Standing at the Precipice of a New Dark Age

I read part of an article – just a long paragraph, really – from a recent edition of The Atlantic. It was about the rise of what the author called the “New Obscurantism,” referencing the Enlightenment notion of intellectual darkness and irrationality. He made the argument that across Europe "health quacks and influencers," together with spiritualists and political charlatans, are creating this new era of irrationality and magical thinking. He noted rising interest in everything from runes and crystals to the anti-vax craze. He used the example of Tucker Carlson, a right-wing mouthpiece who was even too crazy for Fox News, claiming that a demon attacked him and left visible claw marks. 

The author was talking specifically about Europe, but of course all this is true here, too. I always like to imagine Europe as this bulwark of democratic socialism and post-Christian rationality, but then I read stuff like this. It makes me feel like maybe we really are entering a new dark age. But one in which we have the population and technology of the 21st century. A terrifying combination. I would give anything to know how this will all be viewed a hundred years from now, or 500 years from now. Will there even be anyone around then to do the analyzing? 

A lot of people seem to be wondering how they can balance being informed with remaining sane for the next four years. For me, it means giving up the need to be informed at all. Yesterday I read some news about Trump's first few days in office. I found myself so angry and helpless that I wanted to send nasty messages to the family and friends who I know voted for him. That's obviously not healthy.

It just reminds me that I have to return to what I've been saying for a while now: I need to focus on what's in front of me. My family, my friends, my job, my hobbies. Live life to the fullest. Spend my money. Enjoy myself. Do what makes me happy. Those are the things I can control.

But this sure is not the world I imagined entering my 50s in. When I was a kid, I sometimes thought ahead to my future self (who doesn't?). Being born in 1975, it was always easy to know when I'd be 25 and 50 and 75 years old. So 2025 is a year I used to think about, knowing it would be the year I turned 50. I definitely didn't imagine it being like this. I never dreamed I'd be writing about fears of the world entering another dark age. It's crazy.