Dystopia in the Birthplace of Liberalism
Why we're holding our first Grey Robes symposium in the UK
Locke. Hume. Wollstonecraft. Smith. Mill.
Their ideas burst forth and took root in the rest of the world. The American Founders revolutionaries found inspiration in their ideas. Yet today, the UK is stumbling toward censorship, surveillance, civil strife, and authoritarian rule.
The US ain’t far behind. That’s why we’re forming Grey Robes chapters on multiple continents. As the Five Eyes look out for each other like a global panopticon, we who seek freedom must unite in community.
What is this event about?
Between Worlds is about navigating a transitional era. The next era could take one of two stark paths: either toward a dystopian future or a decentralist one. The dystopian path is more centralized and authoritarian, where powerful elites track and control us like timid herds. The decentralist path, on the other hand, is locally empowered and, well, decentralized. We strongly favor local empowerment, but achieving that will require a kind of awakening.
Why are we doing this?
Britain seems to be slipping into an Orwellian nightmare, and other countries like ours aren’t far behind. We want to light up a billboard for Liberalism 2.0—a version that builds on the best of the original but adds a spiritual and communitarian component. Right now, Britain is losing the very liberalism it once created, and we believe the people there can feel it.
What do we hope to achieve?
Our goal is to plant the seeds of a new liberal awakening. This means showcasing the beauty of an upgraded liberalism and the innovations that make a decentralist future more likely, even as the shadow of the alternative looms. We understand that new ways of thinking require a strong moral, spiritual, and cultural foundation to succeed.