Demonic Democracy??
Over the years, we’ve delved into societal issues on this program. It’s not just about money; it’s about everything that relates to money and the world around us. I won’t change that approach, despite some suggestions to focus solely on Wall Street. There are more important things to discuss.
Certain things in the world irk me. Take those equality symbols and bumper stickers, for example. People flaunt the equal sign, seeking equality. Then there’s the overuse of the term “democracy.” Politicians constantly claim attacks on democracy and democratic values. Yet, the word “democracy” doesn’t appear once in our Constitution.
Twisting language to suit their needs bothers me. This redefining of terms is a point of contention. Ideas bounce around in my head, often leading to eureka moments. I now email myself these thoughts to avoid forgetting them.
Recently, I revisited C.S. Lewis’s The Screwtape Letters, written during World War II. It’s a series of letters between a senior demon and his nephew, a tempter. In the book, humans are the patients, and God is referred to as the enemy. Lewis wrote a sequel in 1959, Screwtape Proposes a Toast, which I discovered only last night. It’s a graduation speech for tempters in hell, offering advice.
In his toast, Screwtape says, “Democracy is the word with which you must lead them by the nose.” He explains that this word should never have a clear meaning. People should never realize that democracy is a political system, not a factual belief that all men are equal. The word is used purely for its selling power.
Screwtape describes how envy is dressed up as democratic equality. Those who feel inferior use the word democracy to denigrate and pull down those who are superior. It’s a lie. “No man who says, ‘I’m as good as you,’ believes it,” Screwtape notes. The claim of equality outside the political field is made only by those who feel inferior.
This brings to mind Chris Rock’s stand-up bit about educated black people being resented in their neighborhoods. Screwtape’s words resonate today. Envy is sanctioned under the guise of democracy, making it respectable. The push for everyone to be the same leads to a society where excellence is frowned upon.
Education is particularly affected. Dunces and idlers must not feel inferior to intelligent and industrious pupils. Exams and entrance requirements are adjusted to ensure everyone gets good marks and can attend university, regardless of their ability or desire. This leads to the virtual abolition of real education, with bright pupils held back to avoid causing trauma to others.
The end goal, according to Screwtape, is a nation of sub-literates, morally flaccid from lack of discipline, and full of ignorance bred by flattery. This makes such a nation vulnerable in conflicts against more disciplined and educated nations.
Lewis’s insights from 1959 seem eerily applicable today. The spirit of “I’m as good as you” undermines excellence and promotes mediocrity. Democracy, in its corrupted form, does the work of ancient tyrannies without overt oppression. The stakes are high, and the consequences of this societal shift are profound.
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