[JumpCrisscross]

> Politics being the center of cultural life is a sign of bad things going on

I was going to disagree. But then the historical examples that come to mind at the tail end of democracies and republics is this sort of populist (versus civic) engagement.

[xapata]

Indeed. I wish we had more data to analyze good ways to survive this crisis. Sadly, the predominant result seems to be reversion to dictatorship.

[sjg007]

A dictatorship only resolves things be basically by “cleansing” the heretical thoughts of the others. Not a very good solution nor is it respectful of free speech.

[JumpCrisscross]

> nor is it respectful of free speech

Argument is there are certain modes of free speech that are unstable. They create social harmonics that empower populists who tear down the liberal order and destroy the rights that brought them to power (and could now threaten to topple them).

Classical case for this, with respect to democracy (not free speech), is Athens.

[sjg007]

The classics and antiquities were well studied in England and liberal arts but are lost amongst Americans and HN sophists.