Warning! This series of essays is a scathing indictment of so many institutions, traditions, customs, and habits held dear by the vast majority of humans.

Scathing, I promise.

Committed to the idea that responsible freedom is the only ethical and sustainable basis for human flourishing, these meditations are a full-frontal assault on all that stands in the way of that goal.

These writings are, at once, an indictment of the preachers, politicians, and other snake oil salesmen who profit from the status quo… as well as a call to arms by those held hostage by the stifling grip of ignorance, obedience, conformity, and tribalism in all forms.

These writings are bound to irritate liberals and conservatives alike. At least I hope so. Nothing, in my view, would be a more reliable indicator of truth… knowing that the truth is never found by choosing sides… knowing that our problems will not be solved, because they cannot be solved by, picking the “right” religion or the “right” political ideology.

It will become clear from these writings that nothing would please me more than to put all the bureaucrats and patriarchs out of business. We the people do not need them anymore. We no longer need them to organize us. We no longer need them to tell us right from wrong.

To be clear, I am not espousing anarchy, the banning of religion, or the overthrow of governments. Coercion and violence, while expedient, are ultimately neither ethical nor enduring. While I hope to socialize the ethic of responsible freedom goal by persuasion and living example, I recognize that violence may be necessary to reign in the bad actors. I also recognize that we the people still have a lot of growing up to do… and we may need to keep the powers that be around until we are mature enough and brave enough for freedom.

Finally, I hope these writings blossom into more than a monologue. I hope that they reach others of like mind and heart… those who recognize the virtues of both individual freedom and collective effort…. those who sincerely wish to do more than complain and lament the sad state of affairs we dare to call “civilization”.

Next Meditation: Fear of Authority

Civilization Humanism bureaucracy conformity ignorance obedience patriarchy patriotism Politics Religion Social Commentary