Ted Kaczynski and Mathematics (And Other Luddite musings)

I'll be the first to admit I own a copy of the unabomber manifesto but I have yet to crack it open. so I'm going off what I know about why Theodore J. Kaczynski was calling out the Western left but never touched the positivist analytic school known as the Vienna Circle. This was likely because he was a professor of mathematics, and could find useful data on what he was studying to write this to be published in the New York Times. I would assume his findings came up with data referring to the usage of technology in relation to socialization among peoples. Our insistent dependence on technology (ironic I'm using it to write this blog, hindsight is 50/50) has created a class of atomized individuals dependent on instant gratification and while this has short-term benefits, he likely analyzed suicide rates, mental health issues in those most exposed to the greatest number of technological instruments. If he was deconstructing mathematics he likely would have found religion and his attacks would have had a "Jihad"-like mentality. I don't advocate for what he did, it was obviously wrong and people died, but he did it not to kill, but to make a general statement about our dependence on technology as a society. This can be echoed in the writings of Oswald Spengler and Jacques Ellul with their increasing emphasis on "technique" or the mastery of tools in a given society, once a society reaches an epoch of understanding, they must make way for other cultures to grow exponentially, as the dreaded stage of "civilization" has been reached. Looking at his critiques of the post-modern left, you can see he was not pleased with how people in places like the Frankfurt School had infiltrated modern discourse with an emphasis on "thinking" instead of "doing". Now I'm no exception to this rule but I see it predominantly in the self-hating whites of black lives matter with their Maoist self-criticism and abuse towards themselves to the point of self-flagellation. they lack vigour and a willingness to break from group psychology (Ted was very keen on this too) to become better than their peers and make a break for it, a la Nietzsche. Instead they are guided by emotional pleas to irrationality. whilst Georges Sorel did see humans as reasonable, he also saw us as mostly, irrational, emotional creatures reminiscent of "Captain Caveman" (sound familiar?), and Ted, for all his work and knowledge was not exempt from this, besides having a keen understanding of the world he was also a very angry man, and nothing could conceal his contempt for modern man. I hope someday to write him a letter and ask him how he views humanity now vs. how he did when he was arrested. It would be an interesting letter correspondence. Now his views seem even more bleak but more proactive and wants to inspire those who want a break from the rat race and gain an ability to live without having to depend on the state to live comfortably and without the pain that modern society brings. I would give one word of advice to those attempting such things, that you must establish yourself with other people, and more and more people can live without the need for excessive modernization, learn bushcraft and basic survival skills, like hunting and fishing and homesteading. Because the world as it stands is accelerating and people are abusing themselves with Frankfurt and Maoist garbage, don't let it get to you. turn off your TV and take a walk. Even with this covid nonsense, its just more government intrusion. Maybe living away from modern society is whats best at this point, knowing that rural populations are affected less. I would much prefer to live in a one horse town than a sprawling metropolis and you can bet your bottom dollar it would improve my mental health. Hell, it would improve a lot of peoples' mental health to get away from it all. Ted was not criticizing the old left, because they emphasized community and wellbeing, he was attacking the neoliberal left that does nothing but flagellate themselves over a dead man. step out of the Matrix and not just exist. Live.

                                                                            J./Adolf Stalin