Why Does the World Seem Like It’s Falling Apart Lately?

America seems like it’s falling apart because it is, and it is falling apart, in large part, because of post-modernism.

What is Post-Modernism?

Post-modernism is a philosophical and cultural movement that emerged in the mid-20th century, challenging the principles of objective truth and grand narratives. Instead, it embraces the idea that reality is constructed through language, culture, and individual perspectives, leading to a highly fragmented and subjective understanding of the world.

So, what’s the problem with post-modernism?

Here is a somewhat academic critique of post-modernism composed by ChatGPT:

Post-modernism’s rejection of objective truth can lead to a relativistic stance where all perspectives are deemed equally valid, eroding the foundations of shared meaning and making it challenging to engage in meaningful discourse. The emphasis on deconstruction, while valuable in questioning oppressive structures, is criticized for sometimes lacking constructive alternatives or providing a cohesive framework for ethical reasoning. The rejection of metanarratives can contribute to a sense of moral and intellectual paralysis, leaving individuals without a guiding narrative or shared identity. Critics suggest that post-modernism’s skepticism toward objective reality and universal truths may inadvertently undermine the pursuit of social justice and hinder progress by challenging the possibility of objective criteria for evaluating societal norms and values.

The real problem with post-modernism:

The real problem with post-modernism is that it is false. We live in a world that bombards us with reality, i.e., objective truth. To deny that truth is to ensure enslavement and ultimately destruction.

ChatGPT does a nice job of outlining the theoretical problems with post-modernism, but this worldview is almost guaranteed to lead to a much more sinister outcome than merely causing fractures in society (as if that’s not bad enough).

The real problem with post-modernism is that, contrary to an academic understanding of its tendency to deem all perspectives “equally valid,” it actually leads to an elite-driven definition of what is right and wrong, accompanied by a tendency toward totalitarianism in thought and culture. Simply put, it allows for the powerful people in our society to divide and conquer. Here are the steps that are producing this outcome:

1. Post-modernism is promoted by powerful people in academia, government, media, entertainment, and big business.
2. As more people incorporate post-modernism into their worldview, they become more divided: They focus on what is distinct about their “groups” and their perspectives instead of what they have in common with others.
3. This leads people to feel more angry, isolated, and confused. What was once a powerful social force (i.e., the citizens of the United States), is now an easily controlled populace lacking direction.
4. Those who control the levers of power in our society gladly provide control and direction for the divided and confused masses. These elites no longer promote the idea that each person “has his own truth,” but instead they dictate their own values as truth.
5. Those who disagree with these elites are labeled as hateful and are punished, either socially, or, increasingly, by censorship, “lawfare” (use of the “justice” system to punish political opponents), and even violence.

Without the truths and virtues that have been handed down to us by Scripture, the values that led to a nation that promoted freedom and opportunity for all, we are at the mercy of ever-degrading ideas imposed on us by those in power.

There is no notion too absurd and no behavior too vile that it cannot be validated by those in power as long as it fits their preferred narrative and increases their power

We are seeing this played out as once-beautiful cities descend into violence, crime, and filth; the mentally ill are left to suffer in their own confusion; children’s minds and bodies are harmed to promote insane ideas about identity; the public is scared into conformity and turning on their neighbors over one crisis after another.

A society without shared values and without a shared story cannot survive as a free people.

But there is hope

Thankfully, there are objectively true, eternal values. These values emanate from the Creator of the universe and are revealed in Scripture as well as by reality-based rationality.

Theophilus explores these values in Singularity: or, How the LOGOS Resolves the Problems of Racism, Gender Obsession, Climate Change, Decadence, & Every Other Calamity You Encounter.

Called “an antidote to wokeness,” Singularity exposes the cultural phenomena that pit people against each other in the modern world: decadence, fear of climate change, sexual and gender obsession, abortion, racism, the credibility of experts, and “divisionism.” Theophilus dispels modern illusions with ancient truths in this practical yet metaphysically evocative exploration of the calamities that bombard man.

Singularity is a great book to equip yourself or your teen/adult children with clarity on these divisive issues. Singularity is encouraging, as it reveals how God can use each of these issues to bring us into closer relationship to Him. Most importantly, Singularity reveals how the LOGOS, Jesus Christ, resolves the chaos in your life and the world around you with divine power and love.

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7