Monday 24 January 2022
Lost Connection
Man’s life consists in a connection with all things in the universe. Whoever can establish, or initiate a new connection between mankind and the circumambient universe is, in his own degree, a saviour. Because mankind is always exhausting its human possibilities, always degenerating into repetition, torpor, ennui, lifelessness. When ennui sets in, it is a sign that human vitality is waning, and the human connection with the universe is gone stale. Then he who comes to make a new revelation, a new connection, whether he be soldier, statesman, poet, philosopher, artist, he is a saviour.
D.H. Lawrence - Reflections on the death of a porcupine and other essays (1925)
As Lawrence said, we are always exhausting human possibilities, always degenerating into repetition, torpor, ennui, lifelessness. In the modern era we see it most clearly in certain visual areas such as the arts, architecture and city centres.
We also see it in the degenerate nature of softer sciences where both science and scientists are being bent to the needs of political projects and posturing. Scientific funding is directed towards the pursuit of policy goals as opposed to deeper insights. Bent towards careers as opposed to vocations.
What are we to make of a situation where our human connection with the universe is gone stale? It is a sombre assertion because it is not obvious what can be done about it. We do need to connect and reconnect and connect again. As Lawrence saw, it is not a static need.
How about that new revelation, a new connection? To my mind, this would require some kind of cultural revival in education, politics and the media. In the arts too perhaps. It sounds unlikely but maybe that's the torpor speaking. Covid suggests there is a lot of it about.
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2 comments:
Over on https://www.adamsmith.org/blog/funding-services Madsen Pirie makes some observations about funding university places. You could radically change universities by fully funding courses for the few percent of 'necessary' courses and tighten up recovery of debts for other courses. This *might* introduce some competition encouraging better quality teaching... but the push back against the default lefty background will need something more radical. Perhaps new universities that don't prize political grandstanding by staff or students, but are valued for their education? It will take years.
Politics is comparatively easy(!). Make sure that Recall laws are changed to remove unnecessary barriers to Recall petitions. It will make a politicians life more uncertain... but is that a bad thing?
Media is a longer term issue too. Just announce that the BBC will not have the licence scheme continued after the current Royal Charter - let the BBC sort the consequences out. Announce that that Channel 4 will be fully privatised. Similarly do not pay to place public service job adds in any paper - all to be done on a Job Centre or other Government web site. Newspapers would be free to draw attention to these jobs, but not be paid for them.
Not perfect, and entails some political risks. But if we don't start we will get more of the same, gradually ratcheting leftward.
DJ - yes problems appear to have viable solutions yet political risk still seems to be a major barrier to reform. We seem unable to elect enough MPs with enough political courage to make a difference.
Easier Recall petitions could have some effect even if replacement MPs turn out to be no improvement. It could undermine the tendency to make a career of politics and that could turn out well.
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