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Culture War Roundup for the week of May 1, 2023

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what's the use of anyone knowing the Truth if Power can't be moved by it?

Living a good life, surely.

This is sort of the weird critical theory obsession that truth is only useful insofar as it brings power, borne to be sure out of the betrayed promise of the enlightenment that the two are married.

But they're not. Power is really not about truth at all except through the connection of practical means. A good sovereign listens to the scientists, but his power isn't derived from them, otherwise both science and good rule are impossible.

And note that this is as true in a democracy as it is in a monarchy.

Is he just betting it all on lucking into a short run of a few Good Emperors before it goes back to shit again?

Rather he accepts that human nature will do what human nature does and that we should take what we can get. From his point of view democracy guarantees brainwashing, whereas monarchy at least gives you the possibility of doing things so long as you're not meddling in politics yourself.

Frankly the whole point of society is just to have some order so people can live nice little lives unbothered by turmoil and maybe some philosophers can work on improving our lot.

Putting the philosophers on the throne is, whilst deviously tempting, the path of destruction.