Philosophy is Dead (in Politics)
Just like religion is dying from our civilization, philosophy—or say true thinking that can make us really wise—philsophy too is dying amongst us with every passing day.
Who needs philsophy when there are bills to pay and the agents are knociking our doors everyday to settle the debts? What good does it do? Don’t we all know what existence is? What knowledge is? And whop cares about metaphysics—let alone physics or any real science for that matter?
Go the website of the Liberal party of Canada or the Conservative Party of Canada, or the NDP, do you find a page about thier philsophy there? No.
Then why are we supposed to have a philosophy? What is the need to have a philosophy? Won’t a simple position on a black-and-white term do? Like say what is our position on Israel-Gaza, or what is our position on taxes? Why the need to have a philosophy?
Because we need not be wise anymore
The proliferation of technology and the accumlation of wealth has made the human species to rely less on wisdom but more on materials and resources to make our life easier—what do you prefer? a new back up camera for your truck, or an audio book of Albert Camus Myth of Sisyphus?—which one do you think will make your life easier?
Obviously the backup camera—who cares what the Myth of Sisyphus was? Some funny or smart greek story about some son of god, maybe?
What people are aiming for in the modern world is “smart” and not “wise”—Trump is a smart guy, that’s why he won the election, not because he is “wise”. And so did Mark Carney, a top banker have to be a smart person, not because he is wise. And Pierre Poilivere—neither smart, nor wise, or so the Canadian voters thought in the last election—all he has is one word “attack—fire the volleys, now.”
The truth is in modern times, we need not be wise anymore to make our life easier—we only need to be smart and “street-smart”. Hence, no one cares about philosophy. Because at the end of the “smart” wins (not because philosophy died)
Why the Need to Have a Philosophy?
Philosophy in the context of politics is needed to provide a coherent, principled framework that guides consistent decision-making, ensures fairness across diverse issues, and inspires meaningful, enduring progress, unlike fragmented, short-term policy positions that risk division or incoherence.
Because we need not be wise anymore
The proliferation of technology and the accumlation of wealth has made the human species to rely less on wisdom but more on materials and resources to make our life easier—what do you prefer? a new back up camera for your truck, or an audio book of Albert Camus Myth of Sisyphus?—which one do you think will make your life easier?
Obviously the backup camera—who cares what the Myth of Sisyphus was? Some funny or smart greek story about some son of god, maybe?
What people are aiming for in the modern world is “smart” and not “wise”—Trump is a smart guy, that’s why he won the election, not because he is “wise”. And so did Mark Carney, a top banker have to be a smart person, not because he is wise. And Pierre Poilivere—neither smart, nor wise, or so the Canadian voters thought in the last election—all he has is one word “attack—fire the volleys, now.”
The truth is in modern times, we need not be wise anymore to make our life easier—we only need to be smart and “street-smart”. Hence, no one cares about philosophy. Because at the end of the “smart” wins (not because philosophy died)