Radicalism

 

On Page 17 of his book, The Passionate State of Mind, Eric Hoffer has two entries which I will quote and then comment on.

 

Hoffer (H after this): “             21

 

There is radicalism in all getting, and conservatism in all keeping. Lovemaking is radical, while marriage is conservative. So, too, get-rich-quick capitalism is radical, while a capitalism intent solely on keeping what it already has is conservative. Radicalism itself ceases to be radical when absorbed mainly in preserving its control over a society or an economy.”

 

My response: It seems that the healthiest social/political/cultural/economic dispensation, a free market constitutional republic, whose individuating supercitizens would include and introduce constant change elements to keep the system from stagnating, but be conservative enough to insist that the gentle, steady, and unending evolving would unfold within the existing dispensation.

 

This admixture of racialism and conservativism elements would ensure a thriving, long-running dispensation under which most of the citizens could lead rich lives of contentment, prosperity, liberty, peace, law and order and happiness.

 

H: “         22

 

‘MORE!’ is as effective a revolutionary slogan as was ever invented by the doctrinaires of discontent. The American, who cannot learn to want what he has, is a permanent revolutionary. He glories in change, has faith in that which he has not yet, and is ready to give his life for it.”

 

My response: I must interpret this entry a bit. The more that doctrinaire radicals of discontent want is to grow their power of powerlessness, of centralized, absolute power, held and wielded coercively and bloodily by its true believing, to grow their holy cause and mass movement, until the old order is overturned, and a totalitarian state is set up over every person in the land, and controlling ever minute detail of their personal lives and situation. That more starts out revolutionary, but really ends up promoting a total police state. The people gain nothing from this bloody mess and process.

 

The more desired by Americans, living off the fat of the land, wealth that they produced through hard work and applied ingenuity, is a materialistic more with growing wealth for everyone, but especially oneself.

 

If these Americans could hear about individuating supercitizenship in this generation, they would be the real revolutionaries as they sought ever after more materially, intellectually, morally and culturally. That more is far preferable.