Freedom and Heritage reproduces here with melancholy agreement an article (only slightly edited) by former federal MP George Christensen. He says “The collapse of Western civilization is upon us. It is no longer a fear for the future, but the harsh reality that we are facing today.”
Freedom and Heritage wrote on the same theme a few months ago:
https://freedomandheritage.org.au/the-west-has-sleepwalked-into-a-collapse-of-its-civilization/ . Please read this as well as George’s article below.
George says this collapse has many causes but they include these key socio-cultural factors:
- Abandonment of traditional values, particularly Christianity.
- Rise of woke ideology and cancel culture: This promotes the very kind of intolerance it pretends to rail against and silences those who do not subscribe to certain beliefs. This impedes free speech, necessary for a Western democracy.
- Undermining and destruction of the traditional family unit consisting of a husband, wife, and children. This has led to the emasculation of men and confusion about gender roles. When this fundamental societal pillar falls, so does the entire building.
- Rise of identity politics focusing on identity rather than character or actions. This sets people constantly against each other over their race, gender, or sexual orientation.
- Mass uncontrolled migration: The push for open borders and unrestricted immigration has diluted cultural identity and put a strain on resources in Western countries.
One of the key factors in the collapse of Western civilization is the abandonment of traditional values, particularly Christianity. In times past, Christianity provided a moral compass for individuals and society as a whole. COMMENT: Now, like Nietzsche’s madman [Parable on the death of God, 1882] who rushes into the marketplace screaming that we have killed God,
the more perceptive of us might well ask “How were we able to drink up the sea? Who gave us the sponge to wipe away the entire horizon? What did we do when we unchained the earth from its sun? Where is it moving now? Where are we moving now? Away from all suns? Are we not perpetually falling? Backward, sideward, forward, in all directions? Is there any up or down left?”
The Protestant work ethic came from Christianity and, from Catholicism, society was imbued with the spirit of compassion and selflessness. (Think of all the orders of nuns who ran orphanages, schools, hospitals, sanatoriums and so on. The Salvation Army and some other churches carry on the same tradition.)
Christianity also taught us self-control. (This is a “fruit of the Spirit” that Paul writes about in Galatians 5:22: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law.) However, in recent years, there has been a concerted effort to reject these values and replace them with a culture of instant gratification and hedonism.
That concerted effort has sadly prevailed with Western society now basically a consumerist paradise where people bounce from instantaneous fix to instantaneous fix, which stops them from ever having to think about their own true nature, or for others for that matter.
Consider the fact that widespread usage of social media reduced the average human attention span to shorter than that of a goldfish in just over a decade.
This photo taken in the the Riksmuseum in Amsterdam shows how mobile phone addiction can destroy the capacity for wonder at priceless achievements of our culture – here, Rembrandt’s masterpiece The Night Watch (1642).
The rise of woke ideology and cancel culture is another significant factor in the decline of the West. These both involve the promotion of certain beliefs and the silencing or punishment of those who do not align with those beliefs.
Woke ideology promotes the idea that certain groups and their viewpoints — often imagined as ‘marginalized’ or ‘oppressed’ communities — are inherently superior to others and that those who do not align with this belief are ignorant or privileged.
Likewise, cancel culture is the practice of withdrawing support for public figures or companies due to their perceived harm or offence.
It can include boycotting their products or services, calling for them to be fired from their jobs, or generally ostracizing them from society. Look at the current attempts in Canada to take away Jordan Peterson’s licence to practise as a psychologist!
Together, woke ideology and cancel culture create a culture of intolerance in which people are afraid to express their true beliefs for fear of being cancelled or ostracized. This has led to a society with a lack of free expression and the suppression of alternative viewpoints. No democratic society can sustain such a culture.
The destruction of the traditional family unit has also played a role in the collapse of Western civilization. The traditional family, consisting of a husband, wife, and children, has been the foundation of society for centuries. However there has been a concerted effort to dismantle this institution and promote alternative lifestyles.
This has led to the emasculation of men, as they are no longer seen as the head of the household. Instead, they are often portrayed as incompetent or unnecessary.
Feminism, begun as a political movement for equality, has turned into a force of hatred towards women who would prefer motherhood over careerism, as well as a force for blatant misandry, something which has gone on to infect social policy with an unfair child support system and the courts with an equally unfair family law system.
As a result, men — in growing numbers — are shunning long-term relationships with women, with some becoming part of the ‘Men Going Their Own Way’ (MGTOW) movement and others becoming perpetual adolescents, ‘helicopter kids’ who keep hovering back to mum and dad, despite being late in adulthood.
Similarly, the rise of gender fluidity is another factor that has contributed to the decline of the West. This ideology promotes the idea that gender is a social construct and that people should be free to choose their own gender identity. While everyone should have the right to express their identity as they see fit, this ideology has led to a rejection of biological reality and has contributed to confusion and chaos.
Gender fluidity is part of identity politics which is another factor that has contributed to the decline of the West. It’s a bit like woke-ism but the difference is that this ideology promotes the idea that people should be judged based on their identity rather than their character or actions.
This has led to a society where people are constantly at each other’s throats, trying to prove their superiority based on their race, gender, or sexual orientation.
Finally, mass uncontrolled migration has played a significant role in the decline of the West.
In the past, countries were able to carefully control the flow of immigration and ensure that newcomers were assimilated into the culture. However, in recent years, there has been a push for open borders and unrestricted immigration. This has led to the dilution of cultural identity and has put a strain on social services and the economy.
The deliberate inaction by the Biden administration in the United States over the invasion of Mexicans, Central Americans and Africans on the US’s southern border is a treasonous scandal. So is the inaction by EU states and the deliberate subversion of border protection by various NGOs in positively facilitating the invasion of Europe from Africa and the Middle East.
But after all this doom and gloom, here’s the bright part. There are several things we can all do to try to avoid sinking into nihilistic despair over the collapse of Western civilization :
Get involved in your community: One way to make a difference is to get involved in your local community and work to promote traditional values and principles. This could involve volunteering at a local church or non-profit organization, running for public office, or simply being an active and engaged member of your community.
Stand up for your beliefs: It can be easy to feel overwhelmed or silenced in the face of cancel culture and woke ideology, but it’s important to stand up for your beliefs and values. This might mean speaking out against injustice or unfairness, writing letters to the editor or your elected representatives, or simply being a good role model for others.
Seek support from like-minded individuals: It’s important to surround yourself with people who share your values and beliefs. This could involve joining a church, a pro-freedom group, or simply spending time with friends and family who share your worldview.
Turn to God: If you are struggling while watching the world go to hell in a handbasket, consider turning to God for guidance and support. This could involve reading the Bible, attending church, or simply praying for strength and wisdom.
Even if we are unable to halt the decline of Western civilization, we can still work together and stand up for what we believe in.
By doing so, we can ensure that the traditional values and principles that have shaped our civilization for centuries are not completely lost.
George Christensen ends his article with a prayer for divine guidance and strength as we seek to preserve the values and principles that have shaped our civilization for centuries. He asks God to help us to stand up for what we believe in, even when it is difficult, and to give us the courage to speak out against injustice and to be a light in a world that seems to be losing its way.