I often read things that get me thinking about my own life and how it has panned out.

A little over a month ago, Dr. Bruce Charlton wrote on The benefits of creeping totalitarianism (in My life). I found much of his thoughts mirroring my own. Except he is so much better at expressing these things than I am.

What really stuck out to me was this bit:

What I will do here is simply to explain ways in which the creeping totalitarianism of the modern West has had a positive and educational role in my own life. This can be summarised briefly: the fact that totalitarianism has been increasing throughout my life has prevented me from living-out a worldly life; has prevented me from living a life dedicated to mortal life.

In different words; the ratchet of totalitarianism disrupted every accommodation and adjustment I made with The World, continually preventing me ‘settling’ into contentment; and thereby it pointed me in the direction of realising that my life was ultimately not ‘about’ my happiness in this world.

My consciousness goes through stages of awakening. This is usually due to incidents or changing circumstances. Often I have thought the solutions to these problems could be solved by political means. Now I am sure there are no political solutions. And no, I don’t think there are revolutionary solutions either.

Oh, how I wish this were not the case.

In my own external circumstances (not including my immediate family), things just appear to be getting shittier. And this shittiness seems to be emanating from the System. The anarchist bit of me would think, hey, let’s just eliminate the System or reduce the System to something more manageable.

I’ve come to the conclusion that this is not going to happen. And the shittiness is built into it, designed by its architects and perpetuated by its civil servants with love for the shittiness.

I’ve been reading Dr. Charlton’s blog for about a year or so now, and he has contributed to the intellectual framework from which I am now beginning to perceive the world. The ideas of Ahrimanic and Luciferic evil (as borrowed from Rudolf Steiner) are good ways of viewing the shittiness perpetuated by the system and by individuals.

My current conclusions are the following:

1. This System is not going to last forever…It will collapse through its own materialistic self-contradictions and lack of spirituality.
2. Most problems within the System appear to be political but they are really spiritual: The System wants my (and your) willing participation. It wants our minds as willing believers. It wants us to say that 2+2=5.
3. Successful resistance lies in not letting it take my (and your) mind. We can never vanquish it in direct political or martial confrontation, although when the time comes, we may be called upon to stand up to tell the system that 2+2=4.

Am I recommending withdrawing from the world? No. That would be nice, but the System always finds a way to insinuate itself with its ‘creeping totalitarianism’. I’ve felt that ratcheting in my own material working world.

I have tried on many different ideologies and belief systems. I keep coming back to Christianity, as it is the only one that seems to have an explanation for what is going on. And by the way the System attacks Christianity but subsidises other religions such as Islam and Judaism, I’m pretty sure that’s where proper resistance to the System resides.

In the meantime, though, what does one do about that ratcheting of ‘creeping totalitarianism’?

For now, I just accept that it is happening and keep my spirit from growing despondent or becoming to inured to material comforts.

And I shall not be afraid to state that 2+2=4 whenever I can.