The Ideological Face of Chaos

3/24/2025

There are three maxims, or "laws" of politics attributed to the British historian Robert Conquest. One of them is,

Any organization that is not explicitly right-wing, sooner or later becomes left-wing.

We see it occurring time and again. Why is this so?

The default state of mankind is entropy, decay, and chaos. If there is no force to guide society into a beneficial mold, and to maintain the required level of energy, then entropy takes over. Leftism is the ideological face of chaos; it provides the justification, putting lipstick on the pig.

It is futile to search for logic or consistency in any substantive Leftist program. Their “platform” is merely whatever coat of paint is needed at that particular moment to enable the entropy to flourish. For example, when the working class can be used as a catalyst for chaos, it is seen as good; when the working class is an impetus to stability, it is condemned.

One might be tempted to believe that the Left is clever and quick on its feet. They always seem to have us reeling from their attacks, like a boxer on the ropes. After we expend huge amounts of time and money to neutralize one of their insane campaigns, there is no time to catch our breath before multiple new salvos are launched. Are they really that clever?

I don’t think so. The apparent cleverness is largely an optical illusion, because the Left always starts from an advantageous position. It is easier to be glib when you have the wind at your back. Society’s ingrained entropic tendencies provide a permanent fertile ground for the rapid growth of Leftism’s core characteristics: envy, parasitism, manipulation, projection, and decadence.

This is analagous to the advantageous position of the petulant child vis-à-vis his parents and other adults. The parent invests an enormous amount of time and energy to turn the little savage into a respectable member of society, whereas the child can destroy the work of years by committing any number of simple acts that are fully within his power, and that can be accomplished in a matter of minutes.

To be “right-wing” means to resist the torrent of entropy, the tantrums of the misbehaving child. It is the task of building and maintaining civilization, which requires that common sense and tradition be respected, and that high culture prevail. Otherwise, society cannot suppress the ideologies that correspond to envy, manipulation, parasitism, etc. Wherever high culture retreats, even to the slightest degree, Leftism automatically flows into the space, like a gaseous substance filling a vacuum.

And thus, “any organization that is not explicitly right-wing, sooner or later becomes left-wing.”

6 Comments

Zachriel

3/24/2025 01:36:00 pm

AWOL Civilization: Leftism is the ideological face of chaos 

The political left is generally defined as the advocacy of egalitarianism, while the political right is associated with hierarchicalism. The left-right political spectrum is orthogonal to the chaos-order spectrum. There are forms of leftism that are certainly anarchistic, but other forms of leftist are authoritarian, still others in between. Similarly, there are anarchistic forms of rightism, while other forms are authoritarian, and others in between.

The Western world has been moving to the political left since the Renaissance. For instance, while once it was considered radical to free the slaves or for women to be in leadership roles, this is no longer the case. The political center has moved left. The classic example is the power of kings: Where once kings were considered to be the sole source of authority, now ordinary people have a voice through elected representation.

AWOL Civilization: To be “right-wing” means to resist the torrent of entropy 

Certainly, that is an important strain of conservatism, to hold fast to long-standing institutions and mores, even while acknowledging the necessity of change in a changing world. Conservatism stands against those who advocate radical change. This is distinct from reactionaryism, also on the political right, which wants to upend modernity and return society to an often mythological past.

AWOL Civilization

3/24/2025 02:20:36 pm

@Zachriel “The political left is generally defined as the advocacy of egalitarianism”

Yes, and egalitarianism is one of the major engines of chaos. Nothing throws society into disarray like the myth of equality.

“There are forms of leftism that are certainly anarchistic, but other forms of leftist are authoritarian, still others in between.”

As I wrote in the post, these various forms of Leftism are a “coat of paint” that alternate according to the needs of the moment. What they all have in common is disruption of the natural functioning of humanity. For example, the forced imposition of child genital mutilation is certainly authoritarian, but it leads to the dissolving of life itself.

“The Western world has been moving to the political left since the Renaissance.”

Never a truer word spoken.

“This is distinct from reactionaryism, also on the political right, which wants to upend modernity and return society to an often mythological past.”

It doesn’t want to upend modernity, but rather a particular version of modernity, one that is inherently dysfunctional. It seeks to revive elements from the past that are proven to be effective and uplifting. For example, encouraging beauty in art and architecture, instead of the vile creations that surround us.

3/24/2025 02:58:22 pm

AWOL Civilization: egalitarianism is one of the major engines of chaos. Nothing throws society into disarray like the myth of equality.

Sure. The American Revolution, the end of slavery, women's suffrage, the Civil Rights Movement, all caused "disarray".

AWOL Civilization: these various forms of Leftism are a “coat of paint”

They're not a "coat of paint", but real ideological differences. Some on the left have moderate views, some want more change faster, some insist on utopia now even at the expense of social turmoil. Similarly, some on the right have moderate views, some are rigid in their belief brooking no change, while others fantasize about a glorious past that never existed and would be willing to overturn modern society. And they vary in their views on the role of governmental authority.

AWOL Civilization: It doesn’t want to upend modernity, but rather a particular version of modernity, one that is inherently dysfunctional.

The fundamental problem with your position is that you overgeneralize the "left" and "right" as single philosophies. They're not. It leads you to make sweeping statements about the "left", rather than acknowledging the complexity, historical and current-day.

3/24/2025 03:52:46 pm

“Sure. The American Revolution, the end of slavery, women's suffrage, the Civil Rights Movement, all caused ‘disarray’.”

The Founding Fathers would be horrified at contemporary notions of “equality.” They founded a republic based on the voting of landowning white males. In a sense it was reactionary; the model being ancient Rome, specifically the replacement of the monarchy with the republic.

The end of slavery was based on the desire to end a system of cruelty. Nobody at the time thought that blacks and whites are equal. Recall that Lincoln wanted to send the slaves back to Africa, asserting that they have no possible place in American society.

Women’s suffrage was arguably a cause of disarray. An early manifestation of feminism; enough said. And the Civil Rights Movement? Surely you jest. One would be hard pressed to find a greater disaster for American society. Look at where it brought us: Diversity is our strength!

“some on the right have moderate views, some are rigid in their belief brooking no change, while others fantasize about a glorious past that never existed and would be willing to overturn modern society.”

I, for one, “fantasize” about many glorious aspects of past societies, including the one in which I grew up. These things most certainly existed. As for overturning modern society, it is the Left that is in a permanent state of overturning society. It is what defines the Leftist, from Rousseau to Comte to Marx to Mussolini to Bernie Sanders.

“The fundamental problem with your position is that you overgeneralize the ‘left’ and ‘right’ as single philosophies.”

Sure, the Left has been marked by different “philosophies,” but I am identifying the common elements. There are recurring themes, and a distinctive way of looking at the world. As far as the “Right,” the unifying element is acknowledgement of reality.

3/25/2025 10:05:22 am

AWOL Civilization: The Founding Fathers would be horrified at contemporary notions of “equality.”

Perhaps. But they also signed on to "all men are created equal". Certainly, they were to the political left of (more egalitarian than) King George III.

Regardless, you are still conflating the political left with its most extreme members. It would be like saying that anyone on the political right supports a totalitarian military dictatorship. Rather, some people on the left have moderate views, while others have less moderate or extreme views—similarly on the right.

AWOL Civilization: And the Civil Rights Movement? Surely you jest. One would be hard pressed to find a greater disaster for American society.

Now we know what you mean by "glorious aspects of past societies". We will keep in mind that you don't support the historical dismantling of segregation and anti-discrimination laws.

3/25/2025 10:27:02 am

Don’t put words in my mouth. Previously, you managed to maintain the decorum necessary for serious discussion. But now, I’m afraid to say, you have lapsed into the typical Leftist, weasel-worded, “gotcha,” infantile style of argumentation. I will not tolerate it on this blog. Further comments of this sort will be deleted.

The Ideological Face of Chaos

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