One of the most instructive teachings of Hannah Arendt through her work on the Origins of Totalitarianism is that the well-known, age-old danger of tyranny or despotism is not the same as the brand new thing that emerged in the 20th century under the label “totalitarianism.” There is something completely new under the sun, and the political danger at hand is not merely a matter of some would-be tyrant, with his goons, running amok and terrorizing the people. That’s bad enough.
The new and infinitely more dangerous monster of totalitarianism represents the emergence of a whole next level of terror. The root is grasped in the “totality” of it. Whole peoples become brainwashed when layers upon layers of distortion and perversity become woven into the fabric of society.
Today’s featured Substack is
’s Reflections, which is currently running a 20-week breakdown of the key points of Arendt’s magnum opus. Here is Lesson #1.Lesson #2 has also been published. I invite you to subscribe to receive the whole series in your inbox, and give each issue careful thought leading up to the November election. In particular, how can you personally, along with your family, friends, neighbors, and political soulmates protect against the root causes, symptoms, and dangers we now face, as a matter of new historical potential, from here on out? Let us be on our guard to not re-descend into the terrors of the mid-20th century, whether fascism or communism, the extremes of right or left, instigated by the machinations of faction, party, and the ideological control of your mind.
I’ll be writing much more on Arendt in coming weeks here at Pose Ponder as I participate in a reading group on Arendt’s The Human Condition. Stay tuned.
Thank you!