Today we see America, the most productive nation on Earth, slip as Americans turn toward the security of the collective.... From a colder, more scientific point of view, one might argue that the struggle is between the cumulative knowledge and the collective memory of humanity. Fundamentally, knowledge inspires imagination and creation. Memory is suited to incremental improvement and can resent opposing points of view.

Both knowledge and memory are imperfect, so individuals rely upon a balance. Collectivist leaders must be portrayed as perfect in order to maintain power. The surer path is the critical detachment of collected memory. Inspirational leadership is rare and valuable, but unpredictable.

All leaders are tempted by the easier, “more pragmatic” collectivist path. They are tempted by the proven path of tyranny over the individual. Dividing individuals from freedom is simple. Use either force or deception.

Where free people are more powerful than the government, interrupt the golden triangle of virtue, freedom, and faith with wild promises and temptations.

Free health care, security, guaranteed food, shelter, and income are proven temptations for humanity. Replace virtue with meaningless “feel-good” goals to misdirect productive efforts and then claim freedom has failed. Where virtue does not exist, free people ruin themselves, so emphasize the short-comings of those with faith. Discourage faith while diminishing the accomplishments of the risk-takers.

As more people ruin themselves, present yourself as a savior. Offer entitlement in place of self-reliance. Substitute freedom with dependence. Finally, teach fear and isolation with pseudo-wisdom like, “a man must accept his fate or be destroyed by it.” Put the people in their place: below you, ignorant of their own value.

A broken people is an unproductive people. So promise a reward for their allegiance. Faith promises a heaven for good works. So, promise a heaven on earth, utopia. Promise a reward in the end. Promise retirement.

You may be surprised to hear that there is no Hebrew word for retirement, at least not in the familiar sense. The closest biblical usage is “re-vocationed.” Instead of doing the work in the Temple, elders were to assist and provide their wisdom for the next generation of Levites.

Older, wiser people might impart virtues to young hearts yearning for freedom. Use the powerful promise of Utopian retirement. Sequester the retired away from the young. Promote division between young and old. Promote the ideal retirement as freedom from obligation. Finally, redistribute the collected wealth of the retired to further dependence upon the state.

Collectivism is simple. Entitlement requires the comfort of dependence. Dependence requires ignorance of opportunity. Ignorance requires the security of entitlement. Collectivism is subjugation.

Conclusion

Humanity’s greatest attribute is adaptability. We thrive in tribal societies, agrarian societies, empires, dark ages, ice ages, and more. We adapt to the environment and society. This is our greatest strength, but also our greatest weakness.  

Slaves learn to survive being enslaved. Masters learn to oppress. Free people must learn virtues and the faith to forge their own risky path.  These are conflicting human fates separated by courage.

Leaders require character and courage to resist the temptation of tyranny, “character matters.”  Over time, our leaders have grown less courageous and less comfortable with citizens who are more wise and knowledgeable than the government. They have turned toward tyranny because they fear their rivals will exploit doubt in the minds of the people. 

A proven way to erase questioning and doubt is by promoting dependence, entitlement, and ignorance.  Instead of building us up, they tear us down to enable their lust for power. This is the triangle of tyranny. This is the path of the socialist. This is why socialism is a euphemism for evil...and this is why economics is not about money.

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