Dark Enlightenment Pt 5: Network State 15-Minute Cities, Plato's Empire, New Atlantis and What We Can Do!

Published in 1949, '1984' is a cautionary tale by George Orwell that explores the dangers of totalitarianism. The novel is set in a dystopian future where the world is divided into three super-states, with the protagonist Winston Smith living in Oceania, ruled by the mysterious and omnipotent leader Big Brother. Winston works at the Ministry of Truth, where he rewrites historical records to conform to the Party's ever-changing narrative. He begins an illicit love affair with Julia and starts to rebel against the Party, but they are eventually caught and subjected to brutal torture and indoctrination. The novel highlights themes of government surveillance, manipulation of language and history, and the suppression of individual freedom and independent thought.

In this book, Thomas E. Woods, Jr. challenges the common narrative that deregulation and free markets led to the 2008 financial crisis. Instead, he argues that government interventions, such as those through Fannie Mae and the Community Redevelopment Act, were the primary causes of the housing bubble and subsequent market collapse. Woods also critiques government bailouts, suggesting they exacerbate the problems rather than solve them. The book provides a detailed explanation of Austrian business cycle theory and its application to the crisis, as well as a historical context comparing the government's response to the Great Depression.

Written around 1623 and published posthumously in 1627, 'New Atlantis' is a philosophical and utopian work by Francis Bacon. The story follows a group of sailors who discover the mysterious island of Bensalem, where they encounter a society governed by a democratically elected parliament and guided by the principles of Salomon’s House, an institution dedicated to the advancement of knowledge and the study of nature. The novel emphasizes the integration of science and ethics in governance and highlights Bacon’s vision of a society where knowledge and reason are central to human progress and happiness.