Lewis wrote that the “social planners” have their ideas of what society should look like. They know what men and women need; they know how to improve society. They are the architects of a new utopia, not restrained by old ideas of right and wrong, old ideas of religion and morals. Through science they will create a new replacement for the old superstition.
Lewis was writing in in the 1930s and 40s, when the Nazi scourge was rewriting good and evil. After it, came the horrors of communism, which sought another kind of social engineering that ended in tyranny.
Today, there is a new strain of scientific engineers. Religion is something holding society back. Many of the horrors of the past are considered due to religion, according to the likes of Dawkins, Dennett, and Harris. Even the friendly Neil deGrasse Tyson has a following of mockers of religion.
Part of the new scientific rewriting is due to the information explosion. Computer scientists bequeathed computing power to the architects of the internet, who gave it to the social media giants, who are spreading their own understanding to our Gen Z and Alpha youth. Each generation is weaker than the previous because of what they owe.
Now new planners have also arisen. With the money their forebears–and customers–bequeathed to them, they are now pursuing social engineering of their own. One focus of Big Philanthropy is “food security.” Social engineers like Bill Gates think they know what is best. They believe their money and knowledge make them fit to rule. The proles just need their guidance. They know best.
But even these planners are ruled over by their forebears. They really aren’t free and the planners of yesterday rule over them. Each generation bequeaths to its descendants the powers it wants to. Each generations is under the power of its predecessors.
Lewis is perennially proven right. You can’t just drop all right and wrong and rewrite society as you best see fit. Even though knowledge has exploded and some things have improved in the quality of life, that does not make you fit to rule over others. There is a standard (Lewis called it the “Tao”) that you must eventually appeal to when making decisions. Nothing comes of nothing.