Tuesday, December 06, 2022

Thanks For Coming To My TED Talk

The people with affluence and a comfortable life have the time to be cranks. It’s not just a matter of tedium. Look at the Koch Brothers; or the decades long effort to reject LBJ’s accomplishments after the electoral loss of Goldwater, an effort funded by very wealthy people with time for it, money for it, and property interests to protect.

Maybe we should level billionaires out of existence.

There’s also the simple matter of what you have to lose or, inversely, to protect. LBJ became rich, but he knew what it meant to be poor. Goldwater was born into affluence, and knew what it meant to protect what you had. Nichols needs to read Orwell (at least) on living in poverty. It’s surely the affluent with time on their hands who cause the trouble. Exhibit A: Elon Musk.

As I was saying about dealing with billionaires…
I agree it’s better to think locally and act locally.  But interestingly, there’s nothing there about ethics (civic values is close, but no cigar). I would suggest Mr. Nichols read Niebuhr (lots of Niebuhr!) and get back to me. We would all, for example, do well to stop being so enamored of money (although I don’t know anyone IRL who cares what Elmo is up to, or is affected by it. Same with MTG. I know she’s “scary.” But I knew governors with her limitations but, especially compared to her, wielding real power. MTG isn’t even Tailgunner Joe, and she never will be.). “If you’re so smart, how come you’re not rich?” Then again, the people who worship at the altar of Elmo aren’t exactly picking our nation’s leaders. (Pro tip: Don't use Nietzsche like that.  It's pretentious.) Whence comes this resentment (as we say in this country), this spiritual emptiness (for that is what it is)? If you don’t ask the right questions, you can’t get the right answers. See? (And no, I don’t think “searching for meaning” is “finding Jeebus.” That’s the non-thinking answer of the evangelical culture of my childhood. In the words of the infamous Peanuts panel also of my youth: “Christ is the answer!” “What is the question?”) Almost surprisingly, some of the responses there are actually quite insightful: Walker Percy, the famously Roman Catholic novelist deeply concerned with ethics and morality. Yup. So we know the type, and she’s not like the rest of us. Good point. Much better than the original broad brush approach. It’s the affluence that provides the means; but ugly, as they say, is bone deep. Being well-off and bored didn’t create MTG; it just provided the opportunity for “public service.” She was born this way. Now, about the people who keep electing her; or acting like she’s important…

The real heart of ethics (or morality) is self-examination and self-awareness. I think most of us are far more ethical (or moral) than the loudmouths who get all the public attention. MTG may get the attention, but she is not admired and she’s not really leading anyone. Most of us know the type, and we know how to deal with it. The Mean Girls, after all, weren’t really the rulers of the school; they just thought they were.

Consent of the governed, bay-bee. MTG is a loudmouth representative, one of 435. Tell me again: who does she govern?

But back to Mr. Nichols point: one could argue we are all searching for meaning; that the animating stimulus of our age (an argument going back at least to Kierkegaard) is the personal search for meaning. Some of us play out our hollowness among friends and family (raises hand). Some fewer of us do it on a public stage (MTG. Elmo. Trump.). But that does not mean we are all hollow men (persons; but it doesn’t work as well that way)? Far from it. Or that all affluent people are very public assholes.

As ever, the truth is somewhere in between. And there is wisdom in recognizing this is more of a spiritual question than a sociological one.
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