Sunday 29 December 2013

SUPERSTRUCTURES and SUBSTRUCTURES in the Age of Atomism

Does widespread cynicism throughout the world in the early 21st century about political, judicial, business, religious, educational, social and cultural institutions widen the gap between the individual and the community, thereby contributing to deteriorating societal conditions and erosion of "humane" individuals in an immoral society? Scandals seem as routine as daily life, at least they are so treated to keep the existing superstructures going. Everything involving corporate executives, banks, as well as politicians that people once deemed powerful - everyone from Egypt's Mubarak and Turkey's Erdogan to Italy's Berlusconi and countless other corrupt individuals that have tasted political power - all of it is part of a decadent superstructure that people simply believe is beyond their control.

Reflecting the interests of the financial, political, and socio-cultural elites in every society, superstructures mold the individual who must conform to the immoral system out of necessity for survival and thus be a part of substructures. While critical of the corrupt and decadent superstructures, the individual follows similar patterns of behavior in everything from substructure involvement to personal conduct in relationships ranging from personal to business and public transactions. The hypocritical aspect of the individual is a reflection of the hypocrisy in the elite-dominated superstructures held together by the pyramid of decadence.

To many citizens, politicians are unrelentingly deceitful and manipulative because they get away with distortion of reality owing to PR and populist skills, combined with a well-orchestrated media machine behind them. Similarly, individuals in their own microcosm, especially individuals who wield power in the private sector, adopt patterns of behavior intended to achieve success through manipulation and deception, regardless of the impact on individuals and social welfare. Shallowness and superficiality prevalent among guardians of superstructures permeates throughout society and it is the dominant mode of communication between individuals mistrustful and fearful of the other who in turn never goes beyond appearances, beyond fear, beyond the apparent self-interest of survival.

Some young people are of the opinion that pursuing the conformist route of decadence as carved out by existing superstructures yields rewards. Otherwise, they may suffer the multifarious consequences of socio-political alienation by following a path of idealism intended to create a more humane society. The existing amoral at best and immoral more realistically superstructures reinforce atomism and suppress collective consciousness and communal dynamics. Should citizens simply remain docile and permit the continuing superstructures and substructures to perpetuate societal misery and social injustice, or should citizens become active as it is their duty to improve society? Has the value system of bourgeois society, combined with the age of the web made people so atomistic and alienated from the collective community that human beings are incapable of collective action? If so, can there possibly be hope for improving social justice in unjust societies?

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