Eric Wilson - 2013
We have been conditioned both by nature and nurture to view and define things in a linear fashion. This causes people to not fully comprehend the connections between ideas and also to fall short in identifying the similarities between positions. We continue placing everything on a straight line – or continuum – polarizing one extreme from another. Blinded by the habit of categorizing and arranging ideas as we encounter them, most people never examine where the two ends of the spectrum truly lie. In many cases you end up with only two popular or accepted options: Right versus Left, Republican versus Democrat, Faith versus Reason, Ford versus Chevy.
We have been conditioned both by nature and nurture to view and define things in a linear fashion. This causes people to not fully comprehend the connections between ideas and also to fall short in identifying the similarities between positions. We continue placing everything on a straight line – or continuum – polarizing one extreme from another. Blinded by the habit of categorizing and arranging ideas as we encounter them, most people never examine where the two ends of the spectrum truly lie. In many cases you end up with only two popular or accepted options: Right versus Left, Republican versus Democrat, Faith versus Reason, Ford versus Chevy.
For social movements and liberty circles, this line of thinking manifests itself in the development of “relative deprivation.” People are motivated to act as a result of changes in their perception of those with whom they compare themselves – not by absolute changes in their conditions. Although relative deprivation has been used to explain the origin of a social movement, it may better define an element of a movement and the gap – whether real or perceived – between where the collective or individuals are and where they believe they should or are entitled to be. This usually includes a reinterpretation of history, a vision of the utopia that the success of the movement will achieve, and a projection of the disastrous consequences if it fails or the opposition succeeds.
A common misconception that many people operate under is judging a social movement’s success based on the progress made in meeting objectives and moving from one point to another. If people are truly moved by their relative perceptions of where they are or where they are going, then it stands to reason that prior movements actually influence subsequent movements. Social movement impacts clearly reach beyond the short-sighted and linear visions and goals they often have during their lifespan. To better appreciate this, we can look at a variety of social movements in the light of the eras in which they occurred. Remarkably, what we begin to discover is not only are social movements non-linear – but they may present a cycle of their own.
1730 – 1750: From Bondage to Spiritual Faith
Let us start with a movement which was spurred on by the likes of Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield who felt we had gone too far and needed to return to Biblical doctrine and needed to free our souls. On the other hand were the kings and sovereign powers that wished to increase their control on the colonists and many clergy that clung to traditionalist views. Society was divided into revivalists and traditionalists over change and the degree and speed of which that change should occur. Ultimately, it was the revivalist and this “Great Awakening” which played a key role in the development of democratic thought, as well as the belief in the free press and that information should be shared and completely unbiased and uncontrolled. These concepts ushered in the next period of great courage.
1760 -1780: From Spiritual Faith to Great Courage
We see the Sons of Liberty standing against great odds and opposition for a return of their freedoms and immediate reversal of the overreach of the King. On the other side was the other 96% of the population that was either complacent or believed strongly that diplomacy was a better solution. Many were working towards compromise and a new solution and thought we needed to go to something new with their motherland. But it was this 4% that changed a nation forever. During this time, of course, we had the Declaration of Independence, Revolutionary War, and the spark of liberty.
1780 – 1866: From Courage to Liberty
The era was ushered in with the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights and the ideals that all men are created equal. As much as liberty took hold, there were those that fought it in some regards – pushing for a limit to the advancement of freedoms and to go back to a status quo where they controlled rights. Fighting this and pushing us forward was the reform movement aimed to make gradual change, or change in certain aspects of society, rather than rapid or fundamental changes. Besides major strides in equality for woman and blacks, during this time of reform there were reformations in education, science, art, and thought – including the transcendent movement encouraging higher thinking. It is here that we took the 5000 year leap into prosperity.
1867 – 1962: From Liberty to Abundance
While this became an age of abundance and the Industrial Revolution, it also introduced new ideals and visions for America. There were many – possibly a majority – that held or desired traditional values and freedoms and continued to push back every time regulations or restrictions were applied to society. At this same time, there were the more progressives that felt that old-fashioned ways meant waste and inefficiency, and eagerly sought out the "one best system.” One main goal of the Progressive movement was purification of society and the belief that we could continue to build towards a utopia. This movement ushered in incremental but more radical changes in the same education, social sciences, policies, of the last era but also majorily impacted the ideas in family and religion.
1963 – 1974: From Abundance to Selfishness
Out of ideas of building utopian societies (Love), a progressive anti-war sentiment (Peace), and youths’ natural urge for rebellion and non-conformity from the abundance they had (“stick it to the man”) gave way to a subculture and new social movement. This was a self-focused movement encouraging “whatever, whenever, and wherever” self-indulging behaviors. Their ethos included harmony with nature, communal living, artistic expression, and the widespread use of recreational drugs. Their objectives were the ultimate in liberties, selffishness, and free will but were at the expense or sacrifice of morality and responsibility which lead to complacency.
1975 – 1990: From Selfishness to Complacency
With continual devaluation of faith and family and less motivational factors feeding or now restricting the abundance we once enjoyed, people began to become more complacent to the society in which they lived. While there was a “Reagan revolution” or movement and sentiment that desired to restore liberty, in this new era it was countered by a movement to equalize the abundance for all and “A Strategy to End Poverty.” Movements led by people the likes of Cloward and Piven and organizations such as National Welfare Rights Organization actively worked to increase the welfare state in an idea to progressively work towards a “fairer” nation.
1990 – 2007: From Complacency to Apathy
Two things occurred rather quickly as a result of the previous era. First, when society begins to portray abundance and dependencies outside of self-motivation, apathy will begin to set in. Next, the minimization of self-worth adds to the need for self-identity. On one side we can use the Promise Keepers as an example and movement of renewal of family and spiritual faith and to better understand who you should be. On the other side came many identity movements such as transgender and gay rights that wanted to change the current opinions of who they thought we should become.
2008 – Today: From Apathy to Dependence
We begin this new era with the swearing in of the first black President and a near-majority of the population on the government dole. It is this dependency and fear of the loss of the remaining liberties that gave rise to the Tea Party and like movements. This gets us somewhat back to where this article began. On one side they feel we have gone too far and need to get back more freedoms and less dependency while at the opposite end are they that feel we need to go further still or change to something new entirely.
From Dependence back into Bondage
Unfortunately, there is one era we did not yet look at historically or currently. History has shown over and over that the moment when a people become completely dependent is the moment when they are easily bonded into slaves. The movements that thrive or exist in this new era are smaller, decentralized, almost tribal groups outside of the systems that are perpetuating the bondage. Here, too, you will find competing spectrums of those that are willing to abandon the social issues and want system change only while others look forward to the next spiritual awakening and personal change.
So what does this mean for you?
The Scottish history professor Alexander Tytler (who has been credited by many for the Cycles of Democracy used here) taught that every 200-250 years society completes a full revolution of this cycle. This cycle has repeated itself over and over again without fail and without much variation. While thanks to liberty circles, virtuous social movements, and the original structure created by our Founding Fathers, we have had a slow turning of this wheel back to bondage – make no mistake – we are back.
It is difficult to look at what has occurred and is currently happening and conclude that we are not already full-fledged into dependency and tipping into bondage. Dr Brooks in one of his recent article points out three obvious trends we should look at to help demonstrate where we are:
■the direction and probable fate of the U.S. dollar/economy
■the direction of American culture
■the irreversible direction the U.S. national debt
This will clearly become more and more obvious as time progresses. It will take an honest assessment of individuals and ultimately coming to grips with where we are. It will be scary and there is little way to determine how long we may be in this new era. Learning from history, though, we do know how to get through it and the only way out.
- It is self-education which entails liberal arts (#liberalarts) and critical thinking(#criticalthinking). It is building the tools and societal structure that will be needed – not to repair – but to reconstitute liberty in our nation.
- It is unplugging from the status quo. It can mean becoming more self-reliant and severing the ties of dependency and bondage (#doomsdelay). It is people creating their own "Liberty Circles"(#libertycircles) or small movements outside systems that created dependencies and bondage. This may be home-school communities, like-minded social groups, or small independent business or service providers.
- It is grounding yourself and your family at the intersection of faith (#faith)and reason(#reason)and personal responsibility (#leadership) to possibly become a New American Founder (#newfounders).This also means strengthening communities and families by working hard within each. Embodying this requires self-sacrifice and being prepared to help others in your neighborhood. Creating a community that stands on its own and takes care of its own. During times of struggle, family and community become the nucleus for support and welfare.
Finally and most importantly, it is the great awakening which played a key role in the development of democratic thought and freed us from bondage. We are desperately in need of the next great awakening. For us as individuals, it is becoming a person of faith. As a society, it is return to Biblical doctrine needed to free our souls and become a people of high humility, high integrity, high literacy, and devotion to God.
