Our Most Important Intangible? Chaos!

If our nukes and missiles, our tanks and troops, our economy and population aren't the truly critical facts allowing for our universally granted Great Power Status. what is?

Intangibles. Not the warm fuzzy words like "freedom" or "democracy" or "free enterprise" or the symbols of our culture such as shopping malls, blue jeans or rock and roll. What makes these symbols and words powerful is the usually unrecognised reality underlying them.

Chaos.

We are admired for this reality. We are hated for it. It is the reality of chaos and the opportunities that automatically come with chaos that those who scheme and dream of destroying the American experiment (as well as those who wish it well and hope to emulate it) are focusing upon.

Chaos has only one true enemy. Chaos raises the fear and loathing of only one type of person. That person is not necessarily an Islamist. Not necessarily even a Muslim. That person can be and is found in the ranks of Christians. In the ranks of Jews. Even in the ranks of agnostics and atheists.

What kind of person is it?

The authoritarian personality.

Whether home-grown or foreign, whether follower or leader, the authoritarian personality rejects chaos absolutely, fears taking responsibility for his own success or failures, and wishes to impose an artificial order of tradition, or religion, or ideology. The authoritarian personality hopes to turn the milling horde of chaotic individuals, speaking and acting at seeming cross-purposes and appearing to place self above community whatever the cost, into a disciplined, orderly formation with all ears tuned to a single voice of command.

The authoritarian personality lives here in the United States. A number of studies done by social psychologists and sociologists indicate that approximately thirty percent of us are authoritarian personalities. These are the personalities that reject chaos and embrace the artificial certainties promised by religion, tradition, ideology or simply the title "expert." Thirty percent of our population is comfortable with the idea of surrendering individual judgement, autonomy or the chance to seek opportunity by taking a risk.

In other countries the percentage is higher. The studies aren't complete, indeed they are so sketchy that any estimate is the softest of guesses. However, consider historical actuality. Consider what kind of person came (and continues to come) to the US.

Is the incomer risk averse? Eager to bow a head to authority? That's a no-brainer. Of course not. The immigrant seeks risk, seeks opportunity, seeks to make a place in the American maelstrom.

We became the sinkhole for those who are authority averse more than three centuries ago. We remain such today. This is our ultimate strength. Our ultimate cachet as a Great Power.

It is also why we are hated. The fearful must hate us. They must hate not only our policies (a position that might well be rational and realistic). They must also hate the fact of our very existence regardless of policy details.

Our existence, by definition, is The Outlaw. To feel at all safe in his fear driven and demon haunted orderly world, the authoritarian be he religious or secular must end the constant threat that we present. To do otherwise is to lose.

Get a grip on this unpleasant reality. Whether an American or citizen of another country, the US in its natural state of chaos is The Outlaw. And, Outlaws must be removed.

This may seem like a long stretch from foreign policy, the US as a Great Power and not losing in Iraq. Trust Dr History Geek. The nature of our most important intangible, chaos, and the fear it induces as well as the allure it holds, is the key to both our status as a Great Power and our ultimate ability not to lose in Iraq and Afghanistan.