Interlude: Dark Ages America Part-1

As a follow up to my Review of The Twilight of American Culture, as promised, I will now review Dark Ages America by Morris Berman. As previously indicated, published in 2006, this book is far less optimistic about the future of the US than its predecessor. The author considers the events of 9-11-01 a last chance to reverse course. The opportunity was squandered by an even greater removal from reality. The US chose to accelerate down the path of no return.

Other than details, very little of what the author discusses in this book was new to me. I found this book to be very instructive (and confirming) regarding the causes and consequences of decline. As far as I can recall, I don't believe any other contemporary author has so closely agreed with some of my writing. His points are relatively easy to translate from my own. His writing is definitely more accessible. Therefore, I would highly recommend it to those readers that find me a little too abstract for their tastes. The irony is that in other respects, I find nothing that is not absolutely concrete (pun intended) frustrating; therefore, I would understand the need to deal beyond theory. The author stresses a need for theory. Philosophy should be as universal as possible. Few able are not correctly positioned.

If you happen to prefer aphorisms:

All seeds require fertile soil, but only some will only survive in a harsh climate. Even fewer are removed. Maximum Advantage demands uniformity as a contact vector. A materialist world necessarily demands completely concrete thinking patterns by means of passive positive reinforcement. All affects vary in degree and unpleasantness. Unoccupied outlets are niches. Thundering along, the herd does not stake its turf. Technology allows the human mass animal to become like the largest bison herds trampling everything in its path. In such an environment, opponents and opportunists would choose to think in completely concrete terms. Indeed, at least, the fields are well fertilized.

Anyway, back to the review...

I appreciate that he quotes from The Baffler. (Where's my magazine? I truly appreciate a magazine that publishes when it damn well pleases.)

As a final point (for now), despite the title, this book does not actually contain much about what an actual Dark Ages would entail. His previous book would be a better source.

Part 2.