Dr. Martin Hash Podcast

The Enlightenment, the concept of self-determination rather than fate; and democracy rather than aristocratic or Ecclesiastic rulers; evolved in 18th century, and was implemented in the 19th, starting with the United States, but eventually all of the West. America took it one step further however, all the way to personal autonomy, where individuals reaped the rewards of their own decisions, calling it “liberty.” However, liberty requires opportunity, and opportunity equals wealth, so the wealthy had most of the liberty; and the flip side of liberty is that individuals also suffer the consequences of their own actions, which most people don’t like. The inevitable backlash, was called Post Modern, usually associated with Communism. Envy & resentment having the power they do, Communism swept the world, controlling half of it during the middle of the 20th century, but it was held in check by the Cold War. When the Cold War ended because of the productivity superiority of liberty, Post Modernism again burst forth. Put another way, the fall of the Soviet Union signaled the start of a new revolution, though few recognized it at the time; it was a Cold Revolution, and it slowing began gaining social & political victories, mostly in the cities and on the coasts, until the tipping point was reached, as proven by the 2020 presidential election: America is now Post Modern. The question is will it stay that way? One possibility is that America become like Europe; another is that it collapses completely; whatever the final outcome, The Enlightenment is over.