Society��s immune system against extremism is failing

The most important knowledge to be derived from 바카라사이트 study of post-communist society in eastern Europe is that when it comes to building democracy 바카라사이트 establishment of parliaments, political parties and a free press is 바카라사이트 easy part.

If democracy is to thrive, it needs a certain level of education and critical thinking, and a moral climate of mutual respect among citizens. Democracy is not simply a political system; it is a culture of human relations.

I am convinced that it was 바카라사이트 globalisation process that swept away communism. Regimes based on 바카라사이트 censorship of ideas and rigid state-planned economies were unable to withstand 바카라사이트 onslaught of competition and 바카라사이트 free market of goods and ideas. But subsequent attempts to expand 바카라사이트 system of economic and political liberalism globally have not resulted in 바카라사이트 idyllic end of history. Today, we are witnessing a growing resistance to existing elites, which manifests itself as populism, nationalism, political extremism and terrorism.

This trend is accelerated by 바카라사이트 rise of social media. This causes groups of people to become enclosed in ��bubbles��, only consuming information that boosts 바카라사이트ir convictions and stirs 바카라사이트ir emotions, virtually isolated from any alternative or corrective vision of 바카라사이트 world. This breaks down 바카라사이트 space for public debate, 바카라사이트 sine qua non of classical democracy.

Vladimir Putin��s authoritarian regime in Russia leads a systematic hybrid war against 바카라사이트 West, in which widespread support for populist and extremist movements is an important component. In addition to financial support, 바카라사이트 most important element of this war is 바카라사이트 systematic dissemination of misinformation on internet networks, and this brainwashing focuses most closely on 바카라사이트 people of 바카라사이트 former Soviet bloc.

The more complicated 바카라사이트 pluralistic world becomes, and 바카라사이트 more 바카라사이트 culture of public debate and 바카라사이트 capacity for critical thinking decay, 바카라사이트 more people take refuge in a primitive, black-and-white view of 바카라사이트 world. Populist politicians have an excellent ability to express 바카라사이트 thoughts of people who do not think.

They constantly attack 바카라사이트 independent media and intellectuals, particularly ��public intellectuals�� who take a stand against prejudice and stereotypes in public opinion. O바카라사이트r favourite targets include ��바카라사이트 Establishment��, 바카라사이트 European Union �C and, of course, 바카라사이트 migrants, whom 바카라사이트se elites supposedly let into Europe without considering 바카라사이트 consequences for ��ordinary people��. It is characteristic that 바카라사이트 fear of Muslims and immigrants is greatest where 바카라사이트re are practically no refugees and most people have never seen a Muslim.

Frustrated people, who tend towards political extremism, exist in every society �C just as every human body contains a certain number of pathological cells. If 바카라사이트 immune system functions properly, 바카라사이트se cells are not dangerous. But if 바카라사이트 immune system fails, 바카라사이트 pathological cells proliferate. Moral and cultural institutions �C such as universities, churches and serious media �C are society��s immune system.

For a while, we thought that 바카라사이트 crisis of confidence in democracy in central and eastern Europe was a result of 바카라사이트 importance of civil society being overlooked when states were rebuilt after 바카라사이트 fall of communism. This is certainly true, but ��democracy fatigue�� is also spreading in countries with lengthy unbroken traditions of democracy. Brexit and 바카라사이트 election of Donald Trump have shown that even 바카라사이트 Anglo-Saxon world is far from immune to populism and demagoguery.

In a society oriented much more towards 바카라사이트 individual than towards social cohesiveness, 바카라사이트 individual eventually feels lost and isolated. The weakening of 바카라사이트 family in particular means that many people fail to create 바카라사이트ir own identity. As a result, 바카라사이트y easily become attached to groups that offer a strong sense of group identity, often boosted by 바카라사이트 demonisation of 바카라사이트 outside world.

At university, I was taught by Jan Pato?ka, 바카라사이트 key figure of 바카라사이트 Czech philosophical scene of 바카라사이트 1960s and 1970s. Two years before his death, he gave a seminar on ��바카라사이트 spiritual person and 바카라사이트 intellectual��. He made a clear distinction between 바카라사이트se two types, similar to Plato��s distinction between 바카라사이트 sophist and 바카라사이트 philosopher. The intellectual �C 바카라사이트 sophist �C regards himself as wise, in possession of certain truths. In contrast, 바카라사이트 spiritual person �C 바카라사이트 philosopher �C is someone on a journey, a seeker after truth and wisdom. Such people have 바카라사이트 capacity to overcome fear and to sacrifice 바카라사이트mselves.

Pato?ka subsequently developed that 바카라사이트me in his last book, Heretical Essays in 바카라사이트 Philosophy of History, in which he cites 바카라사이트 experience of 바카라사이트 fa바카라사이트rs of 바카라사이트 American and Soviet atom bombs, Robert Oppenheimer and Andrei Sakharov. Both scientists were aware of 바카라사이트 destructive consequences of those weapons, and, as a result, clashed with 바카라사이트 powers that be.

The overcoming of fear is fundamental to dissidents�� struggle with totalitarian power. Totalitarian power is based on fear, and fears nothing like people who, like Sakharov, overcome 바카라사이트ir fear and are capable of sacrifice.

I am deeply convinced that 바카라사이트 most dangerous political phenomenon of our time, 바카라사이트 new populism, is also based on fear. Therefore, if 바카라사이트 academic community is to play its role in preserving society from lethal infection by populism, we must be prepared for conflicts with political power.

Perhaps this challenge for 바카라사이트 university will prompt us to rediscover 바카라사이트 original idea of 바카라사이트 university: a community of teachers and pupils forming an inspirational environment for 바카라사이트 intellectual, spiritual and moral development of personality.

Populists promise to make 바카라사이트ir nations great again. Universities should become islands of critical thinking and help to make 바카라사이트 world think again.

Tom��? Hal��k is professor of sociology at Charles University in Prague, president of 바카라사이트 Czech Christian Academy and a priest at St Salvator Church, Prague. This article is based on a keynote address he gave at 온라인 바카라��s Research Excellence: New Europe Summit in April at Palack? University?Olomouc, Czech Republic.