JD left his Mirror in Munich
the moral memory hole and the rise of sadism
It seemed so auspicious. And it was so snugly aligned with the spirit of the West. VP Vance grabbed the opportunity of a speech at the security conference in Munich to remind his European audience of the values that define us. Unsurprisingly, his words have been welcomed in the US and among the unfree-of-reach in Europe, while the powers-that-still-be on the old continent have done their best to bounce back the ball in horror. The deflection most of them chose was not qualitatively different this time. True to Godwin’s Law - hardly surprising given the extent to which the web has become rather a substitute for, than an addition to real life - the ‘far-right’ was invoked, apparently the sole opponent the institutional Titanic of the EU can imagine having.
The fact that certain policy choices may have concrete adverse effects still is regarded as if it were an uppity child who with some scolding - not of JD, but of their own - can be disciplined into credence. The hope, of course, as it always is with the argument ad extremum, is that we lose sight of the very radical nature of the agenda the EU is implementing. And they do not hide it, either, but just claim their revolution is necessary to save the world. Now one can argue about the color they picked, assuming red would have been more fitting, or wonder what type of green ideology is effectively allowed to rule the streets. But this is a revolution that declares its opponents extreme, the incorrigible children have to be cordoned off, rendered mute, and kept powerless. The type of volkisch divide et impera that has come to the fore since the time of the ‘rona already showed us that totalitarianism perhaps is not primarily a matter of ideology, but of iron rules of unaccountable bureaucracy which pave the way for in-/outgroup hysteria. Who still needs common sense when there is ritual obedience, who still rejects sadism, when morals are inverted?
Most of us are far more comfortable pointing out the defects of the other. From that psychological perspective, it is hardly surprising that the crew of the European ship of state were hardly receptive to VP Vance’s message. And perhaps it should not amaze us either that within a week, JD himself is confirming that one of the harder things to do is to look at ourselves critically, and that the forgetfulness of values and the experimentation with moral inversion are characteristic of our culture as a whole.
Vance may remember the value of free speech and public debate. But where it regards secure borders, he has come to make an exception for massive crossings by Russian troops. And as far as democratic representation is concerned, some rules apply to Zelensky, but whatever they are, they do not apply for Putin.
Yes, JD: I agree that Europe should do far more for the defense of their own continent. And no: the US are not required - and should not be expected - to procure global safety, or to bankroll the whole thing. But in the international swamp of moral relativism, it has been our country to offer a beacon on a hill. Justice, the rejection of oppressive regimes, and the moral conviction to stand for what is right are some of the greatest values this country has to offer. To muddle up these hard-fought convictions not only does damage to our standing abroad, but can only eat away at the moral fiber of our own society as well. As polls show on relevant topics, 80% of Americans have no trouble telling who the psychopathic killers on the world stage are, whether of the Islamist or of the Muscovite kind. Maybe you should not forget to listen to the voice of the people, either, JD.
You are the second most powerful man of the most powerful nation on earth. You should not forget that strength is a moral quality which we need you to aspire to. Credible deterrence starts there. And not with taunting a country that has the bad luck of bordering a would-be empire, while aspiring to our values.