"Modern intelligence won't accept anything on authority. But it will accept anything without authority." — G.K. Chesterton, The Man Who Knew Too Much
Authority is inescapable. The modern mind hates this fact and wars against it by embracing any authority that opposes the appearance of the old authorities. Nevermind that it can only do so based on a new authority. On what basis do you remove the ancient landmark? On whose authority do you supplant it? By what standard do you forsake it? By the standard that having standards is old-fashioned, and on the authority of those who despise our elders, and on the basis of the ancient world being so unrepentantly unmodern. By this we attempt to remake the world in our own image. The modern world redefines authority to mean anything that used to hold sway so that when they grasp for power and cast them aside, it isn't by "authority" that they do so, at least in its traditional sense. How could it be when by its definition "authority" is the order it is overturning? And thus we get the new kinder, gentler authoritarianism.
"For the modern world will accept no dogmas upon any authority; but it will accept any dogmas upon no authority. Say that a thing is so, according to the Pope or the Bible, and it will be dismissed as a superstition without examination. But preface your remark merely with 'they say' or 'don’t you know that?' or try (and fail) to remember the name of some professor mentioned in some newspaper; and the keen rationalism of the modern mind will accept every word you say." — G.K. Chesterton, The Superstition of Divorce
The backslidden West despises definite authority. Cite a specific Source and the impulse is resistance. The apostate post-moderns do, however, receive indefinite authority. If some study has found something or someone online said or you saw something somewhere, it is assumed to be authoritative.
No comments:
Post a Comment