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Why America needs a philosopher

by Jean Erasmus

Created on: March 09, 2008   Last Updated: May 04, 2010

It is indeed one of the world's greatest philosophers, Plato, who in his 'The Republic' and 'Kallipolis', said that the world would be a better place or Utopia, when our 'kings' were philosophers. This idea was born from many a philosopher's mind - from East to West - their thoughts finding its root in reason and ethics. It is reason and ethics that balances the human being; two things that not only the politics of the United States of America lacks, but indeed the whole current human civilization.

The United States only stands out due to its major role in current world affairs. But on closer inspection, it will soon be apparent just how interconnected everything has become. Our world is in a downright mess: from escalating wars, overpopulation, shallow materialism and a quivering environment; the so-called 'pinnacle' of humanity - the 21st century human (or supermarket man as I like to call him) - is a delusional fool, thinking himself to be at the top of his 'game'. In reality, humanity is a slave to existence. Slave to the few cunning rulers of the financial world, where everything is about gaining more money, no matter what the cost: the cost of the earth, your liberties and their very souls. Our so-called leaders have fallen prey to what I term 'Faust syndrome'; selling their souls to the devil for fame and fortune.

Looking specifically at US politics, it has become clearer over the last few years just how poor of ethics and reason the current administration is (with no exception of other countries of course). With a constant bombardment of lies and deceit, masked in the familiar political grin as they shake hands with so called 'allies' while camera flashes throw long hard shadows on the floor - they plow forth their plans behind shadowy curtains. Follow the trail of their master plan, and soon you will find yourself and your fellow 'citizens' excluded from grace. Look into a veteran soldier's eyes, and see this truth: that the men who start their wars never fight them. High and dry, they sip their cafe lattes in their fancy suits in board-rooms, while 'their' soldiers and innocent 'collateral damage' people of the enemy lands perish in agony.

Long has this been the case, ever since the days of Rome and beyond; the emperor lying on his back amongst his whores, eating his precious grapes while his soldiers die gruesomely on battle fields to advance his ego.

The reason for this grounded in this truth: the merciless and merciful find themselves out of balance.

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