The Natural Man

Why philosophy is not taught from a young age in the American public school system is perhaps by design. A lot of things in the world system are done by design. What philosophy does is that it fosters the ability of contemplation and thought, and with contemplation and thought comes intuition and foresight. And with intuition and foresight, one can perhaps dictate and shape global events and thus control the world. How to prevent an individual from dictating events and controlling the world is by fostering a global system of corporatism and consumerism where there is no space or time for contemplation and thought. Schools and universities in the United States are thus subordinated to a system of consumerism and corporatism, not individualism and freedom of thought. Any thought that is presented in a school or university in Washington which is outside of the parameters of the consumeristic and corporatist system will be met with a low grade or even a failing grade.

Through a system of consumerism and corporatism, an individual is thus coerced into being preoccupied with their stomach and their genitals, not the shaping of current events and international affairs through open and free contemplation and thought. As the Prophet Muhammad said: “Control your stomach and your genitals, and you will control the world.”

By virtue of American global hegemony, the system of consumerism and corporatism – whereby the individual is subordinated to the desires of their stomach and genitals and is thus inhibited from unlocking the power of contemplation and thought – has gone global. Rarely do we find an individual with the power of a Malcolm X or a Gandhi or Martin Luther King Jr. in this day and age. The reason is because no one is given the space or time for contemplation and thought in an age of American global hegemony. Once individuals are given the space and the time for contemplation and thought, individuals can then shape current events and international affairs through the intuition and foresight that comes with free contemplation and thought.

But despite the overarching world system of consumerism and corporatism, at least one individual will fall through the cracks in every age or epoch of history. This individual is perhaps “The Natural Man” that Rousseau had referred to in his political philosophy. Rousseau’s “Natural Man” begins by being just like anyone else. At the beginning, he is lazy and indolent, but pleasant and kind. However, when the cruelty of the system comes down on him through a mishap and happenstance, “The Natural Man” is then transformed by philosophy. Once transformed by philosophy, he is then able to impose his political will on the world system, thus transforming it in the process.

An overarching system of consumerism and corporatism that is global in scope cannot contain every single individual, despite its efforts. Thus, there is always a “Natural Man” that arises during every age or epoch in human history. And in a postmodern age where connectivity is widespread and visibility is far more attainable, the ability to realize Rousseau’s idea of a “Natural Man” is perhaps much easier than ever before.