more we care about people, places and things and if it's important enough, the loss can be severe enough to actually kill us.

But I wouldn't have it any other way. I wouldn't want to be so enlightened I no longer fear or feel it, I wouldn't want to be so indifferent to everything and everyone around me that I simply didn't notice the loss of things that should be important.

I try to be about solutions rather than problems, but there are those things you simply can't fix. So I try and just remember the good times with people, places and things and try and fill the void of loss with those memories.

I was speaking not so much in individual terms but in general societal terms. True peace seems to be quite fleeting and short lived. We lurch from one war to the next, now the good ole' days have slipped away and the cold war with out closest neighbors, other Americans, has intensified. Most people in the world haven't got it so good, and I can't complain about my material situation. I do have peace of mind, considering my imperfections and declining physical situation. Of course our peace of mind comes from different places.

[TomMcC]

How long would it take for a country like the US, or Japan, or a modernized European country to become governed by a totalitarian regime/dictator? We have seen examples of this, Hitler rose to power in a very short time. Do totalitarian regimes rise due to a power struggle or due to a society wanting ease, security and an avoidance of pain?

Maybe the ease, security, and avoidance of pain sets us up for the totalitarian. We stop striving to better things or we just don't know the way to better things.