There is a stirring, at least among the more intelligent media writers, that amounts to “Is Civilisation is on the rocks?”. Maybe just a less vulgar rabble rouse than the Murdoch Muddies – or is it a serious portent of what will happen next? Not easy to decide while the published media are desperate to sustain their audience and the social media chomp away at the edges. They daily get nearer to reaching the core. Most who regard themselves as civilised seem convinced that civilisation is crumbling. What can we do about it?
You may believe in a free press but I expect you also believe in reliable communication. Rabble rousing may be effective for its success in creating havoc. It is disruptive for a stable and rationally developing society. Do people want a stable and rationally developed society? Where is the excitement in that? If they don’t, are we to let civilization wither and die?
What did such a civilised society offer in my youth?
To the middle and upper classes, a comfortable, well serviced, generally steady life, now and then interrupted by the activities of (assumed uncivilized) foreigners. To the working class, poverty of living and deprivation of the means to educate themselves out of it. While there are still many poor people, most western societies have moulded into a more acceptable, nearer equality of opportunity. Numbers can’t define suffering but they are the measure of government. The fairness score is better than it was. I think most people realise it can never be perfect.
The education that achieved this has been largely technological, minimally artistic, only slightly political and almost totally insensitive. Reciprocity of good behaviour was expected from newly educated citizens but seldom adequately defined. Excessive democracy became the bearer of bribes to ensure reelection and no more than tactical decisions. Strategy was left to the task of the next lot of political aspirants.
The price of civilization’s decline is tragically reminded to us daily. The violence that appears in virtually every new movie or YouTube offering is intended to entertain. Instead it educates, incites and titilates so that weaker-minded citizens come to believe it an acceptable, even essential, part of life. Protest becomes a murder not a thought-out contribution to a debate. Destruction becomes an accepted way of resolution. Decent behaviour is regarded as weak.
The loss of trust and comfortable living are the first victims of this decline. Attention is focused on security rather than on development and happiness. The pleasures become brittle with ever-sharpening awareness of danger. Attention to the wonders of the world is distracted to cope with the mechanics of increasing isolation from the warmth and support of friendship. A robot is a logical answer since it neither feels nor loves.
Greater deprivations start to whittle away the delight of sensitive and rational thought. Without that thought unacceptable behaviour becomes self-fulfilling. Soon the words of civility are replaced by the taunts of aggression, the beauty of vistas and visages is presented as crude colour clashes and melodious music turns into sounds a strangled octopus might make. The end justified the means so no activity is unacceptable.
No wonder the gentle breezes became tornados. Unsurprising that the sun’s rays that used to lightly toast now burn existence dead. Can we expect Divine Rescue for the jumbled world we have made? A tsunami of submersion is more likely.
Humans will soon no longer be human unless we rescue civilization.
Then we will feel nothing.
Good morning – if that’s still possible.
Comments very welcome at [email protected].
01 November 2025
