This seems to go too far in the direction of functionalism vs. intentionalism. Yes, there is a social order, and perhaps the Germans more than many others do seem en masse to prefer to rely upon the state and its many instruments to form and enforce their opinions so they can maintain moral superiority and assuage historical guilt.
But the elites and rulers of Western democracies are not mere reflections of the community or society, but rather an independent body with their own aims, incentives and the ability to put their thumbs on the scale to tilt society using its tools and lucre to maintain influence and win friends. And any study of Germany cannot ignore the relentless propagandizing of the population under the Marshall plan and beyond. One can in fact break the spirit of a people (see Soviet Russia for a well-known, uncontroversial example).
Power elite analysis cannot be ignored in analyzing social and political phenomena. Especially where rulers have somehow led the ruled to adopt such absurd positions as transgenderism, or the evil of "Putler", or that Russia is both somehow inept and weak but also indomitable and about to run through Europe, or the limitless superiority of the "post-War order." Introspection is not a strength of Modernist mythologies.
One cannot ignore the current elites in Germany panicking to maintain hegemony. Limiting this to a mere misunderstanding, or innocent, non-malign prioritization of a "Western democratic order" strikes me as quite naive. Sin is real, and at odds with our deeper nature. To observe facts and behaviors on the ground, and assume that panicky, hyperbolic elites aren't at least somewhat concerned with their power, their loss of privilege, their loss of prestige, or even worse, the crimes that may be exposed by their adversaries should they take power, is just not a tenable position and throws common sense out of the window.
Lastly, Catholics understand that freedom is and must be exercised, and is only fully enjoyed, within the boundaries of good order. But that order is holiness and the seven virtues, and at it's highest, the Law of Christ.
It sure as hell isn't modernist pseduo-democracies and their endless penchant for platforming the most disgusting of high-low alliances with perverts and trespassing barbaric peoples (h/t to Bertrand de Jouvenel) to weaponize moral superiority. On some level, sure, many of the facilitators and instruments believe their own nonsense (smell their own farts as it were), but there is also a self-recognition that the rules apply less to them, for they are better, and we are not.
There is no doubt that there was an intentional effort post WWII to isolate individuals across the west by dissolving all community associations, from family to religion, and reorienting peoples focusing their attentions on media, sports, and entertainment.
After hollowing people out of spiritual lives and significant social exchange, the elite could then replace lost values with new ones, easily and convincing many of their new invented and self-serving moralities.
Folk from healthy communities would never succumb to ridiculous stories such as the various iterations of climate change allegations, CO2 emergency (an element needed for life), endless civil rights causes, invasions of countries by millions of strangers as compassionate (where is the compassion for native citizens?), or pandemic threats. They are meant to herd whole populations into desired behaviors and managed via manipulated abusive claims of fear and existentialism, justifying ever tighter "stakeholder" corporate/military/government management.
Societal breakdown has been intentional, and people need to be aware of how the top does see the majority as sheep. The west needs to be re-evangelized so that it is not prone to stupid moralistic and emotive propaganda, which only aims to abuse, not to respect the dignity of peoples as made in the image of God, He who is love.
This seems to go too far in the direction of functionalism vs. intentionalism. Yes, there is a social order, and perhaps the Germans more than many others do seem en masse to prefer to rely upon the state and its many instruments to form and enforce their opinions so they can maintain moral superiority and assuage historical guilt.
But the elites and rulers of Western democracies are not mere reflections of the community or society, but rather an independent body with their own aims, incentives and the ability to put their thumbs on the scale to tilt society using its tools and lucre to maintain influence and win friends. And any study of Germany cannot ignore the relentless propagandizing of the population under the Marshall plan and beyond. One can in fact break the spirit of a people (see Soviet Russia for a well-known, uncontroversial example).
Power elite analysis cannot be ignored in analyzing social and political phenomena. Especially where rulers have somehow led the ruled to adopt such absurd positions as transgenderism, or the evil of "Putler", or that Russia is both somehow inept and weak but also indomitable and about to run through Europe, or the limitless superiority of the "post-War order." Introspection is not a strength of Modernist mythologies.
One cannot ignore the current elites in Germany panicking to maintain hegemony. Limiting this to a mere misunderstanding, or innocent, non-malign prioritization of a "Western democratic order" strikes me as quite naive. Sin is real, and at odds with our deeper nature. To observe facts and behaviors on the ground, and assume that panicky, hyperbolic elites aren't at least somewhat concerned with their power, their loss of privilege, their loss of prestige, or even worse, the crimes that may be exposed by their adversaries should they take power, is just not a tenable position and throws common sense out of the window.
Lastly, Catholics understand that freedom is and must be exercised, and is only fully enjoyed, within the boundaries of good order. But that order is holiness and the seven virtues, and at it's highest, the Law of Christ.
It sure as hell isn't modernist pseduo-democracies and their endless penchant for platforming the most disgusting of high-low alliances with perverts and trespassing barbaric peoples (h/t to Bertrand de Jouvenel) to weaponize moral superiority. On some level, sure, many of the facilitators and instruments believe their own nonsense (smell their own farts as it were), but there is also a self-recognition that the rules apply less to them, for they are better, and we are not.
There is no doubt that there was an intentional effort post WWII to isolate individuals across the west by dissolving all community associations, from family to religion, and reorienting peoples focusing their attentions on media, sports, and entertainment.
After hollowing people out of spiritual lives and significant social exchange, the elite could then replace lost values with new ones, easily and convincing many of their new invented and self-serving moralities.
Folk from healthy communities would never succumb to ridiculous stories such as the various iterations of climate change allegations, CO2 emergency (an element needed for life), endless civil rights causes, invasions of countries by millions of strangers as compassionate (where is the compassion for native citizens?), or pandemic threats. They are meant to herd whole populations into desired behaviors and managed via manipulated abusive claims of fear and existentialism, justifying ever tighter "stakeholder" corporate/military/government management.
Societal breakdown has been intentional, and people need to be aware of how the top does see the majority as sheep. The west needs to be re-evangelized so that it is not prone to stupid moralistic and emotive propaganda, which only aims to abuse, not to respect the dignity of peoples as made in the image of God, He who is love.