Times are delicate. Our culture is miserable and self-hating. Intellectuals and politicians are, at best, desolate and vapid; more often they are destructive. Leaders promote evil ideas and advocate for rights-violating legislation that worsens our lives.
Poisoned for over a century by anti-human philosophies, society is becoming more tribal and less individualistic. The state, nation, church, race, and group are important - not the individual. Intellectuals claim that reality is unknowable, that free will is an illusion, and that our minds cannot grasp true knowledge. Ideas like these are devastating.
Our culture is group-focused. Instead of praising humanity for its accomplishments and potential, people focus on mistakes of the past. Some argue that humans are inherently flawed, sinful, and corrupt; that we are inclined to pillage and destroy each other and the planet. Is it any mystery why we are so hateful and angry today? Is it at all surprising why children are unhappy and depressed?
Your life is fragile and finite - it's the only one you will ever have. Would you prefer to live in a world where your values are attainable? One in which people are free to pursue happiness and cooperate in peace? A country filled with proud, productive citizens who are grateful they have the opportunity to live?
Many go along thinking “Welp, what can I do? This is just the way things are." They've resigned and become complacent.
I haven't, and neither should you.
Life can be better. But evil ideas are handicapping your life and the lives of those you care about. Bad ideas produce immoral men; immoral men become unprincipled politicians; unprincipled politicians write and pass legislation preventing people and businesses from acting freely. Only reason and persuasion can reverse this trend. Force and power never have and never will make us freer.
Ideas determine the course of history. Virtuous convictions gave birth to America. We have abandoned those virtues, and our country is decaying. Children are stressed, anxious, depressed, and drug-addicted precisely because our culture saturates them with defeatist ideas.
To generate change, we must reboot and establish a philosophy founded on solid principles. But what are those principles?
- A single, objective reality exists
- Our minds are capable of grasping reality; we must use it to understand the world
- Our lives are finite, and we should consider the full range of our lives when deciding what is "good" or "bad"
- Man's life is the standard by which we judge ideas and actions
The goal of life is to be happy. Despite what politicians, the Pope, or intellectuals may say, you are capable of flourishing in this world. You should be proud of your accomplishments, not feel humiliation for your mistakes. You should be confident in your ability to achieve your goals. You should be ready to judge people based on the content of their mind, on their ideas. You should praise good ideas and condemn evil ones - this is justice.
Remember that no matter how hopeless the situation may appear, things can improve. It will take time - but the right ideas will win out in the end. We have reality on our side.