
407. Discussing Communism in All its Glory | Michael Malice
The Jordan B. Peterson PodcastThu Dec 21 2023
Communism and Totalitarian Regime:
- The conversation delves into the horrors of the Soviet era, highlighting the brutality associated with that regime, likening it to Nazi Germany and Maoist China.
- It emphasizes the surreally unbelievable nature of how things could go so badly in terms of state-sponsored atrocities and suffering inflicted on citizens.
Anarchism and Utopian Visions:
- Anarchism is discussed as an alternative to dogmatic and structured government, focusing on appropriate social and psychological relations.
- The dialogue explores voluntary association as an antithesis to power, emphasizing the dangers of power and compulsion leading to tyranny.
Soviet Era Atrocities:
- Detailed descriptions are provided about life in the USSR after the Russian Civil War, including housing concerns and communal dining initiatives by the communist government.
- Specific instances of mass deportations, starvation conditions, forced labor, spying among villagers, brutal treatment towards individuals are vividly portrayed.
Intellectuals' Attraction to Communism:
- Reference is made to Lucifer as a symbol for intellect gone wrong when attempting to reign supreme. The loss of foundation based on individual worth is emphasized as potentially leading society towards status presuppositions or group identity over ultimate human value.
Communism's Impact on Society:
- The conversation delves into the consequences of group identity becoming paramount in societies, drawing parallels between the atrocities witnessed in Rwanda and the Soviet Union due to the valorization of group identity.
- It highlights how communism led to the classification and judgment of individuals based on group guilt, resulting in widespread oppression and brutal treatment of those labeled as oppressors or enemies of the people.
Totalitarian Regimes and Ideological Arrogance:
- The dialogue discusses how totalitarian regimes attempted to eradicate individuality by classifying success as oppression, leading to a division of people into groups and making group identity paramount.
- It addresses the ideological arrogance that entranced individuals with utopian theories, causing them to believe that they could shepherd in a promised utopia despite evidence suggesting otherwise.
Psychological Dynamics in Totalitarian Societies:
- The discussion explores the psychological dynamics underlying intellectual pride and its association with bitterness, which can lead individuals towards sadistic tendencies when their presumed intellect is rejected or not rewarded as expected.
- It also touches upon the concept of aggrieved intellect within popular culture, where characters demonstrate an aggrieved nature due to their hyper-intelligence and lack of social popularity.
Effects on Private Relationships and Civil Society:
- The conversation sheds light on how communism extended beyond assaulting private property to undermining civil society and private relationships. This included turning children against parents through propaganda about reporting family members engaged in counter-revolutionary activities.
- It emphasizes that love itself became an anti-Soviet act as any genuine sympathy between individuals was perceived as counter-revolutionary propaganda.
Resisting Totalitarianism:
- The discussion underscores Solzhenitsyn's belief that one person who stops lying can bring down a tyranny, emphasizing the power held by even a small cadre of individuals who refuse to participate in lies propagated by totalitarian states.
Technology and Surveillance:
- Skynet was a project developed by engineers to create a surveillance state, aiming to achieve 100% accuracy in surveillance.
- The rapid advancement of technology is leading to increased surveillance capabilities, raising concerns about privacy invasion and centralized data tracking.
- Convenience in technological advancements, such as face ID payment systems, poses the risk of centralized databases knowing individuals' every move, potentially enabling differential taxation based on hypothetical carbon load.
Individualism and Societal Trends:
- Mencken's observation that the average person prioritizes safety over freedom reflects societal attitudes towards security and obedience.
- People's willingness to sacrifice privacy for convenience aligns with a desire for security and satiation but may not lead to genuine happiness or fulfillment in life.
- Pursuing security and satiation does not necessarily result in a meaningful or purposeful life; it may lead to complacency and lack of personal growth.
Anarchism and Ayn Rand's Philosophy:
- Anarchism is viewed as an approach to treating people peacefully without recognizing political authority as legitimate, emphasizing individual autonomy and non-coercion.
- Ayn Rand emphasizes individualism as the central tenet of her philosophy, focusing on self-interest aligned with integrity rather than comparative status or social validation.
- Contrasting portrayals of characters like Peter Keating and Howard Roark highlight the distinction between pursuing comparative status versus adhering to personal values grounded in self-integrity.
Human Development and Ethical Principles:
- Early childhood development involves integrating primary instinctual subpersonalities into a uniting ego identity while developing continuity of memory across time.
- Conscience emerges from optimal integration of internal motivational dimensions across time, fostering multidimensional value systems that are reflective of ethical decision-making.
- Subsidiarity, derived from Exodus narrative, addresses transitioning from slave mentality towards independent decision-making within society through decentralization.
Hierarchical Society:
- Dr. Jordan Peterson proposes a hierarchical society where individuals voluntarily group themselves in tens and nominate leaders from among themselves, creating a pyramidal structure with requisite responsibilities at every level.
- The hierarchical model is presented as an alternative to tyranny and slavery, emphasizing the importance of voluntary participation and shared decision-making.
Voluntarism and Anarchy:
- Voluntarism is highlighted as the fundamental principle for proper social organization, equating anarchism with voluntary assent.
- All policy not based on voluntarism should be regarded as suboptimal according to the discussion.
Time Preference and Social Utility:
- The concept of time preference is introduced, emphasizing how individuals' focus on short-term gratification can hinder long-term planning and relationships.
- The importance of stable societies, cultural promulgation of ideas, morals, values, and the impact of inflation on long-term planning are discussed in relation to societal harmony.
Force and Private Property:
- The necessity of minimum necessary force in maintaining peace within private property boundaries is explored.
- Deliberation surrounds the use of force when individuals break rules or transgress against private property rights, highlighting the role of private property in delineating who has the position to determine what happens within that area.
Anarchism and Individual Freedom:
- Anarchism promotes individual freedom and voluntary association, as exemplified by Emma Goldman's advocacy against the draft in World War I and her efforts to educate women on preventing pregnancy.
- The government's role in regulating speech is questioned, emphasizing the importance of maintaining personal liberty.
Responsibility and Integrity:
- Individuals are discussed to have a responsibility to uphold integrity within their interactions, particularly through maintaining voluntary consent to preserve relationship integrity.
- Upholding long-term integrity is emphasized as crucial for ethical conduct and decision-making.
Long-Term Sacrifice and Ethical Orientation:
- The Old Testament concept of sacrifice is explored, highlighting the significance of sacrificing short-term gains for long-term benefits.
- The conversation emphasizes an ethical orientation that integrates eternal values into present actions, focusing on creating meaningful impacts during one's lifetime.
Meaningfulness vs. Meaninglessness:
- There is a debate about life being inherently meaningless or structured with complex but meaningful patterns based on optimal voluntary ascent.
- Different religious perspectives regarding the afterlife are touched upon, discussing living in accordance with divine wishes versus rebelling against arbitrary moral codes.
Alternative to Totalitarianism:
- Alternatives to totalitarianism center around iterability and voluntary assent as essential components of a non-totalitarian system.
- The importance of avoiding moral relativism is highlighted, underscoring the significance of ethical boundaries in societal structures.