Michael Potts's Blog: Bits and Pieces: Book Reviews and Articles on Writing, Horror Fiction, and Some Philosophy - Posts Tagged "totalitarianism"

This is, by far, the best book I have read on the contemporary political situation in the United States and Europe. Legutko uses his knowledge of European politics, history, and philosophy to paint a dismal, and I believe accurate, picture of the direction liberal democracy is going. Political correctness and the cancel culture are signs of a growing totalitarianism stemming from the modern philosophical roots and basic assumptions of contemporary liberal democracy. The current totalitarian and ultra-Puritan mindset arises from (1) liberal democracy's hostility to Christianity and to all traditional communities, including the family, and (2) the liberal democratic imperative of equality, interpreted as equality of results, which creates favored classes that become their own political parties. These include blacks, Hispanics, homosexuals, transgendered individuals, women, and any other groups added to this list in the future. These groups have little to do with the concrete and real people living in such diverse communities, but reduces them to power-players in the political game. The list can only grow, for equality is an ideology that eats and eats and eats until all vestiges of traditional culture is gone, replaced by a homogenous population that lacks creativity and lives in constant fear of offending others as well as finding ways to take offense at others' comments. All activities become politicized, even eating and sexuality, and politics invades every secret corner of life. Eventually the power of the state is used against traditional groups, and totalitarianism will become as stifling as it was under Communist governments. Legutko has little home for a quick end to such trends, and I believe he is correct. While there are more people in the United States opposing the totalitarian slant of liberal democracy, ultimately the powers that be in the media, education and entertainment overwhelm them, and sympathetic voices in government make sure outcomes go their way. It is a sad situation, one in which traditionalists will have to practice patience and be willing to suffer persecution for their beliefs. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in political correctness, the cancel culture, and other totalitarian aspects of contemporary culture.