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WORLD SPLIT APART: AN ANALYSIS
GOVT 200
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Alexander Solzhenitsyn’s 1978 Harvard Commencement Speech, titled “World Split
Apart” discusses the differing ideology of the East and the West, and how this “split” is
impossible to overcome without violence. Furthermore, he says that beyond an irreconcilable
difference, Western ideology should not be spread over the entire world, because it has become
twisted from its origin. Even beyond that, Solzhenitsyn warns that the due to the increasingly
anthropocentric (man-centered) view of the world, people in the West have become ignorant and
unaware of their fundamental morals, and as a result are dangerously close to falling prey to the
enticements of socialism and other dangers.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
The first premise that Solzhenitsyn makes is that the world is divided into at least two
powers. The most obvious “powers” are the East and the West, but if one looks more specifically,
they include “China, India, the Muslim World, and Africa” (1). Solzhenitsyn argues that this split
is unavoidable but dangerous, and that having two opposing powers weakens society’s ability to
resist corruption. He bluntly states that “a Kingdom -- in this case, our Earth -- divided against
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
itself cannot stand” (1). By ignoring the rival ideologies of different parts of the world, Western
Culture allows itself to drift from its fundamental ideals.
Solzhenitsyn goes on to say that this divide is unchangeable except through violence. The
two sides will never agree or conform to the opposite view unless violently forced by the other.
Since the beginning of mankind, people have used war to force other people to follow their
beliefs, and this is still true today. For example, the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam sprang from
Americans’ resistance to communism, and since neither side would willingly concede to the
other, both used violence to force their views onto each other.
Solzhenitsyn suggests that Western Culture is no longer a “model” country, due to the
ideological shift and warped nature of its government, law, and press. It is illogical and
impossible to believe that one method would work for all other cultures, and the fundamental
problems of Western society would damage other cultures as much as it would “help” them.
Solzhenitsyn says that if Western culture was imposed over the rest of the world, “it would mean
an improvement in certain aspects, but also a change for the worse on some particularly
significant scores. It is true, no doubt, that a society cannot remain in an abyss of lawlessness, as
is the case in our country” (7). The United States has fallen from its origin of freedom and justice
for all, and as a result, it should not be the model for all other countries to follow.
One of the reasons that Solzhenitsyn gives for the descent of Western culture and ideology
stems from the purpose of government. Today there is a view that government was made to serve
man and aid him in his pursuit of happiness—a concept supported by the Declaration of
Independence when it says that all men are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
However, the idea that government’s purpose is to give man happiness has fueled a downward
spiral in behavior, as “the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it
is customary to conceal such feelings” (3). By focusing on the material and allowing a culture
that feeds depression, the United States has increased its susceptibility to both a moral relativism
(people only worry about their own happiness) and socialist ideology, as people no longer have
the moral standards which should repel them from the injustice of such a society.
Another failing of Western Culture is the warped nature of the American legal system. Over
the years, the law has become so detailed and complicated that it has lost the essence of justice.
Instead of “justice” being given to the deserving party, it is now given to the lawyer who knows
how to work the system the best. Solzhenitsyn says that “People in the West have acquired
considerable skill in using, interpreting and manipulating law” (4). Similarly, the press has also
become corrupted—instead of being used for objective education, the press has grown into a
monstrosity that twists news and facts to suit those with power. Solzhenitsyn says that the press
“has become the greatest power within the Western countries, more powerful than the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary” (6). This is especially concerning when you realize that while
the press might not have the legislative power, they are the only ones that the public routinely
hears, and there is virtually no way to stop them. When both the legal system and the press are
corrupted and twisted, there is no place for people to find justice, and this is not a culture that
should be spread to the rest of the world.
Because of these changes in ideology, instead of having the strength to resist the other powers
in the world, such as socialism, American culture has become corrupted and weak, unable and
unwilling to resist the encroaching ideals of other worldviews. Solzhenitsyn says that “to defend
oneself, one must also be ready to die” and that “there is little such readiness in a society raised
in the cult of material well-being” (9). Because Americans have been conditioned to always get
lOMoARcPSD|62152138
their way, and to believe that their culture is the best, they have become ignorant and useless in
the battle to preserve their fundamental freedoms.
Solzhenitsyn claims that the root of the problem is Humanism, specifically
anthropocentricity, which puts man “at the center of everything that exists” (9). With this
mentality, it is no wonder that people fail to look outside their lives to the larger world—because
in their eyes the world revolves around them. When people take out any kind of higher being,
they end up with a meaningless life, where the only purpose should be to further a person’s own
desires, and not those of their fellow man. As a result, the world is irrevocably split, and the
twisted nature of Western Culture is not nearly as dangerous as the mentality behind it.
