We have entered a transitional period in human history [see photo].
In the past the dominant feature of our society was ideology which we broadly labelled "left" or "right". Once each of us became comfortable with a notion of "left" or "right" ideology we stayed in our lane which meant we were not truly engaged in politics. In those days we could listen to the news without too much distress because our primary ideology [or theology] provide us with a shield that filtered out the "politics" of the issues being discussed. Government came and went but the ideology of the voter stayed the same. In this world the Government was alternatively left or right leaning and they each had their turn at governing. I worked in, and around party politics, back in those days and deals could be done with the opposite party in the backrooms so long as the players were away from the direct stare of the media or electors. In 2021 that world no longer exists.
Today politics is played out on the Internet: not in the backrooms of left and right leaning Cliques. There is no ideological [or theological] firewall to protect individuals, or groups, from the pressures of mundane politics. Mundane politica today is a war of ideas, power, wealth, and commitment. Because these wars are played out on the Internet we eventually discover that the normal order of politics has been dis-intermediated and the traditional political process has imploded. The traditional role of mass media is gone. The traditional role of judicial processing of laws passed by citizens is gone. And the tradtional system of meritocracy [ which once informed public policy formulation] is gone.
What has replaced those key actors in the political process is an Internet based system which cedes power to those who shout the loudest. This new system also cedes power to wealthy patrons who are pushing particular sets of ideas [the green new deal] and who all those who seek to benefit from the application of the resultant new policy settings. Surprisingly this system is a version of direct democracy wherein the winner takes all [through the use of government mandates rather than laws and patronage rather than electoral support]. This system is based on Cliques [or Tribes] which coalesce around issues, an ideas, and emergent power bases.
Once the firewall of ideology [theology] is removed from the resolution of social issues then what existed in the past, what is now, and what can be in the future is infused with the sheer vitriol of mundane politics. Inter-personal politics becomes a process of labelling every issue in ways that presents a facade of ideology [intersectional policies] or theology [zero carbon tolerance]. Within this maelstrom of intolerance the warring tribes [cancel culture] rampage across all vestiges of institutional order. The traditional institutions begin to crumble as they are replaced by the Internet.
Remember that "The Internet" began life as an open system but this inherent feature became a malware bug once politics infected it. In response to this malware there are a multitude of vested interests making solid efforts to build Internet platforms that can replace the functional structure of the old institutions of power with a loosely formed coaltion of ruling tribes.
Politics is being played out in most social settings today through the Internet. Internet based clusters of committed political activists can now use their influence to change government [BLM movement], social cohesion [cancel culture], and corporate organisations [diversity, equity, and inclusion] in ways that were previously impossible.
Ideology is dead - long live politics.
Richard.
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