Belmont Club

By Richard Fernandez

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Putin’s ad

August 28, 2008 - 12:16 pm - by Richard Fernandez
neolex
2008-08-28 16:48:00

@fedya

Saying that strategies of ideological subversion are discussed among communists is akin to saying that strategies of interstellar travel are discussed among sci-fi fans.

What such view discounts is the mimetic power of Communism as ideology that does not require rational actors for propagation and the effects of quality of life on world view. To put it simplistically, the reason Europeans are liberal is the same reason Americans are fat. One has to dispel simpler explanations for a phenomenon, before proceeding to create new theories.

This brings me to another point, which is tangentially related to a previous threat about God. People seem to gravitate towards explanation that involve intentional actors as prima causae. This, I guess, is also realated to explaining natural world with God. However, most phenomena arise regardless of intent of any of the actors and have more to do with statistical tendencies and environment.