A Matter of Time: How Time Preferences Make or Break Civilization by Orwell Goode

Author:Orwell Goode [Goode, Orwell]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3, mobi
Tags: Political, non-fiction
Publisher: Orwell & Goode
Published: 2019-06-01T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 7

THE DEATH OF HEROISM

Older societies would pass down—albeit in many cases, implausible—myths and stories of their heroes who mustered superhuman strength, energy, and will to accomplish amazing things. As many myths have been debunked as unrealistic, the baby has been throw out with the bath water killing off the memory of the hero. Heroes may have died, but the need for a hero, even in our modern rational society, still exists. This hero, however, is not of a similar transcendental nature. Heroes such as great military leaders, writers, artists, statesmen, etc, have been denigrated by the prevailing anti-Western sentiment amplified by the Narrative Complex. The reality the Narrative Complex paints is one where former heroes aren’t worth celebrating, demoralizing the individual to the point where they loathe their history; and consequently, themselves. Old heroes are simply being replaced with new ones. Today, a hero MUST have the establishment-approved politics, otherwise they are tossed aside. The hero today must excel in a spiritually unimportant field such as sport, popular music, or cinema. These heroes often lead hedonistic and self-destructive lifestyle. Millions wish to purchase their fashion, products, and lead similar lifestyles. Actors and sportsmen are revered, as long as they don’t have the wrong politics, even if they’re abusive to their spouses, consume illicit drugs, commit adultery, and lead a flashy and unsustainable lifestyle. The media and entertainment industry lionizes those who toe the party line despite their sordid actions. Those who live more wholesomely are mocked and blackballed. The modern hero lives a life of high time preferences. These are the people who are to be emulated. But, is there any public figure, by older standards, who’d have a statue made after their lives?

Before the 20th century, heroes often resembled something that would be despised by modern standards: disciplined, driven, unrelenting, responsible, and willing to put a cause greater than oneself as a higher goal. Somebody who could stand above their peers is often shot down in an egalitarian fury. In a more commodified world, business and wealth has become a yardstick for social achievement. Nationalism is a dirty word. Former heroic statesmen would be considered backwards by an application of today’s lowly standards. Heroism is at odds with social egalitarianism. However, the men and women who are looked up to lead vapid and empty lives. The Narrative Complex promotes these individuals to create a more materialistic society—one that is geared towards consumption. Rap music, in particular, is elevated and recognized as being “cool”. Many rap lyrics are centered around promiscuity, the aimless accumulation of resources, violence, drugs, and getting one’s drink on. These lyrics celebrate a lifestyle based around succumbing to one’s whims. Many pop songs, although not implicitly promoted as cool, convey a similar yet dampened message.

For many, it’s a case of monkey see, monkey do: if the Narrative Complex’ figureheads are devolving into a more primitive state, one that has lost control of its impulses, lives for the moment: how will most decide to live their lives? It simply isn’t trendy to have low time preferences.

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