Our Fight Is Against Power, Not the People
The evil in humanity is malice, stupidity, deceit, arrogance, indifference, and ignorance
Though the failure of the people to value morality and competence brings about the decline of a nation, the final destruction is often carried out by those who enter through the backdoor—criminal opportunists who seize power in the name of nationalism.
When a society becomes morally confused and indifferent to competence, its institutions weaken and its judgment deteriorates. In such moments of uncertainty or crisis, opportunistic actors present themselves as saviors. They do two things at once: (a) declare all others incompetent and immoral, and (b) find a very large scapegoat that can be slaughtered for the show. Just as sports thrill people, this political show energizes them and gives them hope that they can come out of the decline caused by the incompetence and immorality of the previous rulers.
The third thing they do is forge a “large identity,” usually nationalism, religion, language, or ethnicity. They then declare the nation to belong to that identity and exclude all others who are different from it. Once the “large identity” is forged, they inflame national pride, exploit public fears, and use dramatic stunts and political theatrics to mesmerize the people. For a time, these performances succeed. The people become captivated by spectacle and promises of restoration. But such tricks cannot last forever. When the gimmicks lose their power and the public begins to question them, the opportunists must resort to increasingly desperate and reckless actions to preserve their authority.
At that stage, the consequences rarely remain confined to the nation itself. Their actions can draw other nations into conflict and instability, spreading suffering far beyond their borders. What began as the internal decline of one society then becomes a wider tragedy—producing death, destruction, and an irreparable loss of time for humanity.