Existential Comics

Even Hobbes, the most notoriously pro authoritarian government philosopher in history, who thought you had to obey even the worst government because it was better than no government, said that if your government just starts killing you, you don't have a social contact.

You don't have a government.

Jan 25 at 2:48amMastodon for Android
Show threadSashinJan 25
@existentialcomics It's time to slay this Leviathan.
Show threadHedgewizard 🐈Jan 25
@existentialcomics
Typo. Social contract
Show threadSoozcatJan 25

@existentialcomics I guess neither Trump nor his cronies have figured out that the laws they are flagrantly violating are the very same laws that would keep them safe.

If you violate the rights of your citizens, you don't get to rely on the one statute that keeps you safe from their harm. When you flatten all the laws, there will be no legal refuge left for you to hide behind.

Show threadTorrentialRainsJan 25
@Soozcat @existentialcomics Do they care about laws though? I think they feel protected by power and money, and that laws are more obstacles in their way.
Show threadSoozcatJan 25
@TorrentialRains @existentialcomics Trump has always demanded absolute loyalty from others while giving none to anyone else. He also expects others to adhere to the law even as he breaks it. That's not going to hold. And when you are a tiny, insular cadre of people ruling over 340 million folks who are sick enough of your shit to do something about it, you are hopelessly outnumbered. As we saw on January 6th, small numbers of law enforcement -- or even a well-trained private security detail -- can't defend against a huge, motivated mob.
Show threadSam StephensJan 25
@existentialcomics the American people are at war with their government. I don't know how else to read it.
Show threadNo ExceptionsJan 25

@existentialcomics Yes. It's the one natural right you can't contract away.

If the sovereign can't, or won't, protect you, the sovereign is illegitimate and can be overthrown.

In Leviathan, the contract isn't between us and the sovereign; it's a contract only between us and each and all. If an immigrant joins, he's party to the contract with you, me and everyone else. They are, in a word, citizens.

And as citizens, will agree to the terms of the contract. They must be protected by the sovereign.

Show threadrodrigo (ventilador no 3)Jan 26
@existentialcomics he went further. if your government doesn't keep others from hurting you, you are also liberated from the contract
Show threadisomorphismesJan 28

@ojala

What about outside England/France or before 1700?

https://x.com/i/status/2014025680967630854

I'm not so sure the concept of Justice would even have been applied to individuals long ago.

References:
• Tale of Sinuhe
• London labor and the London poor
• Snyder's Ukrainian history lecture is regarding the Res Pública in Poland
• Revolutions podcast 1848 on the Hungarian Golden Bowl expanding citizenship to 5% of the population (Hungarian Magna Carta)

security guard using work printer (@isomorphisms) on X

That encyclopedia cites Daniel 5:26–28, again sort of a Mandate of heaven where Justice is applied by the Divine against kings and states, themselves.

X (formerly Twitter)