Philosophy Now Forum

Categories and Little Boxes
There is a tendency to put everything into discrete boxes when, in reality, there is an overlap of even melding of all the assumed categories.
Thus, we have a view of ‘law and order’ or politics, social-norms, culture, and ethics, as being separate. Especially as between the public and private, or politics and personal.
As may already have been said, but is worth repeating.
A society or body of people in a real or notional state of chaos, is raised to the level of civilized order by what will almost certainly be centralised authority based law. A divine basis lends weight to this.
At this point considerations of social-norms and ethics, naturally arise. And if the central authority assumes this function, then what in ethical terms is an authoritarian society is created.
But if that ‘authority’ allows or promotes norms and ethics that relate to group, or individual relationships, for their own sake, then that authority is diluted or dispersed.
Where the individual is seen as of value in himself, and not simply as a cog in the body-politic, then what is described as personal freedom and equality, becomes a definition of society, as contrasting with authority and mere law and order. But the nature of that society must be defined. For it can presumably serve only two functions, individuals aloof from each other, or individuals and communities in a positive relationship with each other and the whole.
This society and ethics in the whole, forms itself into a three-sided pyramid. Chaos at one apex. And opposed to that three forms of stable society, set apart from each other by elementary values relating to the individual and groups, such as freedom, duty, anomie.
The manifest problem with present day politics-ethics is that it is one-dimensional, in ways that are in fact contradictory. Nor has it yet decided what kind of society we have or assume. An EU, or the world, is not a universal love-in, and treating it as one society of individuals will almost certainly have a disastrous authoritarian outcome.

i don't see any progress in society as far as value of individuals, freedom, or equality.

all i see is a rearranging of things.

i see that globalization has led to some countries becoming essentially middleclass while lower class work is outsourced to poor countries. in other words, authoritarianism has not changed, it's just enveloped the entire world, expanding its rungs the world over, rather than within nations.

in feudal times, people at higher rungs had the same 'freedom', 'individual value', etc. people at those same rungs do today, the rungs have just expanded to include more people - in line with population expansion and global development - and over a vaster expanse of territory. in this sense, centralization is even greater - for it is now on a global level.

and what is freedom? what is value of the individual? what is equality? if you are allocated these values to serve your role in this globalized system than do you possess any of them, or are you still a cog in the body-politic? if a man's pay is cut to equal a woman's is that a gain in equality for all or just the top rung? if you have the freedom to choose your career in a competitive, hectic, market economy where you're always on your toes to stay employed is that choice? if my individual value is investment by my employers/family is that individual value in itself or just promoting a chess piece?

and what of authoritarian culture within specializations? it's even glamourized on tv, hell's kitchen and all that sh*t

But if that ‘authority’ allows or promotes norms and ethics that relate to group, or individual relationships, for their own sake, then that authority is diluted or dispersed.

no it's just specialized. in fact, it's infected my private life, my relationships, and ultimately my mental health. before, because it was 'centralized', it operated from a distance, and perhaps only concerned limited roles in my life, now i'm wrought by paranoia as this authority intrudes in all aspects of life. whom can you trust for genuine relationships these days? who does not have an agenda? every aspect of life is fair game and preyed upon due to decentralization, that is how this new authority is meted out.

at least with centralization you can see it. you know who the bad guys are, so to speak. now the authority is your family, in all aspects of your socialization, in your entertainment, your facebook, so pervasive it is nearly invisible, and you can only detect its existence through the pernicious effect it has on your psyche.

unless freedom, individual value, and equality bear clear connection to personal happiness; and unless these things are accessible to a greater proportion, not just a greater number, of people, then no society has progressed.