Battle Royale

 

Every since reason was discovered and invented in about 585 B.C. -- that is, ever since strictly logical thought was successfully isolated from emotions, desires, drives, and instincts -- the world has been a battleground between the forces of rationality and irrationality. This means an intellectual, psychological, legal, military, and otherwise war between those who search for and obey reason and those who blithely ignore or brazenly reject it. This is the purest version of the eternal clash between good and evil.

This seminal reason vs. unreason philosophical conflict manifests itself culturally and societally in a battle between liberalism and illiberalism. This means -- roughly speaking -- the ideals of (1) rationality, (2) individualism, (3) liberty, (4) heroism, and (5) triumph vs. the ideals of (1) religion and nihilism, (2) altruism and collectivism, (3) fascism and socialism, (4) apathy and passivity, and (5) surrender and defeatism. This fundamental battle can also be described as the thought-system of up-wing individualist liberalism vs. that of right-wing religious reactionism and left-wing collectivist regressivism. This means: the magnificent ideology of progress and ascent vs. the dreadful ideology of a weak, sad, barbarous, status quo and another dreadful ideology of a weaker and sadder retreat into even worse barbarism.

Clearly the Holy Individual and his complimentary, supportive society need to be as rational and liberal as possible. This is the way to maximize personal greatness and happiness, plus social harmony and prosperity. Selfish pleasure, collective prosperity, cultural richness, and the victory of man demand rationality and liberalism.