THE SECULAR THEOCRACY

Population sociologist Sheila Newman posited the view that Growthism was the new totalitarian religion, much like medieval Catholicism or fundamentalist Islam. A state religion of this kind does not yield the floor to critics. Not then, not now. Why then are we surprised that we are shunned by state broadcasting and other media for presenting alternative cosmologies?

Now another position is being advanced by Paul Edward Gottfried in "Multiculturalism and the Politics of Guilt". He nominates multiculturalism as the new religion, or more narrowly, political correctness. Its mission is to fashion beliefs and behaviour in conformity with the multicultural outlook, which is one of victim and victimizer.(American Conservative). In this goal it has become a substitute for Christianity.

It is my view that the totalitarian religion of the Anglophone world and of Western Europe is syncretistic. It consists of a fusion of Growthism and multiculturalism. As I have written many times, "diversity" is promoted as a smokescreen for mass immigration, which as growthists know, accelerates growth. More and more people coming from many more different places makes us so much more enriched, and some people simply rich. It also makes people more withdrawn, according to sociologist Ernest Healy of Monash University, who finds that the rate of volunteerism drops in multicultural areas. This conclusion dovetails with that of Harvard’s Robert Putnam who found that the level of trust declines in more diverse communities, and people vote for less redistributive policies because they are reluctant to share with those dissimilar from themselves, who are deemed less trustworthy. I would submit that this lack of trust inhibits the formation and support for organizations that would challenge or mitigate corporate authority. Multiculturalism as an agency of social fragmentation therefore is a prop for corporate capitalism.

So I would tend to see not Growthism but perhaps "Multicultural Growthism" as our reigning Ingsoc. Corporate executives not only speak of the bottom line, but of how "diverse" their workforce is and how this very diversity was essential to the company's future success. All the cliches and slogans of multiculturalism find a home along side the economic bromides of higher productivity and team work.

Perhaps this concept needs discussion to worked out further. I think Growthism and Multiculturalism are twin pillars and the relationship needs exploration. It is not about people wearing funny folk costumes, dancing to old folk music and serving delicious exotic food. It is about how their recruitment is used to fuel economic growth.

Another time.