Neo-Declaration of Independence
The Reclamation of Personal Sovereignty
Amongst all of the many surprising and disturbing facets of Trumpism, one of its most striking aspects is its unapologetic blatantness - what Prof. Marci Shore describes as:
“The unabashed narcissism, this Nero-like level of narcissism and this lack of apology … not concealed in any way”.
I’d put this down to the administrations incapacity for empathy or subtlety, even in their own best interest. But Shore’s interpretation takes this one step further - seeing it as an intentional strategy, to progressively gaslight humanities sense of moral integrity.
The blind spot in such a manipulative strategy, is that it fails to recognise the capacity of an evolving society of adult human beings, to form and assert independent moral discernment for themselves.
The Structure of Oppression
The strategy of “open oppression” assumes authoritarian power can perpetually infantilise the mass populace - through fear, coercion, and brutal force.
In the old authoritarian paradigm, as immature “dependent” civic entities, we looked to external authorities - priests, police, politicians, and “holy” books - for prompts, rules, and embodied exemplars of moral integrity.
In the old paradigm, if our “honoured leader” did not distinguish between true or false, or right and wrong - other than on the basis of self benefit - then that must be the correct basis for our own value system. This was a decidedly hierarchical, top-down system, with all eyes trained to the top for all orders and directions.
This is a system that works best for brief periods, in situations of immanent impending danger. In these high-risk time-bound situations, a single boss and blind obedience by other, gets difficult jobs done for the benefit of the greater good. These systems however become toxic, when they are used to exploit others to further one’s own personal power, wealth and control.
When authoritarian structures become toxic - in the absence of real and immanent danger - they often invoke nefarious common enemies and impending threats in order to keep the masses under the debilitating thrall of fear and terror. These structures have been used in governance, religions, families, and other organisations and communities for thousands of years. But, times they are a changing.
The Emergence of a New Paradigm
“Times they are a changing” ~ Bob Dylan
In recent weeks, millions of U.S. citizens have protested, directly denouncing the old paradigm of “domination ”. The entrancement of the old order has run its course. People are awaking; moved by a deep inner stirring to cast off the shackles of oppression, and take up a stance for their own authentic values. An emerging mass uprising is asserting a new wave “Declaration of Independence”.
The original US “Declaration of Independence” successfully denounced the right and authority - of a foreign British monarchy - to rule and command American lands and people.
The newly emerging Neo-Declaration of Indepence (NDI) goes further. It re-asserts “personal sovereignty” of We the People - each and All - and denounces the right of “any” external authority to rule - other than in the direct interests of the People, who grant and empower the mandate of authority “on their behalf”.
The status quo has traditionally entranced people to forget, that all power rests with them, the People. This power is only given away when we the People, accept and ratify a system of mandate, for individual leaders to work on our behalf.
That power once removed from us is never willingly returned by external authorities. No. We must rise up and claim it.
What we are witnessing today is a broad systemic awakening, a reclamation of grass roots power, and the reaffirmation of personal and collective sovereignty of the People.
External authorities - properly understood - are instruments of the will of the People. With this realisation comes freedom, liberty, equality, justice for all, and - importantly - an acceptance of individual and collective moral responsibility for what comes next.
How do we develop personal and collective moral responsibility, in a new age of grass roots self determination? Now there’s a thought for some deeper self reflection, and a shared future conversation.