The Age of Ignorance

America was born out of The Enlightenment also known as the Age of Reason. This period in human history (1685-1815) can be best described as a time when knowledge flourished. The human mind was at last free to question, seek knowledge, and challenge the orthodoxy of the day. In his essay, “What is Enlightenment,” philosopher Immanuel Kant succinctly stated, “Dare to know! Have courage to use your own reason!”

The period popularized scientific revelations based on the earlier works of Galileo and Kepler and included the groundbreaking work of Sir Isaac Newton. Meanwhile, in philosophy and politics, the indisputable leader of the time was John Locke whose “Two Treatises on Government” profoundly influenced America’s Founders. The political ideas of Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, and Benjamin Franklin were born through the influence of Locke. Basically, no John Locke, no America.

Today we have more freedom to question, seek knowledge and challenge orthodoxy than ever before in the history of man thanks to the internet. We can ask a question of our favorite search engine and within milliseconds have all the relevant information returned to us on our screens. Yet, we stand at the dawn of the Age of Ignorance. How could this be?

We have woke ideology to thank for the flourishing of ignorance like an untamable fungus in the swamp of really bad ideas. What does it mean to be woke? We can begin by identifying every traditional Western value, finding the opposite, and you have woke dogma. According to its adherents, to be woke implies that one is awake and tuned into beliefs like America is an irredeemably racist society worthy of self-loathing and contempt.

In the woke world, the stupid are wise, and the wise are stupid. To be woke is to believe that up is down, right is left, backward is forward, guilt is innocence, love is hate, insanity is sanity, math is racist, censorship is democracy, and men can actually have babies. In truth, to be woke is to suspend all rational thought. Wokeness is brainwashing and anesthesia rolled into one.

One might argue, aren’t wokesters simply the new philosophers of the day—free to question, seek knowledge, and challenge orthodoxy? In a word—no. To be woke is not to enlighten, but to obscure the truth by making the mind dim and disordered. There are two key differences between wokesters and Enlightenment thinkers. First, woke ideology has nothing to do with logic. Where else can you get such thoughts as gender is an artificial social construct when indisputable scientific fact tells us there are only two genders?

Second, debating woke orthodoxy is not permitted. In the woke mind, debate is heresy and can only be handled by cancelation. Virtual beheading in the Bastille of public opinion.

The Enlightenment was characterized by spirited debate based on logically formed arguments. While not all thinkers of the time agreed, they also did not try to censor each other. The threatened establishment certainly tried to censor the thinkers of the time, but they failed because the truth is a powerful force that can be hidden for a while, but not interminably contained.

Of course, there is an objective to wokeism. It’s not just a thought exercise. It is a chosen tool of the left and neo-Marxists. I discuss this in detail in my book, “American Gaslighting: How American is Being Systematically Taught to Hate Itself.” The left’s objective is to tear down and reconstruct America and the West into a society based on “equity.” The self-appointed woke masters will decide what equity is; no need for you to worry about that detail. Woke ideology is absurd and deserves every ounce of scorn and ridicule that we can throw at it.  

What can you do to counter woke ideology?

First, as ludicrous as I think woke ideology is, I fully defend the right of others to spew nonsense. However, we also have the right to debate and discredit stupidity without infringement upon our right of free speech. Censorship of views that don’t align with woke orthodoxy must end. Anyone who encounters such discrimination ought to pursue legal action to the best of their ability. Cases are being won in the courts, and pain in the wallet is a powerful deterrent.

Second, commit to living in truth in your personal life. Socrates, the great philosopher of ancient Greece, questioned incessantly because he wanted to live in truth. Conversely, he did not fear being questioned because he felt he could not lose; not because he thought himself superior, but because he could only gain by having his errors corrected. Only the ignorant are satisfied with living in blissful self-deception.

Third, embrace logic and refuse to react emotionally to political ploys. The left is constantly stoking fear as a tool of control. When we are afraid, we readily surrender freedoms to politicians who claims they can protect us. In an extreme state of emotion, it is difficult to think rationally. We must think clearly at all times. In the words of Kant, have courage to use your own reason.

Fourth, question everything that comes from the government and the media. Along with the Age of Ignorance we simultaneously live in an Age of Propaganda. Bureaucracies and legacy media do not deserve our trust. Every policy that emerges from them must be questioned, scrutinized, and cross-checked. Anything that we are not allowed to challenge is propaganda.

Finally, and most important of all, refuse to self-censor. The left speaks of white privilege on the 24/7 spin cycle, but the reality is we are living under woke privilege. Someone aligned with woke orthodoxy is free to speak as much as they like, but anyone who disagrees is punished. When we see others attacked, we become reticent in speaking the truth and we self-censor. Instead, speak the truth boldly.

Imagine where we would be if our Founders were timid souls who chose to self-censor? Instead, they chose spoke the truth boldly, challenging and defeating the most powerful military in the world at the time. That was courage that many of us cannot imagine. It is this spirit that we must welcome into our hearts if we are to save our country.

In the words of Thomas Paine, “The cause of America is in a great measure the cause of all mankind.” The preservation of American is indispensable for the future of the world—we are the world’s last and best hope for freedom.

Dan Shyti is an author, leadership expert, engineer, and speech coach. He is the author of the newly released book, “American Gaslighting: How American is Being Systematically Taught to Hate Itself.” For speaking engagements, you can contact him through his website: www.danshyti.com.