“culture of impotence” — “And they adored the dragon which gave power to the beast. And they adored the beast, saying: Who is like to the beast? And who shall be able to fight with him? (Ap 13:4)
Great post, thanks. Lots of typical French fluff which is to be accepted. There is no mention of narcotics by HH. Surely he can see the link between a collapsing western culture and the rampant abuse of stimulants by all levels in our society.
Yes, western culture is collapsing, the leviathan is growing stronger. Why? Because the west is off its face on coke, ecstasy, alcohol, and anything else it fancies. Restoring realism to the west is only possible by eliminating drug use from our society. Hard to do but not impossible.
Leviathan irrelevant. Import third world become third world and that's what's happening to West. Is there any law in major US cities these days? Law of the jungle perhaps? Doesnt seem like it from videos I see and will just get worse.. You'll wish for a leviathan when its Halloween every day for real as complex societies can't survive low IQ crisis and food, power and other necessities for modern life become rare, but it's members will be unable to make one just like they can't make trains run on time
And it's laughable the West will maintain technological superiority to China or Russia. It's already lost the arms race and in 10-20 years it's aging nukes will be useless to ABM so we can finally stop worrying about Wests suicidal tendencies. and blowing up the world
‘... If we want to avoid the Leviathan, preserving the pluralism of states is necessary, because it is the only way to ensure the division of powers.’ Just as in America pluralism, or separation of powers, is what is being demolished by the deep state - e.g. the executive in the hands of an airhead takes the executive out of the equation (and conversely, in the hands of a strong personality, strengthens it, weakening America’s Leviathan).
‘For the Leviathan to exist and last, it needs a caste of hard, rational, ruthless, cruel, immoral men ….’ and a couple of hillarys.
Thanks, Mark, for the great post and transcription of a great interview with Hude. Thank you also Cassander.
I had not heard of Hude before but my impression from reading this is that he has an uncommon perspective and an uncommon wisdom. I can't find anything he says here with which to disagree (not that I am the ultimate arbiter of what is true or wise). The most disturbing point relayed (IMO) is that in our post-modernist, nihilistic society of the West there may not be enough of a religious and moral foundation left to be able to "turn things around."
Hude says: "The major weakness of the West today is the loss of strong reason and the sense of truth, if that truth is objective, universal, demonstrative and binding." IMO, this loss is being actively encouraged by the leaders of the West and the social class that supports them. Moreover it is not just a loss of reason and truth. It is a also a loss of purpose that together with the above is wholly rooted in a loss of belief in God. They want us to worship the State, not God.
Hude also says: "Postmodern thinking has swept all that away. Neither God, nor Nature, nor Reason, nor Being. The individual replaces everything, and facts are only what he wants them to be." What he describes is nothing less than idolatry (depravity) and those who practice this are doomed spiritually and physically absent the recognition of their sinfulness and a repentant recognition of God's omnipotence and mercy.
How a social "turn around" might occur and when is beyond me but it is not beyond God. Those of us who believe in Him will not lose hope in Him over these social or worldly problems. We know that He will see to it that His Will will be done both on earth and in Heaven.
As so often, MW opens the door to thinkers and writers we’ve never before encountered, and thank you Cassander for your own deep dives! Imagine, someone who has survived the long and grueling demands of the “aggrégation,” followed by a wealth of teaching (the very prestigious Collège - and Lycée - Stanislas in Paris) and international exchanges - Venice, Canada, Annapolis - All this humanism, in the country that raised Deconstruction to an art form, sending traditional education and values (ie meaning!) to the dust-bin. Thank you Mark again!
Very powerful. You did a great job with the annotation. I found it to be exceptionallly clear. This makes more sense than anything that I have read in a long time. Thanks!
I'd prefer that readers use the search function if they need reminding. I've read various accounts of this whistleblower's claims, but all have been speculative and lack the specificity needed to provide a basis for evaluating those claims. CTH has argued for their reading of these claims, but I'd prefer to wait for specific information.
The following passage from the linked article captures my previously expressed views on just how serious it is for the FBI--or any organization that has the power to compel testimony or use legal process to gather information of any sort--to undertake investigations without predication. I believe Swecker is correct in believing that no FBI Director would undertake such an illegal investigation without be assured that his back would be covered--by the AG and the POTUS. Certainly as canny an operator as Comey would not do this on his own. I would add that IF these claims are true, then--beyond being a violation of rules governing DoJ and the FBI--the actions of both fly in the face of the basic notion of the rule of law and of due process. Also, that no POTUS has the authority to request or demand such an illegal investigation:
Former FBI Assistant Director Chris Swecker said the report, if true, is a “booming, egregious violation” of the rules governing the attorney general and the FBI.
“It’s an unpredicated infiltration of a presidential campaign which is sensitive,” he told The Times. “It’s sensitive to the point where it would have to have been approved by the [attorney general] and … would have to be predicated. And in this case, I’m not hearing any predication. It would have to be on the books anyway, regardless.”
Fascinating.
“culture of impotence” — “And they adored the dragon which gave power to the beast. And they adored the beast, saying: Who is like to the beast? And who shall be able to fight with him? (Ap 13:4)
Great post, thanks. Lots of typical French fluff which is to be accepted. There is no mention of narcotics by HH. Surely he can see the link between a collapsing western culture and the rampant abuse of stimulants by all levels in our society.
Yes, western culture is collapsing, the leviathan is growing stronger. Why? Because the west is off its face on coke, ecstasy, alcohol, and anything else it fancies. Restoring realism to the west is only possible by eliminating drug use from our society. Hard to do but not impossible.
“Religions will be tolerated if they manufacture impotence.”
Like rainbow flags.
Hobbes was a profoundly antihuman atheist. The totalitarian ideology of the anthill.
Leviathan irrelevant. Import third world become third world and that's what's happening to West. Is there any law in major US cities these days? Law of the jungle perhaps? Doesnt seem like it from videos I see and will just get worse.. You'll wish for a leviathan when its Halloween every day for real as complex societies can't survive low IQ crisis and food, power and other necessities for modern life become rare, but it's members will be unable to make one just like they can't make trains run on time
And it's laughable the West will maintain technological superiority to China or Russia. It's already lost the arms race and in 10-20 years it's aging nukes will be useless to ABM so we can finally stop worrying about Wests suicidal tendencies. and blowing up the world
This conversation between Richard Wolff and Michael Hudson w/ Dima today vibes w/ what Hude is grappling with. H/t @Karloff1
https://www.youtube.com/live/FW0fFJJSsW8?si=oGS5cgHzdIdsWoI_
Oops H/t @Karlof1
‘... If we want to avoid the Leviathan, preserving the pluralism of states is necessary, because it is the only way to ensure the division of powers.’ Just as in America pluralism, or separation of powers, is what is being demolished by the deep state - e.g. the executive in the hands of an airhead takes the executive out of the equation (and conversely, in the hands of a strong personality, strengthens it, weakening America’s Leviathan).
‘For the Leviathan to exist and last, it needs a caste of hard, rational, ruthless, cruel, immoral men ….’ and a couple of hillarys.
Thanks, Mark, for the great post and transcription of a great interview with Hude. Thank you also Cassander.
I had not heard of Hude before but my impression from reading this is that he has an uncommon perspective and an uncommon wisdom. I can't find anything he says here with which to disagree (not that I am the ultimate arbiter of what is true or wise). The most disturbing point relayed (IMO) is that in our post-modernist, nihilistic society of the West there may not be enough of a religious and moral foundation left to be able to "turn things around."
Hude says: "The major weakness of the West today is the loss of strong reason and the sense of truth, if that truth is objective, universal, demonstrative and binding." IMO, this loss is being actively encouraged by the leaders of the West and the social class that supports them. Moreover it is not just a loss of reason and truth. It is a also a loss of purpose that together with the above is wholly rooted in a loss of belief in God. They want us to worship the State, not God.
Hude also says: "Postmodern thinking has swept all that away. Neither God, nor Nature, nor Reason, nor Being. The individual replaces everything, and facts are only what he wants them to be." What he describes is nothing less than idolatry (depravity) and those who practice this are doomed spiritually and physically absent the recognition of their sinfulness and a repentant recognition of God's omnipotence and mercy.
How a social "turn around" might occur and when is beyond me but it is not beyond God. Those of us who believe in Him will not lose hope in Him over these social or worldly problems. We know that He will see to it that His Will will be done both on earth and in Heaven.
As so often, MW opens the door to thinkers and writers we’ve never before encountered, and thank you Cassander for your own deep dives! Imagine, someone who has survived the long and grueling demands of the “aggrégation,” followed by a wealth of teaching (the very prestigious Collège - and Lycée - Stanislas in Paris) and international exchanges - Venice, Canada, Annapolis - All this humanism, in the country that raised Deconstruction to an art form, sending traditional education and values (ie meaning!) to the dust-bin. Thank you Mark again!
Thanks, ML!
For those interested, Hude’s blog:
https://henrihude.over-blog.com/
Very thought provoking. Thank you.
Very powerful. You did a great job with the annotation. I found it to be exceptionallly clear. This makes more sense than anything that I have read in a long time. Thanks!
I'd prefer that readers use the search function if they need reminding. I've read various accounts of this whistleblower's claims, but all have been speculative and lack the specificity needed to provide a basis for evaluating those claims. CTH has argued for their reading of these claims, but I'd prefer to wait for specific information.
The following passage from the linked article captures my previously expressed views on just how serious it is for the FBI--or any organization that has the power to compel testimony or use legal process to gather information of any sort--to undertake investigations without predication. I believe Swecker is correct in believing that no FBI Director would undertake such an illegal investigation without be assured that his back would be covered--by the AG and the POTUS. Certainly as canny an operator as Comey would not do this on his own. I would add that IF these claims are true, then--beyond being a violation of rules governing DoJ and the FBI--the actions of both fly in the face of the basic notion of the rule of law and of due process. Also, that no POTUS has the authority to request or demand such an illegal investigation:
Former FBI Assistant Director Chris Swecker said the report, if true, is a “booming, egregious violation” of the rules governing the attorney general and the FBI.
“It’s an unpredicated infiltration of a presidential campaign which is sensitive,” he told The Times. “It’s sensitive to the point where it would have to have been approved by the [attorney general] and … would have to be predicated. And in this case, I’m not hearing any predication. It would have to be on the books anyway, regardless.”