No society is single-minded in its beliefs or organizational structures. Instead, every society is subject to changing beliefs and social structures. In fact, research shows every human society is composed of various mixtures of two opposing worldviews.
Examples of these two worldviews:
- John Dean has summarized the research which shows that people with "right-wing authoritarian" personalities dominate Trump's Republican Party and that there is an absence of anyone with the "left-wing authoritarians" personality in the United States.
- George Lakoff has written about the "strict-father" and "nurturant-parent" family models which translate into two political worldviews with different moral values.
- Riane Eisler has written about human societies over the millennium (BCE and CE) that were founded on either "domination" or "partnership."
- Karl Popper wrote, leading up to WWII, about "Closed" (totalitarianism, nationalism, fascism), and "Open" (democratic, socialist) societies.
These four authors and their co-authors from their unique perspectives, backgrounds and studies, have documented that the human species has organized its societies based on two very different and dissimilar worldviews. Humans, as represented by their beliefs, moral values, experiences, personalities, family structures and societal constructs, have created societies resulting from mixtures of two opposing worldviews.
Those two worldviews are identifiable by their opposing moral belief systems:
- The right-wing authoritarian (RWA), strict-father, dominator or closed societies believe in a social hierarchy of inequality. These societies utilize severe punishment through laws to maintain that inequality. It also embraces a belief based on direct-causation: the success of each member of their society is based solely on individual "hard work" with no external support - "you're on your own." In other words, self-made individualism is strongly emphasized while empathy and government support are absolutely rejected. An individual's failure or success is totally their own responsibility. (Note: This RWA worldview is consistent with extreme religious, nationalist groups (Jihadists, Zionists, Christianists).
- On the other hand, the democratic, nurturant, partnership or open societies believe in social and economic equality. These societies utilize thoughtful persuasion and create laws to maximize equality. It also embraces a belief that is based on systemic-causation: the success of each member of their society is based on mutual cooperation with appropriate support from the people's government. In other words, there are no self-made individuals and both empathy and governmental support are necessary. An individual's failure or success includes the responsibility and talents of the individual as well as the support of an empathetic society.
In the USofA, are we now witnessing a societal shift that moves us from a more democratic society to a more authoritarian one? How might this affect individuals in the USofA? Can we ascertain the impact of changes by looking outward to observe other more authoritarian nations, like Israel? Is what is happening now in Israel a "Prequel" for USofA?
If we focus on the RWA belief in "self-made" individualism, can it help explain the shocking statements we are hearing from right-wing extremists like Trump and Netanyahu? DJT's far-out statements about immigrants, veterans, Black prosecutors or judges are shocking for those on the left. They are made by the authoritarian, 91-indictment leader, DJT. His shocking statements are as disquieting and distressing as statements by other foreign leaders like Netanyahu and Putin:
- Israeli Defense Minister announced siege on Palestinians was to fight "human animals" throughout Gaza.
- Putin insists his "special military operation" is about the "de-Nazification of Ukraine."
On the one hand, DJT sees John McCain as a "loser" because, as a "you're on your own," "self-made" individual, McCain failed to avoid capture. Back in November, 2018, Trump cancelled a trip the Aisne-Marne American military cemetery near Paris because the cemetery was full of "losers" - each 'individual' veteran buried there failed to avoid getting killed.
With DJT's opinions on individual failure, imagine what like-minded RWA leaders in Israel think about the Israeli hostages held in Gaza. Do those RWA leaders believe the capture of the hostages was entirely their own fault? If so, what responsibility do these leaders feel for rescuing these hostages? Do Israeli RWA leaders believe there is any justification for rescuing those Israelis who failed, like John McCain, to avoid capture?
- For context to the Israeli RWA (Netanyahu) handling of the Israeli hostages in Gaza and Munich, consider the on-again-off-again Hannibal Directive of 1986. The primary goal of this directive is to prevent the abduction of Israeli troops or civilians and avoid the higher cost of getting the hostages returned. This includes the use of suicide and "friendly fire" to end the lives of 'losers.' Does this directive label both Hamas hostage takers and Israeli hostages as "losers?" Does this directive apply to the Palestinian women and children as collateral damage?
- Compare/contrast this to how the Israeli government responded to the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) Black September capture of Israeli Olympic athletes in Munich in 1972: "When authorities attempted to rescue the hostages after a 23-hour standoff, all the hostages, one West German police officer and five Black September members were killed." Which is more costly for the Israeli RWA leaders: quick and deadly military action or a slow negotiated and distasteful compromise?
Other references on the Hannibal Directive:
(Article changed on Mar 10, 2024 at 9:54 PM EDT)
(Article changed on Mar 10, 2024 at 9:56 PM EDT)
