Most of the time the articles I take note of and point out to you are recent ones—editorials, op-eds, etc.—but this time I want to commend to your attention a piece written more than 55 years ago by John Courtney Murray, S. J., “The Return to Tribalism”. In it Fr. Murray analyzes two “dangers” facing American society at the time:
Is there some danger that a false, fallacious or fictitious unity might be foisted on the American people? I think there is! I think there are two dangers and both of them are clear and both of them are present.
One of them is historical; it is the product of the contemporary historical moment of world crisis. The other is more inherent, a derivative from the very nature of political society itself.
Here’s another snippet:
What is civil unity in itself, and in its relation to religious pluralism in society? And secondly, how is it to be achieved?
Well, if this be the question, the outlines of the answer are not unclear. They are to be found quite readily in what we like to call the “liberal tradition of the West,” the tradition that has dictated the norms for the creation of civil unity, the unity of a people. And it was said long ago by the Stoics, and even before them, that civil unity is based upon two things, first upon a constitutional consensus, and secondly, upon a community of interests. If you want the Latin, first, consensus juris, and secondly, utilitatis communio.
Civil unity, therefore, is established by two things. First of all, by the rule of law, the rule of common law, and secondly, by the rule of law that serves as a framework for the orderly pursuit of a common good. And when you speak of civil unity, the enemy to it is not the stranger nor the religious heretic; the enemy of civil unity is the outlaw, whether he exists in the criminal underground or in the areas of criminality that today are appearing overground—some great corporations, for instance. Or whether he exists in the international scene, like the Communist, who is, by definition, the outlaw—one who stands beyond the bounds, the horizons of civilized community a
Perhaps you will see the resonance between the challenges Fr. Murray cautions against and our present situation. Perhaps not. Murray couldn’t see the rise of the weird combination of consumerism, individualism, technologically-enabled self-isolation, and the urge to power we see now. As Mencken noted, “The urge to save humanity is almost always only a false-face for the urge to rule it”.
As it turned out, the real dangers to America had nothing to do with communist infiltration. After the Rosenbergs and Hiss, and anyone else who was sucked into the Soviet Union’s orbit in the 30s, there was no infiltration, no subversion. The actual problems were American policies against the Third World and it’s own inability to deal with race, sex, and class. Was Robert McNamara a Soviet spy? Was white flight a KGB plot? Did Brezhnev make America destabilize Central America through decades of being on the wrong side? Of course not. America was on the right side in the Cold War, but as he notes, it wasn’t enough to be simply anti-communist.
But it was enough to maintain power. And that’s what we have now with Trump–pure dumb power for no sake other than winning. But you need to have an enemy, even though there is none. Which is why a minority wants to believe in America being subverted. Our borders, communities, gender norms–it’s all good, but as believable as Trump.
To me, it’s obvious that Trump is simply degrading his supporters, who then take out their degradation by blaming everybody else for their situation. That’s why the constant one-sided talk of civil war or whatever exists only in the heads of Trump supporters. It has nothing to do with daily life.
Modulo myself, please save us from our own ignorant thoughts and lives, we need you, start a church or something.
Until tonight I didn’t know it was Trumpzini all along…….
Lol–I’m telling you that tribal conflict and the terrifying outlaw living beyond the boundaries of law are nonsense, and you’re like I’m saying there’s no God, good is a myth, and all is for naught. This sophisticated city slicker has taken away all that I’ve held dear with his daily life is not so bad after all propaganda.
And poor Guarneri, you’ve given up on trying to make sense to yourself. Let alone others.
Remember comrades: the real Illuminati/Deep State conspiracy was that there’s no conspiracy at all. Ponder this riddle if you dare and gain access to the finest Trump steaks and Ivanka jewelry…
There are some anachronisms, but the theme is enduring:
I think I liked this part the most, however:
No, MM, I’ve given up on trying to make sense out of things you say, and other OTB dwellers. It’s a fools errand.