Search

The Return to Feudalism in 21st Century Garb A simple observer's viewpoint, with no claim to hold any absolute truth. The Veneer Cracks There is something strangely archaic about the world unfolding before our eyes, despite its satellites, artificial intelligence, and promises of infinite progress. Here and there, we witness heads of state behaving like feudal lords of another age, patiently nibbling away at the neighboring territory, redrawing borders through force rather than law, as if governing a nation mattered less than expanding one's fiefdom. No names need be mentioned here: current events provide plenty of illustration, and each reader will recognize, according to their own geography and moment of reading, the faces that embody this observation. But this return to the archaic is not confined to grand geopolitical stages. It also permeates the most ordinary daily life—that of social media, where anyone can pour out venom against another without filter, without form, and often without the slightest argument. The verbal jousting of yesteryear, with its codes, its rhetoric, its tacit limits, has given way to raw invective, snap judgment, instant condemnation. We no longer debate: we execute, verbally—and sometimes it doesn't stop at words. The Vanished Inhibition What strikes one, in this dual observation—macro-political and micro-social—is the lifting of an inhibition we thought firmly anchored. Centuries of cultural construction, education, philosophy, sometimes religion, had patiently shaped mechanisms of restraint: politeness as social ritual, argumentation as a mode of resolving disagreement, respect for one's opponent as the very foundation of democratic debate. This civilizational veneer, however fragile it always was, seemed to hold. Today it is cracking, and the question—which for me remains a simple hypothesis, not a certainty—is why. A convenient explanation would blame social media: anonymity, the distance of the screen, the instantaneousness of publication would favor verbal acting-out without the usual mediation of reflection. This is probably true, but likely insufficient. For technology here is only an accelerant, an amplifier—not necessarily a root cause. A Poorly Formatted Neocortex? The more unsettling hypothesis—and I frame it explicitly as hypothesis, not scientifically established fact—is that of a failure in the formation of moral judgment and tolerance toward otherness. The human brain possesses the neural structures enabling empathy, the distancing of impulsive reaction, the acceptance of difference—but these capacities are not innate in their full exercise: they must be built, educated, cultivated, like a muscle that needs patient training from childhood onward. If this education in otherness, nuance, and tolerance of disagreement erodes—for multiple and undoubtedly complex reasons that are not mine to settle here—then older reflexes resurface: instinctive distrust of the stranger outside the clan, the law of the strongest, the logic of territorial or symbolic predation. The other ceases to be a possible interlocutor and becomes once again a potential threat, unless they belong to my tribe, my clan, my party, my digital bubble. Two Scales, One Logic What is striking, in this deliberately provocative reading, is the structural similarity between these two scales. The leader who invades a neighbor in the name of a rediscovered greatness or a reinvented historical right, and the anonymous internet user who insults a stranger in the name of an unnegotiable conviction, may obey the same underlying grammar: that of territory to defend, clan to protect, the other to subdue or exclude rather than understand. The form has changed—satellites instead of horses, tweets instead of heralds—but the substance, in this reading that remains mine alone and commits no one else, seems strangely identical to that of feudal rivalries: the absence of a recognized third party, of an accepted common rule, of a respected arbitrating authority. Everyone becomes judge and party, lord of their own digital or territorial fiefdom. A Civilization on a Knife's Edge Norbert Elias, in his Civilizing Process, showed how Western societies had historically built, with remarkable slowness, an increasing control over impulses and direct violence, in favor of more sublimated forms of social regulation. What we may be observing today—and I stress again the conditional—is a form of regression in this process, or at least a fragilization of the veneer it had patiently laid down. Should we see this as an effect of great technological accelerations, which shake up our cognitive rhythms without leaving education time to adapt? A deeper crisis of the institutions tasked with transmitting these values of tolerance—school, family, religion, the rule of law? Or simply a cyclical movement of human history, where phases of policed civilization alternate with darker backlashes? I have no certain answer, and I would be wary of anyone claiming to hold one. In Conclusion, a Shared Concern This text is only a viewpoint, necessarily partial and subjective, on a world that sometimes seems to replay ancient logics in new clothing. Perhaps I am wrong to perceive a continuity between the feudal lord and the contemporary dictator, between the anonymous online insult and the absence of education in nuance. Perhaps these phenomena are unrelated, or too complex to be thus summarized. But if this reading, even partially, hits the mark, then the question that arises is less one of technological regulation—though necessary—than the far more arduous question of how to rebuild, generation after generation, this capacity to accept the other in their difference, to debate without destroying, to coexist without necessarily dominating. This undertaking, if it exists, will not be resolved by an algorithm nor by an international treaty. It plays out, patiently, in the most elementary education—the one that teaches a child that the other is not a threat, but a possibility. Bibliography Elias, N. (1939). Über den Prozess der Zivilisation [The Civilizing Process]. Oxford: Blackwell (Eng. trans. 1978-1982). Lorenz, K. (1963). Das sogenannte Böse [On Aggression]. London: Methuen (Eng. trans. 1966). Arendt, H. (1970). On Violence. New York: Harcourt, Brace & World. Han, B.-C. (2013). Im Schwarm [In the Swarm: Digital Prospects]. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press (Eng. trans. 2017).

Why Good Times Make Weak People The pinnacle of tyranny is a society in which people are controlled without force because they love their servitude. Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World explored this idea. Unlike Orwell’s 1984, its citizens are controlled not through terror but pleasure. Soma provides instant relief from discomfort—a “holiday from the facts.” Huxley’s people are not prisoners but satisfied customers: the State produces children, promiscuity is normalized, and entertainment fills every empty moment. As Neil Postman observed, Orwell feared that truth would be hidden from us, while Huxley feared that we would become so distracted that we would no longer care about it. The Softening of Man Good times can make bad times possible. When safety and luxury become normal, people can lose sight of the struggles that created them. Andrew Lobaczewski argued that prosperity can weaken profound reflection. Pleasure becomes dominant, while uncomfortable truths are dismissed because thinking about them requires effort. Those who think critically may even be ridiculed. This creates a dangerous cycle: societies lose the capacity for psychological reasoning and moral criticism, allowing catastrophe to develop unnoticed. Sterilizing Genius Nietzsche understood that comfort, elevated above all else, can destroy the qualities that made civilization possible. Struggle, ambition, discipline, passion, and courage helped create prosperity—but prosperity can weaken the virtues that produced it. The Odyssey illustrates this. The Lotus-Eaters simply lose the desire to return home. Odysseus must drag his men back while they weep to remain. He rejects Calypso’s offer of immortality and endless comfort, choosing the difficult path home. We admire that choice because comfort without purpose is not a life worth admiring. Nietzsche imagined the endpoint in Thus Spoke Zarathustra: a society where safety and sameness become the highest ideals, producing “no shepherd, and one herd.” Anyone who seeks greatness becomes an aberration.

Sports greatness has never automatically translated into courage off it. Muhammad Ali, Bill Russell, Craig Hodges, John Carlos and Tommie Smith taught us—Being extraordinary on the field isn’t the same thing as being willing to risk comfort for conviction https://t.co/XsxmaahNA7 #SportsGreatness #Courage #Activism #Thetweetdoesnotspecificallymentionanycountriesdirectly.Therefore #therearenocountrycodestoreturn.

Authoritarians promise order, national greatness Socialists promise equality Post-liberals promise meaning, belonging, religious/civilizational authority—faith, family, place Liberals' is freedom—essential rights to cultivate the conditions for flourishing https://t.co/ykDLrkpwur #Politics #Ideology #Freedom #Nospecificcountrycodesdetectedinthetweet.

To the Americans: I've travelled all over the world. I've familiarized myself with many places, and met many people. And I'm a Canadian, although I’m privileged to reside once again in the States. And here's something I've noticed, and it’s a key element of America's continuing greatness: You bloody Americans value success, and you believe in its existence. https://x.com/jordanbpeterson/status/2073436674088931749

🚨🪽 LE RETOUR D’UNE ICÔNE ? Le PSG préparerait un maillot Fourth 2026/27 blanc avec les mythiques ailes noires du légendaire « Wings » ! Sous le thème « Greatness from Greater Paris », le club voudrait ressusciter l’un des designs les plus cultes de son histoire avec une version modernisée : Le « Wings 2.0 ». ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Le THREE-PEAT arrive fort ! @Footy_Headlines @opaleak #PSG #Football #Wings

🚨 LES AILES DE RETOUR POUR LE MAILLOT FOURTH 26/27 ! 🪽 Le PSG devrait ressortir les ailes pour son maillot FOURTH de couleur blanche avec un motif ailé noir ! 🤍🖤 Le thème “Greatness from Greater Paris” vise donc un retour aux sources avec l’ambition de créer un “Wings 2.0” ✨ (@Footy_Headlines @opaleak) #PSG #Maillot #Football

🔵🫂 Erling Haaland for Pep Guardiola… “A coach who never stopped teaching. It sounds crazy to say this, but you made greatness feel normal”. “Even after hat-tricks, wins and trophies, there was always another lesson, another challenge and another level to reach. That https://t.co/P416ahLF6n #Haaland #Guardiola #FootballLegend #Nospecificcountrycodesarementionedinthetweet.

Victor Wembanyama, after a standout performance in a crucial playoff game against the Timberwolves, embraced the challenges and physical toll of the NBA, showcasing his unique skills and resilience, while emphasizing the importance of consistency and teamwork for his Spurs' journey towards greatness. #NBA #Basketball #VictorWembanyama #US #FR

In a thrilling encounter between rising stars Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs, Wembanyama showcased his dominance with 39 points and key defensive plays to lead his team to a 115-108 victory, setting the stage for a compelling rivalry that could define the future of the NBA as both players strive for greatness amidst their contrasting styles and shared competitive spirit. #NBA #Rivalry #FutureStars #US #FR

Luis Enrique's Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) is set to compete against Arsenal in the Champions League final on May 30, showcasing a team transformed into a formidable unit under his leadership, having overcome Bayern Munich in the semifinals with a blend of tactical acumen and collective effort, raising the bar for European football greatness. #ChampionsLeague #PSG #Football #FR #GB #DE #GE #ES #BR

Infantino emphasized the importance of appreciating both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as contemporaries in football, advocating for celebration rather than comparison, and reminding fans that the joy of witnessing their greatness transcends rivalry. #FootballLegends #MessiVsRonaldo #Sportsmanship #AR #PT

These women didn’t just compete - they defined greatness! 🤩 Celebrating the athletes who inspired the world at #MilanoCortina2026 this month. 🥹🫶 #WinterParalympics | #IWD2026 I #WomensMonth https://t.co/6hYQ9ER4Nv -

🚨 JUST IN: President Trump stops on his way into the White House to check out new PATRIOT STATUES in the Rose Garden - Benjamin Franklin - Alexander Hamilton I LOVE that his first thought when he gets back is to marvel at American greatness! 🇺🇸 https://t.co/z6mVaoMiSX -

I love President Trump. I would take anyone to the floor for the United States and for Donald J. Trump. I am always eager to throw down on anyone who works to undermine his plan to restore our country to greatness. He is truly my hero. I am so proud of him today. 🇺🇸 -

"The Judge on the case of what will be the most beautiful Ballroom anywhere in the World, has just thrown out, and completely erased, the effort to stop its construction... It will stand long into the future as a symbol to the Greatness of America!" - President Donald J. Trump 🇺🇸 https://t.co/Nxn9glP2LR -

Tonight, President Trump will celebrate the story of America's greatness and outline a bold vision for the years ahead. That includes MAKING AMERICA SAFE AGAIN, which @POTUS is accomplishing with unprecedented results—including the lowest murder rate in 125 years. And our work is just getting started. I cannot wait to hear his historic speech. Tune in at 9:00 PM! -