The systemic transformation has not only introduced in Poland neoliberalism (“Wild capitalism) economical but besides changes in human relations. Emotional selfishness has rapidly developed, influenced by Europeanism and altruistic concern for the welfare of (some) neighbouring countries, a national interest has fallen. Western culture gained an advantage over natives, thanks social media various views, even absurd, scope the mass audience, especially young people. I will briefly present a fewer votes on this subject:
*** Prof. Marek Garbich in the article: "As a society we are getting dumber" (Review 16.02.2026) discusses the current state of society:
There are 2 effective mechanisms present to fool individuals. The first is an IT revolution that reduces information costs and facilitates marketplace entry (Internet, social media). The second is the erosion of social capital.
The recipient is incapable to cope with besides much information. Decisions based on them are made late, or are accidental, erroneous, risky. Broadcasters, influencing emotions, fascinations, fears and fear, jealousy, dislikes – not reasonual rations.
Social capital is simply a community that trusts each another and is willing to cooperate and sacrifice for the common good. There's been an erosion of this capital, a breakdown of common trust. There is simply a division into separate groups, not working together, frequently fighting each other. The decline of technological authorities caused the eruption of "influencers", anti-scientific specialists, irrationalism, simplifications, conspiracy theories, the childhood of society.
The dumber, the more simple, the little legitimate information message, the greater its reach. The more substantive the message is, the little people realize it and absorb it. No 1 will admit it. As a society, including elites, we are getting dumber!!
It's a paradox that we request idiots. Geniuses are needed at the phase of ideas, ideas. In the function of performers, excess intellectuals are harmful. Millions of workers who are not intellectually intelligent, even stupid, stabilize social order, clinging not to generals, but to sergeants and privates. superb privates, reflecting on the intent of orders, would be a curse on the army and all organization, preventing joint action. Social wisdom is about accepting stupidity.
In society, there is simply a right to adapt to the weakest, which slows down development. This is simply a challenge for economical governments. The control of power must be exercised by citizens conscious alternatively than ignorant. Unfortunately, present voters are not aware of the facts, even having difficulty defining their own vital interests, e.g. farmers voting for parties wishing to leave the Union, i.e. stopping subsidies.
A stupid voter despises elites and competent authorities, so he is fed misinformation, fabrications, half-truths. Ignorants are more likely to accept authoritarian forms of government. They see a planet of black and white, enemies and ours. Failure is the work of sabotage, hence intolerance to enemies
and migrants, submission to leaders.
*** The image of society, presented by prof. Garbich, is real, but somewhat depressing. In the Polish People's Republic, we were a more complex society, working for the common good above division, little prone to ideological manipulation. He wonders how fragile specified attitudes are. In the short term, sociotechnical experts have passed on major Western ideologies through the media; strong anti-communism, liberalism, secularism, money worship and success, contempt for “failees”. Polish society has 80% peasant origin, and it has inherited entirely the worst noble disadvantages, like money and liberal veto, a a large part of the trait of the serfdom: drunkenness, envy, greed and acceptance of submission to the "Lord" – authoritarian governments.
The fresh presidential elections showed that in Poland there are 3 almost equal groups: conservatives, progressives and indifferent, non-voting. Liberal and right-wing parties fight each another in all field and you cannot anticipate full consent, compromises in government, parliament and legislature are necessary. How to make 2 hostile tribes, manipulated, “fooled” partyless people not succumb to negative emotions, thought rationally and understood their own interests
State? After the war, there was a momentum for science, social promotion. Now it turns out that education does not supply material success, only cleverness, no rules. There are various proposals to civilise society:
* Oh, yeah * Prof. Jerzy Bralczyk (Review, 22.12.2025) points out that only late accepted "Emotional intelligence”, That man thinks with emotion, which was associated with any immaturity, making unthinkable decisions. Now it's considered natural, as normal. This is simply a terrible direction! Reason is better than emotion!
* Oh, yeah * Prof. Alina Wrzeżny (Think Poland, 23.10.2025) sees the rescue in returning to conventional Catholic conservatism with Fr Maximilian Kolb as a model of love for people.
* Oh, yeah * Łukasz Jastrzeżski recommends organic work and spreading national ideas as active, cross-party and rational reasoning patriotism.
* Oh, yeah * Prof. Maria Szyszkowska (Think Poland, 12.04.2025) pays attention to education of the governing staff and intelligence. He points out the request to reconstruct the Polish tradition of social wellness and education. The life of society depends on the consciousness of the ruling. There has been a fall in university education – it does not advance the improvement of values or expression of feelings.
Polish intelligence was marked by broad intellectual horizons. Now we are creating a spiritual layer, materialized, experts of narrow specialities.
Education should not only transfer cognition but besides aid to educate character. Art is an crucial origin in the education of sensitivity and feelings. Philosophical studies are besides necessary. It is of affirmative importance to “not adapt to the world” due to the fact that it allows you to find your own way and form individuality, which violates the long-standing request to adapt to the environment.
Prof. Maria Szyszkowska She raised the problem of training management, omitted universal education. The level and quality of school education depends on the intellectual level of the general public political awareness of voters!
* Oh, yeah * That's what he took care of. Tomasz Witkowski in the article: ‘Let us teach young people to think critically’ (Review16.09.2024), while discussing absurdities in today's psychology. On average, it is hard to separate between grain and chaff from media information. This must be addressed by teaching young people from a young age to think critically Now the school teaches respect and tolerance to all views, even absurd. Tolerance, diversity
and caring for others are very crucial values, but extremes are already dangerous.
We are a rich society, so there are different types of decadence, specified as drug use, fashion for polyameric compounds, etc. This is the consequence of utmost individualism, self-focusing, shifting values specified as homeland or family. The function of the school is to implement reasoning rational, impartial assessment of facts, leaving romanticist emotions of poesy and literature.
* Oh, yeah * The furthest in depicting the fall of culture says Mr Shahaj, stating even that we are surviving in the age of human idiocy. In the article ‘Time for fresh Enlightenment” (Review, 19.10.2025) notes that until the 1930s we had an enlightened cult of discipline and the belief that discipline could solve all problems. Unfortunately, there has been a regression of culture, belief in UFOs, conspiracy theories, combating vaccines and another achievements of medicine, racism, the fall of authorities, etc.
Time for New Enlightenment, First of all, by fighting stupidity. It should be recalled that equality is good, exploitation of evil, democracy better than totalitarianism, the exploitation of our planet beyond measurement leads to disaster, that man is not a commodity, but a individual of his dignity, that cooperation is better than competition...
*** I introduced transformation shadows and proposals to end the “war of tribes” by teaching young people rational reasoning and encouraging adults to reduce emotions and accept compromises based on facts and rational arguments. I know from my own experience that changing views, inspired by education, school and surroundings, is not easy due to the fact that a man believes what he wants to believe and no rational arguments come to him.
However, after reasoning – sometimes besides long – I found nonsubjective courts that the uprisings were harmful, Pilsudski made a criminal coup that abortion and divorce are sometimes necessary, partnerships are good for many, etc., etc. From the beginning, I considered it nonsubjective that there was no russian occupation, that the PRL was not a "black hole", but a state with limited sovereignty, martial law prevented economical chaos
and bloodshed, that after the transformation Poland became more dependent on the West than the Polish People's Republic on the USSR, etc. Unfortunately, things that weren't rationally considered ended in incorrect decisions...
"New Enlightenment" It's an in-depth, rational reflection of your views. reasoning rationally has a vast future, although it is very difficult!
Krzysztof Gutorski
The author was a longtime publicist of “The Country Weekly”.
