How to begin a blog so confusingly labeled "Plato and Pop Culture"? Like many others who have thrown their two cents on the worldwide web, I too intend to throw my frequent (or lesser so) penny-wagers for the world to critique.
According to Plato, "All the gold which is under or upon the earth is not enough to give in exchange for virtue". This, my ultimate expression of the juxtaposed label to this writing, reveals a hopeful theme for future blogs... a renewed discourse on virtue and its essential role in defining pop culture.
Trite evaluations of our nation's social trends would bore the heck out of today's reader. An engaged (and hopefully entertaining) perspective on different elements of our society, however, serves to promote higher levels of citizenry and encourage intellectually grounded ideas.
This blog site should entice the scholar, the statesman, and the consummate professional... inspiring thought provoking sentiments and fruitful wisdom... lending insights and ideas that would restore virtue in pop culture.
According to Plato, "All the gold which is under or upon the earth is not enough to give in exchange for virtue". This, my ultimate expression of the juxtaposed label to this writing, reveals a hopeful theme for future blogs... a renewed discourse on virtue and its essential role in defining pop culture.
Trite evaluations of our nation's social trends would bore the heck out of today's reader. An engaged (and hopefully entertaining) perspective on different elements of our society, however, serves to promote higher levels of citizenry and encourage intellectually grounded ideas.
This blog site should entice the scholar, the statesman, and the consummate professional... inspiring thought provoking sentiments and fruitful wisdom... lending insights and ideas that would restore virtue in pop culture.
The Impending Doom of Western Culture
ReplyDeleteIn “The Republic” Plato introduced the concept that a good city embraced four virtues: prudence (wisdom), justice (fairness), temperance (moderation) and fortitude (courage). St. Augustine acknowledged these as cardinal virtues and added three others: faith, hope and love (charity) that became know as the theological virtues.
Libertarians generally promote individual rights and advocate politically for freedom, liberty, voluntary association and limited government. In essence, these were the aspirations of our Founding Fathers when they crafted the Constitution of the United States.
John Locke introduced classical liberalism during the Age of Enlightenment to repudiate the concepts of hereditary privilege, state religion and absolute monarchy. As it evolved, classical liberalism lost its appeal as progressives introduced the concepts of social democracy and paternalistic liberalism to governments in Europe. This political philosophy was embedded into American government by FDR with the New Deal.
Edmund Burke introduced conservatism as a social philosophy to promote the retention of traditional institutions that emphasized stability and continuity. It is more of an attitude than a political philosophy.
Today, it seems obvious that liberal factions of society embrace the Democratic Party while conservative factions embrace the Republican Party. The independent libertarians are essentially left without a meaningful political voice despite the fact that libertarianism resonates with the vast majority of working Americans.
As I see it, the “intellectual elites” of both political parties know that collectivism is not economically sustainable but they recognize the political reality that they must spend increasing amounts of money to insure the survival of the political class. Even Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush increased spending when they lowered taxes. Now that 47% of Americans do not pay income taxes but still have an equal vote the possibility of a balanced budget and deficit reduction is not a political option. Politicians will continue to legislate costly benefits to special groups at the expense of productive individuals until the entire economic system collapses under the weight of hyperinflation.
Then the “powers that be” will merely legislate a new monetary system and start the process over under the protection of a massive government umbrella while virtuously blaming the “era of capitalism” as the cause of all unfairness and suffering.
Politicians may espouse faith, hope and charity as the beneficent foundation of a political movement for the common good. However, by ignoring the most important virtues of prudence, justice, temperance and fortitude they are not building a “good city” that will last any longer than Ancient Greece, the birthplace of Western culture.