_Title: The Pharaoh’s Decree: Is History Repeating on Our Campuses?_
Author: Shamus Gerry III
The Modern Mystery
In the last 24 hours, a chilling report from the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE”> has landed like a bombshell, giving American colleges a failing grade on free speech. It’s a story that’s been simmering for months, a slow-motion crisis of intellectual conformity. But now, the data is undeniable: a staggering number of students and faculty feel they can no longer speak their minds.
We see it in the headlines every day. Politically appointed trustees overriding faculty decisions. Federal pressure campaigns targeting universities for their curricula. Lawsuits piling up as institutions struggle to navigate the treacherous waters of political polarization. It feels like a uniquely modern problem, a product of our hyper-connected, outrage-fueled world. But what if it’s not?
What if this battle for control over our institutions of learning is a story as old as civilization itself? What if the same drama playing out on our campuses today unfolded over 3,300 years ago, under the burning sun of ancient Egypt? The parallels are so precise, so eerily familiar, that they serve as a stark warning. History is not just repeating itself; it’s screaming at us from across the millennia.
The Time Portal
Let’s travel back to the 14th century BCE. Egypt is the undisputed superpower of the ancient world, a civilization built on centuries of tradition, knowledge, and religious devotion. The power of the pharaoh is absolute, but it is balanced by the immense influence of the priesthood, particularly the priests of the god Amun-Ra at Thebes.
These priests were not just religious figures; they were the intellectuals, the scientists, the educators of their time. The temples they managed were the universities of ancient Egypt, centers of learning where scribes were trained, medical texts were compiled, and astronomical observations were recorded. They were the custodians of Egypt’s collective knowledge, a powerful and deeply entrenched establishment.
Into this world steps a new pharaoh, a young, visionary, and dangerously radical ruler named Amenhotep IV. He is an intellectual, a philosopher-king who has a revolutionary new idea. He believes that there is only one true god: the Aten, the physical disk of the sun. And he is determined to remake all of Egypt in the image of his new faith.
The Parallel Revelation
In his fifth year on the throne, Amenhotep IV changes his name to Akhenaten, meaning “Effective for the Aten.” It is a declaration of war on the old order. He begins a systematic campaign to dismantle the traditional religious and educational institutions of Egypt, a move that mirrors the current pressure on our universities with stunning precision.
First, he orders the names and images of the old gods, especially Amun, to be erased from monuments and texts across the land. It is an ideological purge on a massive scale, an attempt to wipe the slate of history clean. Think of it as the ancient equivalent of today’s battles over “divisive” curricula and the removal of historical statues.
Next, he abandons Thebes, the traditional capital and center of priestly power, and builds a new city in the desert, Akhetaten (modern-day Amarna”>. This is a move to centralize control, to escape the influence of the established intellectual elite. It’s a historical echo of today’s trend of appointing political allies to university boards of trustees, bypassing traditional academic governance.
The vast wealth of the temples is redirected to the new cult of the Aten. The priests, once the powerful and respected educators of Egypt, are stripped of their authority and influence. Their schools are closed, their knowledge is suppressed, and their role as the intellectual heart of the nation is extinguished. It is a complete and total takeover of the educational system, driven by the absolute power of the state.
The Pattern Recognition
Why does this pattern repeat? Why does power, whether it’s a divine pharaoh or a modern government, so often seek to control institutions of learning? The answer is simple: knowledge is power. An independent, critical-thinking populace is a threat to any regime that demands absolute ideological conformity.
Akhenaten understood this. He knew that to truly remake Egypt, he had to control not just what people believed, but how they thought. He had to replace the complex, nuanced traditions of the past with a single, state-sanctioned ideology. The priests, with their deep knowledge of history, their complex theology, and their control over education, were the biggest obstacle to his revolution.
Today, we see the same dynamic at play. Universities are, at their best, places of open inquiry, where ideas are debated, and assumptions are challenged. But to those who seek to impose a rigid ideological agenda, this intellectual freedom is a threat. It is far easier to control a society that has been taught what to think, rather than how to think.
The Ancient Warning
Akhenaten’s revolution was a spectacular failure. His radical reforms were deeply unpopular with the Egyptian people, who clung to their traditional beliefs. The new city of Amarna was abandoned shortly after his death. His successors, including the famous Tutankhamun, systematically erased Akhenaten from history, destroying his monuments and removing his name from the king lists.
The traditional religious and educational institutions, so violently suppressed, came roaring back to life. The priests of Amun regained their power and influence, and the old ways were restored. Akhenaten’s grand experiment in ideological control ended in a complete and total backlash, a powerful testament to the resilience of tradition and the human desire for intellectual freedom.
The lesson from Amarna is clear: when power seeks to crush dissent and impose a single, narrow worldview, it may succeed for a time. But in the long run, the human spirit’s thirst for knowledge and freedom is unquenchable. The question for us today is whether we will heed this ancient warning, or be forced to learn its lesson the hard way.
5 Things You Can Do This Week
History is not a spectator sport. Here are five practical steps you can take this week to protect intellectual freedom and prepare for what may be coming next:
1. Support Independent Media: Seek out and support news sources that are not beholden to corporate or political interests. A great place to start is [Self-Reliance Report” alt=”https://selfreliancereport.com”>, which offers a wealth of information on becoming more independent and resilient.
2. Cultivate Your Own Knowledge: Don’t rely on institutions to do your thinking for you. Read books, learn new skills, and explore different perspectives. Check out [Homesteader Depot” alt=”https://homesteaderdepot.com”> for practical skills on self-sufficiency.
3. Protect Your Health Freedom: A healthy body is essential for a free mind. Learn about natural health and wellness at [Freedom Health Daily” alt=”https://freedomhealthdaily.com”> and [Seven Holistics” alt=”https://sevenholistics.com”>.
4. Build Resilient Communities: Connect with like-minded people in your community who value freedom and self-reliance. [Survival Stronghold” alt=”https://survivalstronghold.com”> offers valuable insights on community building and preparedness.
5. Grow Your Own Food: Take control of your food supply by starting a garden. The [4ft Farm Blueprint” alt=”https://4ftfarmblueprint.com/”> is a great resource for learning how to grow your own food, even in small spaces.
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