Parallel Author is a blog on cultural reform through the creation of parallel structures. Penned by epic fantasy author Tony Andarian, its focus is on countering the totalitarian trends threatening the 21st century. It’s a forum for the author to offer philosophic and political commentary on the crucial issues facing today’s world, but that more properly belong outside the context of his creative work.
The name Parallel Author reflects the author’s conviction that the dangerous social and political trends of today are a direct result of a decades-long corruption of our cultural institutions. These have been undermined by ideas that are at root antagonistic to reason and individualism, and thus to the political values of human dignity and freedom. Reconciliation is not possible in the face of such a fundamental conflict; those institutions must either be reclaimed, or abandoned and new ones built to replace them. The path from today’s proto-totalitarianism back to a healthy culture of human flourishing thus lies in the creation of the parallel structures required to mediate that evolution.
Note to Readers: Parallel Author begins by building on and repurposing a previous, but now decade-old, attempt at creating a political commentary blog. The earliest posts on it are from that era. I believe there’s enough good content in them to preserve them here, despite their being somewhat dated.