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https://theconversation.com/elon-musk-and-the-narratives-of-decadence-that-link-all-anti-democratic-movements-247396>
"“It’s the birthrates. It’s the birthrates. It’s the birthrates,” echoed the
introduction line in the manifesto of the Christchurch shooter who killed 51
people in a mosque in 2019. His claim was that white people are being
“replaced” by other races and won’t survive without action.
A few years later, the same obsession with birth rates has become a catchphrase
of Elon Musk’s daily social media activism.
Don’t get me wrong, Elon Musk is neither a white supremacist nor a right-wing
terrorist. Yet, like other people with extremist opinions, he promotes the view
that society is in decline and that action is needed to prevent a related
apocalypse. These rhetorical overlaps are hardly coincidental. They stem from a
reactionary philosophy that has a long history of going viral.
Anxiety that low birthrates inevitably lead to population collapse has been
haunting the west since mass consumption became its dominant lifestyle. This
flips the older Malthusian fear of exponential population growth that will
outpace our ability to produce food. Seen in the bigger picture, both are
variations of a generic narrative known as decadence.
The idea of decadence – moral decline triggered by excessive indulgence –
informs many parts of everyday sense-making, especially cultural criticism.
Ever read American historian Christopher Lasch’s famous bestseller about the
contemporary culture of narcissism? Ever come across the popular meme that
claims “weak men create hard times”? Ever followed the Cultural Tutor’s tweets
about the loss of beauty in architecture? Ever doomscrolled through Jordan
Peterson’s 1,293 YouTube videos? The detail varies, but the overarching theme
of decadence is the same every time.
Decadence is a useful double-edged sword as a narrative. It frames the masses
as sluggish and in need of discipline. The corrupt elites, meanwhile, simply
need to be replaced. It bemoans the erosion of authority and draws on the
premise that every society rests upon eternal hierarchies. Too much freedom,
fun and flexibility, the story goes, jeopardises order and, thus, prosperity.
Hence, some rules for life: men must subordinate and obey for the sake of the
greater good. Women must breed to secure the existence of our people and a
future for our children. A new nobility shall replace the liberal elites and
recreate culture. Otherwise, civilisation, or at least nations, are at stake.
Does this sound familiar?"
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
