We often hear it whispered, sometimes shouted, that the cacophony of the modern world is the very sound of freedom. A symphony of individual choices, unburdened by archaic rules. But what if this relentless dismantling of boundaries, this celebration of unchecked desire, hasn’t actually made us free? What if, instead, it has merely made us, well, ugly? Not just aesthetically, but culturally, socially, existentially.
Today, we journey into the controversial and piercing worldview of Alain Soral, specifically his profound critique of “The Permissive Trap.” It’s a journey that challenges our most cherished assumptions about liberation and asks whether the path we’ve been told leads to freedom has, in fact, led us into a gilded cage of our own making.
The Echo of May ‘68: “It is Forbidden to Forbid”
Remember the revolutionary fervor of May 1968? The streets alive with slogans, none more iconic than “It is forbidden to forbid.” A powerful cry against authority, tradition, and all forms of constraint. It promised an Eden where every desire could be instantly gratified, every inhibition shed like an outdated skin.
For a generation, this wasn’t just a political statement; it was a philosophical declaration. It suggested that true liberty lay in the absolute absence of rules, in the liberation of every whim. But did it deliver on its promise? Soral argues it did not liberate the masses. Instead, it subtly enslaved them to a new, invisible tyrant: the whim itself.
From Citizen-Producer to Consumer-Seducer
Soral contends that by systematically destroying the “vertical” constraints that once structured society—the traditions, the shared moral codes, the authority of the state—we haven’t given birth to supermen. We’ve cultivated something far more fragile, far more easily manipulated.
He calls them “Consumer-Seducers.” These are individuals defined not by their contributions or their disciplined pursuit of civic virtue, but by their appetites. Their value is measured by their ability to consume, to express themselves through acquisition, and to incessantly seek gratification. The disciplined “Citizen-Producer,” who once built nations and communities, has been replaced by an overgrown child, perpetually seeking novelty and instant satisfaction. This transformation wasn’t accidental. It was, Soral suggests, meticulously engineered.
The true genius of the permissive revolution was not to free humanity, but to redirect its rebellious energy from political liberation to economic consumption.
— Alain Soral (Attributed)
The “Cult of the Ugly”: A Collapse of Meaning
When every constraint is removed, what happens to our shared understanding of beauty, of good, of value? Soral argues that the permissive trap inevitably leads to what he terms the “Cult of the Ugly.” This isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s about the erosion of collective standards, the breakdown of any shared framework for meaning.
When everything is permitted, nothing is truly elevated. When all tastes are equally valid, the very concept of taste becomes meaningless. This leads to a “dictatorship of desire,” where individual whim reigns supreme, and the common good, shared aesthetics, and even basic civility are sacrificed on the altar of “self-expression.” The consequences ripple through art, architecture, social interaction, and ultimately, the soul of a civilization.
The Economic Engine of Permissiveness
Behind this cultural shift, Soral sees a powerful economic engine at work. Who benefits from a society of “Consumer-Seducers” incapable of delaying gratification? The global market, of course. An individual devoid of inner discipline, constantly seeking external validation and fleeting pleasures, is the ideal consumer.
The market doesn’t want discerning, disciplined citizens; it wants insatiable, easily swayed individuals. The revolutionary slogan of ‘68, stripped of its political teeth, became an unwitting enabler of rampant consumerism. The destruction of “vertical” structures made us horizontal – adrift in an ocean of commodities, forever chasing the next product, the next trend, the next fleeting desire.
The system discovered that chaos in morality means order in the marketplace. An undisciplined soul is an open wallet.
— Alain Soral (Attributed)
Reclaiming True Liberty: The Vertical Path
Is it time, then, to question the very foundations of this permissive society? To ask if true liberty might actually require the reintroduction of limits, of beneficial constraints? Soral’s work is a stark reminder that freedom without structure can quickly devolve into a new form of servitude.
We are often told that the chaos of the modern world is the sound of freedom, but what if this lack of rules hasn’t made us free, only ugly?
What if true liberation isn’t about the absence of all boundaries, but about choosing the right ones? The ones that foster discipline, cultivate beauty, and build strong communities. Soral invites us to consider rejecting the horizontal life of the consumer and reclaiming the vertical dignity of the citizen.
This reclaiming of verticality would mean:
Re-establishing shared moral frameworks: Not as oppressive dogma, but as guiding principles for collective flourishing.
Cultivating delayed gratification: Understanding that true satisfaction often comes from effort and patience, not instant indulgence.
Valuing tradition and shared heritage: Recognizing that the past offers wisdom and a sense of continuity.
Prioritizing qualitative excellence over quantitative excess: Seeking depth and meaning in what we consume and create.
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Conclusion
Alain Soral’s “Permissive Trap” is a challenging, even uncomfortable, analysis of our modern condition. It forces us to confront the uncomfortable truth that what we celebrate as ultimate freedom might, in fact, be a sophisticated mechanism of control, subtly stripping us of our agency and our sense of shared purpose. The journey through the ruins of this permissive society reveals a stark choice: continue down the path of unbridled whim and the “Cult of the Ugly,” or courageously reintroduce the limits and virtues that might just lead us back to a richer, more meaningful, and truly liberated existence. If you found this analysis of Alain Soral and the modern condition valuable, please like the article and share your thoughts in the comments below.
