Harald Welzer: The West Must Abandon Four Central Illusions

In a recent article for the German newspaper der Freitag, sociologist and author Harald Welzer argues that the West is trapped in a dynamic process of destabilization, facing ecological, economic, and political instability. He draws on Dietrich Dörner's 1989 book "The Logic of Failure," which explores why complex systems fail, to illustrate how hectic individual interventions can have unforeseen long-range effects. Welzer lists stressors on the Western system, including a dramatically changed geopolitical situation, the return of war and imperialism, the rise of Donald Trump and right-wing populism, the decline of the German auto industry, low water levels in rivers, and 12,000 heat-related deaths so far. He emphasizes that the word "so far" is crucial, as these pressures are ongoing. Welzer contends that the West must abandon four central illusions to address these challenges, though the article's full text is behind a paywall. The piece is part of a larger discourse on the need for a sober assessment of current crises, from climate to war.