A friend is a conservative professor of history. He also has written several biographies on the Founders. His view is that WW1 destroyed Western Civ and we’re living through the detritus. Hard to argue with.
I know that religious leaders on all sides had always told soldiers that "God is With Us", but saying that right before high explosives and mechanized warfare unleashed Hell on Earth was, I believe, the beginning of the end for the old religious denominations. They survive but are hollowed out. This loss of faith contributed to the degradation of society which you wrote about so well.
That's because particularly in America, a generation of decadent, self absorbed and wicked people decided to use the artifical prosperity generated from that war to introduce sodomy, rampant fornication, porn, and drug use.
The Belle Eppque that ended with the Guns of August was, indeed, a wonderful time for anyone of middle class or above. Safe investment,with almost guaranteed returns (like, for example, in the Russian state's debt), allowed for a steady and safe growth of your fortune, and more than enough leisure time to enjoy beautiful things.
You had few true worries. You were the leisure class incarnate, you were a member of countless associations, committees, orders and/or lodges. You were convinced that all is good, all will remain like that, and that you are on a mission to make it even better.
It was great, and we would all want it back (of course, for the working classes it was a lot worse, with rampant consumption, no social security etc.).
My point is that people who felt safe economically, were (mostly) true Christian believers, had a lot of time for non-profitable activities, and a strong belief in continued progress for Man, are exactly the ones to make the world a better place.
Now even the rich are insecure, they also fear that the speed of our continuously changing world will make them lag behind. The immutable values of the Christian fate have been largely replaced by the need, and obsession, to not lose the rat race. Our social elite became rats, like all the rest throughout history.
Progress and beauty were always the remit, and product, of the rich and powerful, but now all that's left to them is the same fear gnawing at everyone else... The fear of a worse tomorrow... Resources are hoarded and/or invested, not spent on beautiful buildings, huge donations to charities or great public works.
Once optimism is lost, so is the unfettered creative energy that wrought such a beautiful World of Yesterday (at least for some...).
One thing that struck me was obesity/poor physical condition of our society.
Many people no longer take pride in being fit, healthy, or attractive.
Walking through a Walmart summarizes where our society has fallen.
Fat, unhealthy people surrounded by cheap, mostly unnecessary goods.
Rereading Carlyle's "On heroes, Hero-Worship, and the Heroic in History" makes me hope that a figure will arise (Musk?), but the burden falls on all of us.
Quite insightful, great article, I’ve pondered upon this idea as well. One small detail that I mentioned in an article, is that Remembrance Day/ Veteran’s Day which replaced St. Martin’s day in many respects, is a telling symbol of this shift, where an artificial date meant to look nice on a spreadsheet, the 11th hour of the 11th day, of the 11th month… was prioritised over the immediate end to the ludicrous carnage that had been thoughtlessly inflected upon the continent and Western Civilisation (though the article I wrote was about St. Martin’s day primarily).
Great article with a lot to unpack. Certainly with the degradation of formal society, norms and standards; It's blatantly obvious with modern dress, art and in all we produce nowadays. There is a certain splendor lossed in the West today and little in modernity compares to what still remains from our past. It does seem befitting in these aspects that's this decay would likewise start after WW1. I've often said to people that by all means it is the most influential war/event in history still to this day. The war completely shattered every societal concept that existed before it and I'd say never really ended in 1918. Europe was still a flame in the interwar period with multiple conflicts, revolts, revolutions all over the place that finally erupted again to it's climatic peak of the 'second' Great war. Least we not forget the effects following later on during the cold war with roots that started directly from WW1.
Interesting read. While the idea of WW1 being the great discontunity in western culture the specific idea of its expansion of the state being the cause is new.
I think as am American I hyperfocus on the Civil War and the Great Depression as being the key points of the expansion of the state, but that does ignore that Wilson was in many ways a dress reheral for FDR.
One thought that immediately comes to mind is did that expansion legitimize the fascist idea of the totalizing state. It is common well beyond fascist movements even today, for example the phrase "government is what we choose to do together" which shrinks the sphere of common action to just the realm of the state.
I've spent the last four years developing "Death. War. Poets.", a live-cinema storytelling innovation that will risk boldness to meet the moment — challenging the Theatre of the Absurd, nihilism, and dis-integration of the age and solving a unique problem, which is this: that scores of other movie producers are desperately trying to repackage vapors. But regardless of story, the basic form is the same. Manalive's is not.
To this cultural crisis my team will bring, in editor J.D. McClatchy’s words, poetry’s unique ability to stir the emotions, to freeze the moment, to sweep the scene with a panoramic lens and suddenly swoop in for a close-up of suffering and courage, providing dimly thereby revelations unattainable by reason, some graceful reflection of eternal Beauty and Wisdom, the parousia.
In so doing, our production of "Death. War. Poets." — a drama enmeshed in “The War to End all Wars” and the mimetic crisis of this period of chaotic decivilization — will provide a powerful cathartic dénouement, assuaging the universal spiritual hunger borne of the calamity of last four years and the enigma of an historical situation that is without precedent: the death of all cultures.
Continued success to you in your writing and good endeavors.
Maybe. But it looks to me like Japan followed much the same pattern without any WWI to speak of. I acknowledge that Japan did do some fighting in WWI, but one struggles to see how the limited scope to the war in Japan could have the impact you ascribe to it. The Meiji Restoration started in 1868 and by the time all the various reforms and changes had taken place 1915 Honshu and 1915 Britain looked a lot alike, didn't they? The leveling of dress, industrial looking cities and marginalizing of religion all happened there too I'm given to understand. Is my knowledge of the history flawed? If not, how does a basically European war explain it? If an Asian civilization is changed by the same event, how is WWI a destruction to "Western Civilization?" Wouldn't it make more sense to say that the same technologies the shaped the European and American cultures change every culture that embraces them?
Japan Westernized and embraced high civilization over the period you describe. That is very different than going to pieces and slouching toward a slovenly Gomorrah
A friend is a conservative professor of history. He also has written several biographies on the Founders. His view is that WW1 destroyed Western Civ and we’re living through the detritus. Hard to argue with.
Yeah it sure seems like it
I know that religious leaders on all sides had always told soldiers that "God is With Us", but saying that right before high explosives and mechanized warfare unleashed Hell on Earth was, I believe, the beginning of the end for the old religious denominations. They survive but are hollowed out. This loss of faith contributed to the degradation of society which you wrote about so well.
This is a fabulous point too. I suspect this is very true
That's because particularly in America, a generation of decadent, self absorbed and wicked people decided to use the artifical prosperity generated from that war to introduce sodomy, rampant fornication, porn, and drug use.
The Belle Eppque that ended with the Guns of August was, indeed, a wonderful time for anyone of middle class or above. Safe investment,with almost guaranteed returns (like, for example, in the Russian state's debt), allowed for a steady and safe growth of your fortune, and more than enough leisure time to enjoy beautiful things.
You had few true worries. You were the leisure class incarnate, you were a member of countless associations, committees, orders and/or lodges. You were convinced that all is good, all will remain like that, and that you are on a mission to make it even better.
It was great, and we would all want it back (of course, for the working classes it was a lot worse, with rampant consumption, no social security etc.).
My point is that people who felt safe economically, were (mostly) true Christian believers, had a lot of time for non-profitable activities, and a strong belief in continued progress for Man, are exactly the ones to make the world a better place.
Now even the rich are insecure, they also fear that the speed of our continuously changing world will make them lag behind. The immutable values of the Christian fate have been largely replaced by the need, and obsession, to not lose the rat race. Our social elite became rats, like all the rest throughout history.
Progress and beauty were always the remit, and product, of the rich and powerful, but now all that's left to them is the same fear gnawing at everyone else... The fear of a worse tomorrow... Resources are hoarded and/or invested, not spent on beautiful buildings, huge donations to charities or great public works.
Once optimism is lost, so is the unfettered creative energy that wrought such a beautiful World of Yesterday (at least for some...).
Yes, very true and well said
Thank you for making me think.
I hope that this article reaches a lot of people.
One thing that struck me was obesity/poor physical condition of our society.
Many people no longer take pride in being fit, healthy, or attractive.
Walking through a Walmart summarizes where our society has fallen.
Fat, unhealthy people surrounded by cheap, mostly unnecessary goods.
Rereading Carlyle's "On heroes, Hero-Worship, and the Heroic in History" makes me hope that a figure will arise (Musk?), but the burden falls on all of us.
I very much agree. Well said
Musk is a caricature. Much like the rest of America's "ruling class", he is not to be trusted.
You add to this the overall lack of drive and purpose in men as well. It's a disaster. Ambitious, driven men are struck down and socially flogged.
Quite insightful, great article, I’ve pondered upon this idea as well. One small detail that I mentioned in an article, is that Remembrance Day/ Veteran’s Day which replaced St. Martin’s day in many respects, is a telling symbol of this shift, where an artificial date meant to look nice on a spreadsheet, the 11th hour of the 11th day, of the 11th month… was prioritised over the immediate end to the ludicrous carnage that had been thoughtlessly inflected upon the continent and Western Civilisation (though the article I wrote was about St. Martin’s day primarily).
This is a great point. Hasn’t thought of that
Great article with a lot to unpack. Certainly with the degradation of formal society, norms and standards; It's blatantly obvious with modern dress, art and in all we produce nowadays. There is a certain splendor lossed in the West today and little in modernity compares to what still remains from our past. It does seem befitting in these aspects that's this decay would likewise start after WW1. I've often said to people that by all means it is the most influential war/event in history still to this day. The war completely shattered every societal concept that existed before it and I'd say never really ended in 1918. Europe was still a flame in the interwar period with multiple conflicts, revolts, revolutions all over the place that finally erupted again to it's climatic peak of the 'second' Great war. Least we not forget the effects following later on during the cold war with roots that started directly from WW1.
Absolutely. Great points!
Interesting read. While the idea of WW1 being the great discontunity in western culture the specific idea of its expansion of the state being the cause is new.
I think as am American I hyperfocus on the Civil War and the Great Depression as being the key points of the expansion of the state, but that does ignore that Wilson was in many ways a dress reheral for FDR.
One thought that immediately comes to mind is did that expansion legitimize the fascist idea of the totalizing state. It is common well beyond fascist movements even today, for example the phrase "government is what we choose to do together" which shrinks the sphere of common action to just the realm of the state.
It seems, the Great War was pivotal in destroying the gene pool. We are now in the process of returning to monkeys.
Thank you for elevating this dynamic.
I've spent the last four years developing "Death. War. Poets.", a live-cinema storytelling innovation that will risk boldness to meet the moment — challenging the Theatre of the Absurd, nihilism, and dis-integration of the age and solving a unique problem, which is this: that scores of other movie producers are desperately trying to repackage vapors. But regardless of story, the basic form is the same. Manalive's is not.
To this cultural crisis my team will bring, in editor J.D. McClatchy’s words, poetry’s unique ability to stir the emotions, to freeze the moment, to sweep the scene with a panoramic lens and suddenly swoop in for a close-up of suffering and courage, providing dimly thereby revelations unattainable by reason, some graceful reflection of eternal Beauty and Wisdom, the parousia.
In so doing, our production of "Death. War. Poets." — a drama enmeshed in “The War to End all Wars” and the mimetic crisis of this period of chaotic decivilization — will provide a powerful cathartic dénouement, assuaging the universal spiritual hunger borne of the calamity of last four years and the enigma of an historical situation that is without precedent: the death of all cultures.
Continued success to you in your writing and good endeavors.
The question is this: How do we restore and fix it?
…ahem…
SUFFAH
Maybe. But it looks to me like Japan followed much the same pattern without any WWI to speak of. I acknowledge that Japan did do some fighting in WWI, but one struggles to see how the limited scope to the war in Japan could have the impact you ascribe to it. The Meiji Restoration started in 1868 and by the time all the various reforms and changes had taken place 1915 Honshu and 1915 Britain looked a lot alike, didn't they? The leveling of dress, industrial looking cities and marginalizing of religion all happened there too I'm given to understand. Is my knowledge of the history flawed? If not, how does a basically European war explain it? If an Asian civilization is changed by the same event, how is WWI a destruction to "Western Civilization?" Wouldn't it make more sense to say that the same technologies the shaped the European and American cultures change every culture that embraces them?
Japan Westernized and embraced high civilization over the period you describe. That is very different than going to pieces and slouching toward a slovenly Gomorrah