Gisborne Herald
  • Gisborne Herald Home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport

Locations

  • Gisborne
  • Bay of Plenty
  • Hawke's Bay

Media

  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Gisborne

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Opinion
Home / Gisborne Herald / Opinion

Western civilisation on a path of self-destruction

Opinion by
Gisborne Herald
23 Jan, 2024 06:36 AMQuick Read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

2024 could well be a defining year for Western civilisation. We have elections in two major Western countries — the USA and UK. Indeed, half the world’s population go to the polls this year. We have ongoing armed conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza. We have an emerging, potentially more global conflict, with Iran-backed Yemeni terrorists. But the biggest danger for Western civilisation comes from within, with the assistance of a few external ratbag actors.

In recent years Western civilisation has put itself on a path of self-destruction through societal division and financial ruin.

We have the climate activism movement, which if allowed to continue its current path will bankrupt the Western economy before achieving its aim.

We have crusades for racial equality, gender equality, anti-colonial, history rewriting, mass immigration, increasing censorship, equalisation of criminals with victims, etc, all of which are causing division and chaos in Western society.

These have all essentially been driven by the “progressive” Left, who are intent on controlling all aspects of Western society, their goals for power often shrouded in a call for greater equality.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Inequality is a natural outcome, and the only way to reduce it is via suppression of excellence. Whether intentional or not, actions of the Left are undermining the development of positive traits of personal character — such as probity, thrift, courage, honesty, temperance, modesty, patience, liberality, magnanimity, proper ambition.

Their actions instead have created greater inequality, greater crime, reduced productivity, and a reduced quality of life.

As actions taken to promote equality create more inequality and social chaos, the Left presses for further government action to solve the problems it created.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Panic sets in.

A self-perpetuating mechanism of destruction of civilisation ensues — a civilisation that has made incredible advancements, and provided a standard of living where even the poorest are better off than royalty of yesteryear.

Inequality — think racism, think gender, etc — is many times worse in many non-Western countries, but we seemingly measure these countries by completely different standards.

2024 will either see these destructive forces further embedded into Western society, or some degree of common sense making a long-awaited return.

Iain Boyle

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save
    Share this article

Latest from Gisborne Herald

Gisborne Herald

Architectural award for major project at Mangapapa School

01 May 09:00 AM
Gisborne Herald

Woman accused of hiding nang after fatal car v bus crash

01 May 02:44 AM
Gisborne Herald

Gisborne News Digest: Kayak clubhouse upgrade, Titirangi fire, SH35 gets retaining wall

01 May 01:50 AM

Sponsored

Endangered bird gets another chance

21 Apr 02:30 AM
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Gisborne Herald

Architectural award for major project at Mangapapa School
Gisborne Herald

Architectural award for major project at Mangapapa School

DCA Architects of Transformation won a prize for its work at the school.

01 May 09:00 AM
Woman accused of hiding nang after fatal car v bus crash
Gisborne Herald

Woman accused of hiding nang after fatal car v bus crash

01 May 02:44 AM
Gisborne News Digest: Kayak clubhouse upgrade, Titirangi fire, SH35 gets retaining wall
Gisborne Herald

Gisborne News Digest: Kayak clubhouse upgrade, Titirangi fire, SH35 gets retaining wall

01 May 01:50 AM


Endangered bird gets another chance
Sponsored

Endangered bird gets another chance

21 Apr 02:30 AM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Gisborne Herald
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Gisborne Herald
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • NZME Digital Performance Marketing
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2026 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP