From a post over at RealClearPolitics:
Mr. Thomas seems to be ignorant of the fact that astrological cycles run 2,000 years. So in reality, the Age of Aquarius has only just begun. Not that I buy into any of that stuff.The ideologically decrepit anti-war crowd returned to Washington last weekend for a reunion. The older among them abandoned hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of Vietnamese to imprisonment, torture, death and re-education camps. Their demonstrations were encouraging to the communist Vietnamese, sending the message that America lacked the will to win. These aging hippies and their progeny now want to do the same to millions of Iraqis, who have democratically elected their leaders.
This is the sunset of the "Age of Aquarius." Yesterday, when they were young, they were the pampered generation that eschewed self-control for self-indulgence. They were (and are) so vain; they probably thought the world was about them. They were the redeeming generation that would save their parents from their sins by ending war, curing racism and cleaning the air and water. Their failure has long been obvious to all but them. To them, intentions, not success, are paramount. Because they believe their intentions are noble, they absolve themselves from the negative consequences of their actions.
But just for the sake of argument, let's pretend that I do. If we really want to talk about cycles of events, we need to take the long-term view of things, not the "only my lifetime has merit" approach of short-sighted people like Thomas -- and the Boomers he derides.
The 2,000 year cycle of the Age of Pieces saw the most amazing physical expansion of human capabilities imaginable. We literally went from a fragile agricultural existence to a post-informational, truly global people in that relatively short period of time.
The next 2,000 year cycle, in theory, will take that same enormous jump in complexity and expansion of power to the interior of human evolution. I'm sure we will continue to expand our complexity in the physical world as well, but the next revolution won't be televised -- it will be internalized.
From Wikipedia:
For Aquarius (also called "the Water bearer"), it is reported we have already been feeling influences - titled Orb of influence (the last ten degrees backwards of the Age of Pisces) - in the accelerated individual, social, cultural, scientific and technological development and globalization through the 20th century. This view is consistent with the popular notion of the New Age movement that regards current times as the "dawning of the Aquarian Age".Really, Thomas is so far off the mark that he appears even more foolish than usual. I'm being a little tongue-in-cheek here, because I realize that Thomas is simply bashing the hippies that he hates so much. He doesn't understand the bigger picture possibilities, which is what makes his approach to policy so dangerous.On the other hand, the Aquarian Age is thought to bring with it an era of universal brotherhood rooted in reason where it will be possible to solve social problems in a manner equitable to all and with greater opportunity for intellectual and spiritual improvement, since Aquarius is an airy, scientific, and intellectual sign and its ruler planet, Uranus, is associated with intuition (knowledge above reason) and direct perceptions of the heart; and on the mundane level it rules electricity and technology. It is generally described by astrologers that in the Age of Aquarius there will be a blending of religion and science to such a degree that a religious science and a scientific religion will be formed.
And that brings me to the real issue: Thomas believes that peace can be achieved through violence:
Peace doesn't result when America does nothing to confront evil. Peace comes through facing and defeating evil wherever and whenever we can. If freedom is not on the march against tyranny, then tyranny will be on the march against freedom. Neither is static. Peace doesn't "happen." To the extent peace can be attained on earth, it arrives through strength and willpower.This is a Pieces Age point-of-view -- not to mention authoritarian and grounded in TruthForce.
Real peace comes through compassion and equality. It might require force on occasion, but it does not seek out conflict, nor does it make violence its primary weapon. This is the lesson that we must learn over the next 2,000 year cycle, a lesson we are only taking the first baby steps toward -- if you believe in that sort of thing.
No comments:
Post a Comment