Does it seem like half the world is upside-down ideologically? We operate in alternative realities more and more as digital echo-chambers take a larger role in defining what reality is for us. I have a deep love for all of humanity and the progress we have been able to make up to this point in time. I would hate to see polarization and irreconcilable differences lead up to an apocalyptic end to the beautiful phenomenon of our modern society. My fear is that our capacity for destruction has grown faster than the progression of our collective moral code. Our capacity for information flow has grown faster than our ability to process it. Our capacity for new ideas has grown faster than our ability to solidify our culture around core ideas. Our way of life has changed more rapidly than our evolutionary adaptability is able to manage. It seems likely that, absent great caution, immense disaster will strike our world once again. I would hate to see the humanity that I love suffer through ineffable horror. I would rather prophecies of old not become self-fulfilling prophecies.
Unfortunately, I have found it to be the case that religious mentalities often take a fatalist approach to this issue. Since God has already prophesied of the inexorable destruction, we then must just frigidly accept the inevitability of apocalyptic suffering. I believe in the power of humanity to change the fate of the world. I don't accept the idea that we must surrender to it.
Yet, non-religious mentalities don't seem to have the solution either. Rather than taking a fatalist approach, I've seen the portents of an ever-growing undercurrent of neo-Marxism developing an opportunist approach that doesn't seem to want to avoid the apocalyptic suffering, but rather create it as an unavoidable byproduct of their seemingly naive attempt to destroy a supposedly evil system and build a better one. I believe that our system is redeemable without violence. I don't accept the idea that we must utilize an extreme version of "ends justifies the means" utilitarianism to make the world a better place.
My hope is that everything will calm down and the angels of our better natures will continue to guide us through the election and into the future. Yet, the data seems to show that we are more polarized than we have ever been in recent history, post-civil war. Even more frighteningly, I don't see any mechanism in our society for reducing the continual drive for more polarization. There seems to be positive feedback loops in both the "mainstream" media and the "alternative" media for continuous polarizing hype. Hence, I have been deeply pondering about what the solution might be to this pattern of accumulating tension.
My nascent conclusion is that better philosophy and epistemology is our best path forward. Philosophy can help us reevaluate first principles, determine what is the proper hierarchy of moral values, learn how to assess ideologies within a moral framework, and perhaps merge ideologies into a more balanced view of the world. Epistemology can help us navigate the tidal waves of digital information and give us better standards for what we accept as truth as opposed to conspiracy. By employing better epistemology, we can come closer to having a common world view and living in the same reality together. With better epistemology, people will be questioning the basis for their tribal emotions more often and perhaps mollify themselves to the point where empathy and compromise become possible again. Even if you take a pessimistic approach and view our attempt to avoid apocalyptic suffering as futile, I still think that kindling a passion for philosophy and epistemology can help reduce the amount of suffering that humanity will go through during that eventuality.
Interestingly enough, my search for wisdom accidentally landed me on a verse in the Bible that appears to agree with my conclusion.
Isaiah 33:6 "And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times."
Philosophy, being the love of wisdom, and epistemology, being the study of how we obtain knowledge properly, seem to fit right into the Biblical solution for maintaining a stable society.
I dream of a world where humanity, rather than being hatefully divided by many ideologies, is united in one maximally good meta-ideology founded on love. I hope that well-meaning individuals everywhere will have an awakening as to the need for transcending our biases in the pursuit of unity and cooperation. I hope for the continued stability of our times.