How to Deal with an Increasingly Totalitarian America | Rod Dreher
On this episode of The Mark Harrington Show, Mark speaks with Rod Dreher, Senior Editor of The American Conservative and author of “The Benedict Option” and “Live Not by Lies.”
In his book, Live Not by Lies, Dreher speaks of the rise of soft totalitarianism brought on by identity politics which marginalizes Christians and other dissenters. Dreher also writes about “woke capitalism,” which is when major corporations sign on to culturally progressive causes. In a capitalist society like ours, corporations have been much more important than the state in mainstreaming progressive values. Corporations now censor opinions, and technology is bringing us closer to a surveillance state. This kind of system is what every American high school student read about in Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four.
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Despite Live Not by Lies being written and released before the COVID outbreak, Dreher has some observations. He believes the COVID vaccine mandates are being used by soft totalitarians to marginalize Christians of conscience who object to the treatment for religious reasons and are a test run for a future social credit system. To Dreher COVID demonstrates the willingness of the masses to believe things they know are untrue, or probably untrue, but that make them feel good.
On the political front, Dreher believes the result in Virginia demonstrates what angry, determined, well-informed parents can do by standing up to lies. But there is also a limit, because of these lies — the CRT/gender ideology lie — is so deeply entwined now with institutions that have no accountability to the public. Because of this fact, Dreher does not believe the GOP can save us. In fact, politics generally can’t do much to stop it at this point.
Finally, Dreher exhorts us to refuse to pretend that we don’t see what is going on, or that we agreed with it. The whole system is a lie, and to the extent that we can, men and women of integrity should refuse to consent or cooperate. We should start right now forming small groups of trusted people we can count on. We should begin educating ourselves about real history, real art, real literature – this, as opposed to the politically correct propaganda versions. Parents need to make sure their families are strong, and that they are teaching their children the importance of living in truth, not conforming to have an easy life.
Most of all, Dreher says we need to learn how to suffer.
For your marching orders in the culture war watch, listen, and share this episode.
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