Do you remember the scene of Decline of the American Empireby Denys Arcand, in which the intellectual played by Dominique Michel explains that the West is in decline?
“The signs of the decline of the empire are everywhere: the population despising its own institutions, the falling birth rate, the refusal of men to serve in the army, the national debt spiraling out of control, the ever-decreasing hours of work, the invasion of civil servants, the degeneration of the elites…”
Well, this line written 36 years ago may explain why Putin attacked Ukraine.
THE NEXT GOLDEN AGE
It is in any case the thesis that the French philosopher Luc Ferry defended in the pages of Figaro last Wednesday.
Oh, the philosopher does not quote Denys Arcand’s cult film.
But he could have…
Because for Ferry, if Putin did not hesitate two seconds before attacking the West head-on by invading Ukraine, it is because he knows that the West is in decline and will not react.
“In Putin’s eyes,” writes Ferry, “the future of the planet has swung to the side of Asia, India, the Islamic world and Africa. Under these conditions, being both feared and hated by “soft democracies” is only anecdotal.
“Culturally, scientifically, demographically, economically, militarily, the future will be Chinese. This analysis seems all the more obvious to him as it joins that of many Westerners who also think that our continent is finished, that our civilization is dead and that no one is ready to die for it. »
PUTIN PLACES HIS PAWNS
In short, for Luc Ferry, Putin is convinced that the golden age of the Western world was only a parenthesis in the history of humanity, and that this period is well and truly over.
By attacking Ukraine, the Russian president would only be placing his pawns on the world chessboard to ensure that his country will play a major role in the next golden age which, this time, will no longer revolve around the Europe and America (ugh!), but Iran, China, Brazil, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and India.
Certainly, Western countries will condemn Putin’s decision with one voice…
But whatever ? Since the West no longer counts!
Since the glorious years of Western civilization are not ahead of it, but behind!
Since, as Arcand pointed out in his film, the inhabitants of the American empire no longer have children, no longer want to die for their ideas and despise their own institutions!
TWO YEARS OF MADNESS
For Ferry, Putin firmly believes that the decline of the West is not just one thesis among many others, a prophecy.
But the reality.
And how not to prove him right?
Look at what has happened in the last two years.
The attack on the Capitol, the explosion of conspiracy theses, the rise of anti-science discourse, the multiplication of threats against elected officials and journalists, censorship in universities, victimization, hatred of the West, the center which sinks and the extremes which rise…
Without forgetting these pseudo-intellectuals who do not stop crying out for dictatorship as soon as they are asked for the slightest sacrifice…
Are these not conclusive signs of decline, in your opinion?
Reference-www.journaldemontreal.com