From: jimruttshow8596
The discussion explores the efficiency and effectiveness of modern governance compared to historical periods, particularly focusing on the United States and the impact of its current structure on decision-making. A recurring theme is the concept of a “clown show” when describing the contemporary political process, highlighting a perceived lack of seriousness and competence [04:49:00].
Historical Perspectives on Governance and Incompetence
When examining history, it’s common to view past periods, like the Old Kingdom of Egypt, as intellectually unserious, where beliefs such as a giant dung beetle pushing the sun were prevalent [01:54:00]. While all historical periods deserve respect, they are not intellectually equal; for instance, the intellectual achievements of the Italian Renaissance are generally respected more than those of Late Antiquity [02:59:00].
Late Roman Empire: A Parallel to Modern Dysfunction?
A compelling parallel is drawn between contemporary society and Late Antiquity, particularly the Late Roman Empire. Scholars of this period failed to recognize their empire’s decline, believing everything was “perfectly fine” [07:34:00]. This era was characterized by a system built on connections, a pretentious intellectual tradition of “grammarians” who considered their work equal to Virgil’s, and a pervasive tone of flattery [07:53:00]. Historical figures like Sidonius, a politically influential writer, focused on mundane flattery in their letters rather than addressing pressing issues like the “fall of the Roman Empire,” even when roads became dangerous [08:48:00]. This detachment from reality ultimately contributed to the society’s collapse [09:43:00].
Temporal Chauvinism and Mythos
The concept of “temporal chauvinism,” or presentism, suggests an assumption that one’s own world is completely real and deserving of immense respect [07:16:00]. This prevents an objective assessment of current societal conditions, as seen in the Victorians, who, despite their perceived flaws, would likely find modern society problematic [06:13:00].
This relates to the idea of a “mythos,” a set of beliefs widely accepted by a society at any given time [10:33:00]. The “political formula,” a term from the Italian School of political science (notably Gaetano Mosca), is the element of this mythos that makes people believe the government is good, right, and legitimate [11:55:00]. In modern times, this formula often makes individuals feel powerful and important by supporting the government [12:33:00].
The Unpredictability of Collapse
The fall of the Soviet Union serves as a stark example of how unexpected systemic collapse can be; neither dissidents nor Cold Warriors predicted its demise [15:13:00]. This suggests that even seemingly stable systems can rapidly unravel.
Modern Government Inefficiency: The Stupidity Quotient
The term “Stupidity Quotient” (SQ) is introduced as a lens to evaluate modern governance by asking how a six-year-old would perceive decisions [18:16:00].
Case Study: COVID-19 Response
- Initial Decisions: A six-year-old would instinctively stop international flights during a pandemic [19:24:00]. Yet, the US government, aware of human-to-human transmission, avoided disrupting travel and trade [19:56:00].
- Incompetence: The US response to COVID-19 revealed “complete incompetence” compared to other countries, particularly Confucian nations [09:50:00]. The shock of this incompetence may have increased awareness that “the emperor is wearing no clothes” [14:56:00].
- Lab Leak Theory: The pandemic’s origin is plausibly linked to a lab leak from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, where “gain-of-function” experiments were conducted with American funding [25:47:00]. This suggests the pandemic may have originated from a “DC self-licking ice cream cone” of research for research’s sake [28:47:00].
- Vaccine Approval: The slow FDA approval process for COVID-19 vaccines, though ten times faster than usual, is an example of inefficiency [31:30:00]. A comparison is made to a renegade virologist who self-administered a vaccine in April [31:46:00].
- The Hippocratic Oath is presented as a “mythos” that contributes to risk-averse institutional behavior [36:26:00]. Institutions prioritize maintaining their prestige by avoiding “positive mistakes” (e.g., vaccine side effects) over preventing large-scale “negative mistakes” (e.g., deaths from delayed vaccines) [39:07:00]. This highlights a fundamental conflict of interest where institutional self-preservation outweighs public interest [39:07:00].
- Lockdown Strategy: The West’s adoption of lockdowns differed from China’s aggressive “test, trace, and isolate” strategy, which aggressively quarantined positive cases and contacts to halt transmission [45:21:00]. The World Health Organization (WHO) initially advised against quarantines due to influence from the hospitality industry [46:04:00].
- American institutions had an “overstated” state capacity to implement effective measures like test-trace-isolate [47:47:00]. The US government’s digital infrastructure for citizenship is described as a “shambles,” unable to even accurately count its population [50:12:00]. This contrasts with “seeing like a state” as described by James C. Scott [51:47:00], noting that the American system has an inherent “anarchy built into them” [52:11:00], limiting its ability to control disease or crime.
- The “hammer and the dance” strategy, effective for agile governments like Taiwan’s, was misapplied to the US, which could not “dance” [49:47:00]. This led to a “permanent war mentality” against the virus, accepting not winning as long as losses weren’t worse [54:25:00].
Shift from Monarchy to Oligarchy
Historically, the US government, exemplified by its efficiency in World War II projects, operated differently.
- The Manhattan Project: This was one of the most successful large engineering projects [55:31:00], run like a startup [56:16:00] with “two-in-a-box leadership” (technical and management) [59:11:00]. It was a top-down pyramid structure where scientists were “ordered” what to work on, a practice considered demeaning in today’s academic environment [59:52:00]. If the Manhattan Project were attempted today, it would devolve into a bureaucratic grant-writing exercise, delaying results by decades [57:22:00].
- FDR’s De Facto Monarchy: The efficacy of the Manhattan Project was rooted in the broader context of 1930s Washington D.C., which functioned as a “de facto monarchy” under Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) [01:01:51]. FDR wielded near-absolute power, creating and destroying agencies at will [01:01:52]. His 1933 inaugural address showcased this monarchical tone, demanding discipline and temporary extraordinary powers akin to wartime [01:05:42].
- Modern Oligarchy: In contrast, modern science and indeed most institutions are run as oligarchies [00:59:47]. This means decisions are made by a few individuals within a process loop, prioritizing internal bureaucratic loyalty and procedural outcomes over actual results [00:33:25]. This lack of clear accountability, where no one is fired for failures (e.g., CDC tests), marks a fundamental difference from the “monarchical” accountability seen in private companies or during periods like the Manhattan Project [01:04:00].
This comparison highlights a perceived shift in the nature of American governance from a more centralized, results-oriented (though de facto monarchical) structure to a less efficient, self-serving oligarchy, impacting its ability to respond effectively to crises.