“Where there is religion, there is war”: this observation by a 12th Century Laotian poet seems confusingly modern. And we need not look at the conventional religions, e.g. the Abrahamic ones, to find proof of this. As scientific positivism has had its day, along with doctrines such as rationalism, scientism and determinism, beliefs and metaphysics are now guiding our behaviour. That is science’s big failure. Furthermore, like Ernest Renan, many have made the following observation: “If science were to remain as it is, we would have to endure it and curse its existence; since it has destroyed and not rebuilt.” Hence, to fill the void, to re-enchant reality and doubtless give our lives meaning, we are giving in to beliefs. We are seeking standards to rally to and battles to fight. Neither a personal quest for spirituality, nor being part of society are sufficient. We need to rebel, we need to take offence, seeking indignation. But above all, we must take action. The citizen is taking action, and their infinite individual rights are overriding all other guiding and organisational principles of society. Instead of arguments, we exchange insults. Politics has been reduced to a quest for rights. As Pierre Manent wrote, that is the demand of “equality indifferent to differences”, a kind of empty individualism.
With social networks making it easy to find a herd to identify with and join, sectarian groups form. Their purpose: conduct the most high-profile, i.e. most radical, crusade they can. The sit-ins of the 1960s have been relegated to movements of post-pubescent teenagers from another century ineffectually fighting against the Vietnam War or nuclear testing. They need to dismantle, smash, destroy. Radicalism is not an option but a means of demanding your rights.
It is easy to find examples in our food sector. The violent vegan fringe - righters of wrongs, who physically attack butchers shops and their employees - gives a good idea of the climate of revolt and questioning of the very foundation of the rules of society. It is even the done thing to reject common rules, to face down the established authorities, act in accordance with the law of the pack alone. The new religions (local against distant, country dweller against farmer, vegans against assassins, etc.) are therefore leading just as surely to war as the old ones. So, albeit with the necessary critical perspective, let’s get back to the path of reason and abandon our Neanderthal, or even reptilian, urges. That is the price of living in a democratic society.
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