The origins of totalitarianism

My friend had been trying to get me to go to a particular Christian fellowship for months. "You'll meet plenty of interesting people," he said.

"No," I replied with the utmost clarity. "It will be the reverse of what you say."

Eventually, however, I relented. The occasion in question was dubiously called M.E.A.T., or Men Eating Animals Together. With an irresistible, catchy name like that, I began to wonder what sort of people would show up. But worse was to follow: a pep talk on masculinity by the resident pastor.

"What is masculinity?" asked the pastor.

"Warrior!" said one boy cleverly, raising a quivering Christian hand to the sky.

"Virtue!" said another, before pausing.

"Not to say that women, er, aren't virtuous, but these qualities are, er, historically associated with men."

"Being respected! Wives, respect your husbands!"

"Being in charge!" On and on the kindergarten orgy of chauvinism, I mean, masculinity continued. Soon they had ripped off their clothes and were wrestling each other for the slab of prime child-rib on the altar of Moloch, the last of the vestal virgins and the 10 acres of land and six sacks of manure promised to them by Chief Seattle.

I made that last bit up but that's because I left early, which is as good an excuse as any. I felt like I had been violated with a pitchfork, and I didn't enjoy that feeling all that much. But it was not a new sensation to me (and I really do mean that in a metaphorical sense). After having lived in Singapore for most of my life, the theme of masculinity-paternity has been the bane of my existence. Asia, unfortunately, is the spittoon of the world. The West has discarded its phlegmatic and sickening ideologies in Asia, where they are left to boil fetidly in the rancid tropical heat.

The impression that most Americans have of a country like Singapore, if they have one at all, is that of a country where people are routinely caned, where chewing gum is prohibited and where oral sex is illegal unless performed as a precursor to heterosexual, vaginal intercourse. And no, I didn't make the last one up. Yes, it's a one-party "democracy," with no free media and two years of mandatory military service, which serves as a mini Auschwitz-like, Primo-Levi-jumping-down-the-stairs experience for most oppressed intellectuals. But it is the model for future Asian development. With a developed economy and streets so clean you could prostate yourself upon them, kissing the pavement in deference to the totalitarian government, it's the dystopic city of Asian wet dreams.

Far more surprising is the fact that the origins of this totalitarianism are not to be found in cultural relativism. Monarchy and totalitarianism are discontinuous, non-transitive ideologies. Asia did not invent its own serfdom to stupidity; obsequiousness did not radiate from its ancient centers of power. It inherited this tradition from colonialism. The mission civilisatrice of the Most Holy Christian Nations (or, you know, whatever) that conquered and ruled, directly or by proxy, gave rise to the metaphor of the father-colonial-conqueror and the child-colony. That fatal representation of peoples as children has remained ever since. They never looked into the mirror and discovered their own egos. They, like Stephen Dedalus, have been in search of their father ever since.

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There is no subverting this inheritance. The advocates of cultural relativism suffer from historical amnesia. The subconscious etymology of the word colonialism stems from colon and not colony: the pitchfork is still lodged up that colon. Totalitarianism is the opiate of the masses. That opium war is not over and, in fact, was never quite a war to begin with. Satiated, insentient beings do not fight. It isn't as simple as bringing political "democracy" to unenlightened people. No, totalitarianism is a religion and a chauvinistic cult that cannot be politically rationalized away.

There is a new wave of international students who have left their own countries to study at universities abroad. These aren't your typical third-world engineering I-integrate-numbers-for-fun students. These are sophisticated, well-read internationals who are trying to find means of subverting the problems of real totalitarianism (not the mini-totalitarianism of the Honor Committee, however evil it might be). In this regard, Princeton has a sort of mission civilisatrice. If there is such a thing as a white man's burden, the universities are certainly taking on that burden by welcoming international students. Forgive us if we seem anal retentive at times. We're glad to be here, but we have a lot to think about. Johann Loh is a freshman from Singapore. He can be reached at loh@princeton.edu.