Let me share with you two key paragraphs from Instapundit Reynolds' most recent Substack essay, written in the first person.
What makes me sad now is the ongoing game of Civilizational Jenga that our ruling class is playing. One by one, they’re withdrawing the supports of civil society, in a process that will inevitably lead to a collapse. They’re taking what was a very robust society, and consuming all the safety margins, bit by bit.
What really makes me sad is that while some of the people involved – let’s call them “the morons” for convenience’s sake – are doing this out of shortsightedness, cupidity, or sheer partisan bloodthirstiness, I’m increasingly convinced that there’s a contingent at the top that knows exactly what it’s doing, and is fine with it.
I feel Reynolds gives the ruling class too much credit for foresight. Most of society's decision-makers are so old their idea of long-range planning is 5-10 years max. I'm there myself, a sort of après moi, le déluge attitude comes easily with advanced age.
