The dichotomy between the East and West is a timeless saga that transcends the realms of moral realism and physical battles. These two vastly di-polar tribes collectively amalgamate a vast number of ideologies and cultural values.
The West is a symbolical representation of the political philosophy of liberalism (classical and modern) embedded in the formation of democratic governments that represent their citizens in a parliament designed to promote capitalistic notions of individual prosperity, freedom and progression.
Whereas, the East is the polar opposite, an ideological haven for those that seek equality of distribution that promotes collective success over strict individual greediness and hegemony. The proponents of structuralist ideologies inclusive of Marxist factions is a notable characteristic of the Eastern identity.
Despite the vivid duality, one ideology cannot thrive without the other. The presence of one’s own philosophical rival is key to driving the economic success of the most powerful stakeholders in both corners of the world.
The Modernised World
The modernised world of inter-connected nations has enunciated the plethora of differences between the Eastern and Western worlds. The West dominates the Cultural Wars through the perseverance of digital media that spreads the values of hedonism, familial kinship and individual liberty. Whereas, the East promotes the spirit of conformity, social classes and partisanship through centralised media that promotes a singular entity as the source of truth for social morality and organisation.
Despite these opposing values, the modern world through the miracle of advancements in communication technology has the innate ability to emphasis with both sides of the fence. For the first time in modern human history, the East and West can understand and appreciate the ideologies, social structures and beliefs of the other without the need of an external entity to mediate such information.
However, this openness has an unintended side-effect. The visibility of each front’s proverbial “soul” has initiated the onset of cultural, social and economic subterfuge in an attempt to subvert the authenticity of the entities that provide power to the institutions of the East and West.
Increasing Partisanship in the United States
The United States of America is the primal symbol of liberty, freedom and equality of opportunity in the modern world. Exemplified by the ‘checks and balances’ inherent in the structure of the federal government that are present in the legislative, executive and judicial branches. The USA has become more than a powerful, imperialistic nation on the global stage, but the cornerstone representation of the Western ideals that are cherished by Western Europeans, Australia and South America.
Since the initial bipartisan presidency of George W Bush (prior to the Afghanistan invasion and subsequent war on terrorism), the political identity of the United States of America has become increasingly fractured. The initiation of the Cultural Wars between the progressive left and conservative right has dissolved the common fabric between the two major parties of the democratic system. The initiation of social media as a channel of communication for the American populace has allowed the forces of anarchy, chaos and subversiveness to rear their head.
As a result, the Western world has become disenfranchised by the formerly indestructible symbol of liberty and equality. As the ideas, values and thoughts of her own citizens become increasingly volatile with the left skewing further to the socialist embers of her former enemy in the Soviet Union, and the conservative right falls further to the depths of militaristic fascism and overt patriotism that consumed Nazi Germany in World War 2.
Loss of Freedom and Liberty
Throughout the tenure of modern history, the common political values of mutual respect and civil debate stood steadfast despite theological, ideological and economical disparity. However, the commercialisation of the political dimension in the 21st century through the capitalisation of the broadcasting industry has led to a vacuum of unbiased, neutral freedom of thought. The absence of a valid and respectable centrist entity is a major contributor to this gradual degradation of the social connections between the left and right.
The view of both elements of this divide is that the very fact that the existence of a disparity in ideology is a testament to the success of the American system of liberty and freedom. This view is remarkably ignorant of the destruction of the centrist belief in the existence of a ‘balancing mediator’ that can conciliate the differences between the cultural entities of the West. The vacuum of rationality, objectivity and logos (logical thinking over emotion) is the defining symptom of an ideology in the process of eternal separation and division.
As the rational elements of the West continue to fade away into the history books. The very freedom of speech, assembly and thought will disintegrate into the emotional frontiers of both sides of the proverbial fence. The fabric that held everything together, and wrote the Declaration of Independence will be forgotten, and the emergence of the Eastern values of emotional conformity, elitism and suppression of incompatible thought will prevail in the homeland of the free. Inevitably, spread to the body of the West in Europe, Australia and South America.
The East is the New West
Like any ideological war, the fronts of battle are not fought in the physical realm and are not tied to a specific moment in time. The slow dissolution of the fundamental Western values is a timeless process that was sewn with the introduction of classism, elitist control of media and technological suppression of religious and heterodox scientific polity in a supposed secular world.
The world is slowly changing. Many may not see it.
The West is becoming everything it sought to destroy. Like any self-fulfilling prophecy, the result is exactly the outcome that was unacceptable in the first place.
By Daniel Dell’Armi
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