UnHerd with Freddie Sayers N.S. Lyons: The return of strong gods
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Feb 18, 2025 N.S. Lyons, a geopolitical analyst and Substack writer with deep insights into China, delves into the evolving global landscape. He challenges the waning Bipolarity and critiques the bureaucracies limiting free speech in Europe. The discussion touches on the clash of traditional values and modern 'woke' ideologies, exploring how the pandemic exposed the limitations of technocratic authority. Lyons emphasizes the need for grassroots movements and critiques the disconnect between liberal democracy and individual engagement, bringing urgency to discussions of nationalism and sovereignty.
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The Long 20th Century
- The "long 20th century" is a period defined by the aftermath of World War II and the desire to prevent future atrocities.
- This era prioritized creating an "open society" by rejecting strong beliefs like nationalism and religion, seen as drivers of conflict.
Open Society's Pillars
- The open society project aimed to dismantle "strong gods" like nationalism and religion, replacing them with weaker, more tolerant values.
- This involved creating a managerial regime to control democracy and promote a universalist perspective, mitigating conflict through technocracy.
Populist Revolt
- The 2016 populist revolts (Brexit, Trump) weren't just economic reactions but rejections of the open society's stagnation and anti-human tendencies.
- This rejection stemmed from a perceived overreach of technocratic management and the suppression of democratic input on issues like immigration.