The End Is Not Near: How the Culture of Fear Has Corrupted Democracy, Built an Empire, and Eroded Our Intellectual Life
Jeffery L. Irvin Jr
Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
2014
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"The End Is Not Near" asks a very simple question: can we have a functioning democracy and society when millions of people are existentially terrified of what lies ahead?The United States has a long history of believing itself the chosen nation of God, convinced even today that we are an exceptional nation. However, the belief that the United States is providentially chosen to lead the world into the kingdom of God rests on Christian prophetic traditions that ironically, in many interpretations, begin with the epic destruction of mankind at the battle of Armageddon.How is it that a mostly secular society like America still relates to this previously religious idea of world-wide human destruction? The reason might be as simple as the millions of Americans who still adhere to religious fundamentalism, or maybe it's because of the increasing secular references, both fictional and non-fictional, to natural and man-made disasters? Whether it is a zombie apocalypse or planetary destruction resulting from global warming, millions believe mankind is due for a culling, and possibly extinction.These dystopian nightmares have permeated American social and political thinking. They have caused millions of Americans to lose faith in traditional political solutions. This idea is so prevalent that millions now believe that modern society and government will soon break down in just a matter of weeks, and leave them and their families at the mercy of godless marauders.The irony is that American dystopian nightmares would not be possible were it not for its utopian dreams, which are at the heart of what we call today the American Dream. The paradox of the American Dream is exemplified in the disillusionment of millions of individuals who find themselves unable to compete in a socio-economic system dominated by the few. This economic and social inequality has become a direct threat to American democracy and to the science-based liberal capitalist system on which it is built. There is nothing left for these millions of people to do except to imagine daily a host of potential disaster scenarios by which they will soon be victimized. It should be no surprise that TV shows now explore ways to prepare for these disasters or that millions are now taking anti-depressants in order to deal with their perpetual anxiety."The End Is Not Near" examines how the culture of fear has come to dominate the lives of millions and how it has skewed American politics. This book dives deep into the human psyche, showing us why fear dominates our subconscious life, and how that fear translates into the decisions we make every day."The End Is Not Near" encourages the reader to break away from the shackles of ignorance and despair, to embrace anew the science-based liberal capitalist system that has given us a world of plenty where each individual is by law owed dignity and equity. The alternative is a system of fear, scarcity, inequity, and a general Hobbesian war of all against all. It does not have to be this way, but if things are to change we must directly confront the culture of fear and mitigate its worst social and political effects.It is hoped that this book will be your first step toward a renewed faith in the grand vision embodied in a science-based liberal capitalist system, and that you will begin to appreciate what that vision offers for the future.
