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| Today's voice belongs to Contributing Editor Ken Marks |
The last Thor's Day post evoked the terrible images of people born to indifference, abuse, and blighted circumstances. Through those gates, children proceed toward a destiny that we often call "hell on earth." Worse yet, as they move through adulthood they spread hell on earth as surely as a virus begets a plague. But there are other kinds of hell, ones with an atypical genesis that leave a much different mark on the rest of us. We all know of such a case, but it bears retelling if only for its cathartic effect.
Imagine a child born to a loving and prosperous family. Moreover, he is born into a proud tradition. In recent generations, his forebears have become steadily better off and more respected. As he progresses through childhood, he has a growing awareness that much is expected. He will judge himself and be judged by whatever new honors he can bring to the family.
His biggest challenge is his father—a loving father, a doting father to be sure, but immensely successful and respected. Can one top a man who has run a corporation and even aspired to the most renowned job in the land? The way forward is indeed demanding, but this son of good fortune is filled with the confidence of youth. He sees a way to surpass his father in business: not just run a business but become rich as Croesus doing it—rich beyond his father's dreams. It doesn't matter if his work creates nothing and serves only people on the make. The size of his bank account is the only yardstick he needs. And where his father had failed to attain ultimate power, he will succeed. He will use his business connections and wealth to find a way onto the national stage. A senate seat or a governorship will be his steppingstone.
The path is tortuous. There are setbacks, but nothing can check his ambition. He realizes that the way to progress is through deceit, what some will kindly call "self-recreation," or kinder yet, "political maturity." He learns that practically all lies can find credulous ears and works at delivering them with conviction. At first all goes well, but it's a Faustian bargain. With each new campaign, some of his authenticity fades. It's as if he's a bit more transparent with each passing day. More and more people begin to notice. They wonder who he really is and, terrifyingly, he's not quite sure anymore. For the first time in his quest, he's surprised by fear. He's aware of the danger of his thoughts reaching his vocal chords. So many of them are connected to positions he must disown. In the tangles of self-editing, he becomes stiff and distant. His spontaneity is gone, and attempts at humor are forced and pitiful to see.
Through sheer persistence, he achieves the penultimate plateau, his party's nomination. But by this time his public face has become nothing but masks. His zombie persona afflicts his party, and the delegates' enthusiasm begins to wane. His handlers wisely have interventions ready. A human bulldog is appointed to awaken the crowd with a keynote speech, and his wife is given the assignment of convincing America that her husband is not the Tin Man from Oz! His humiliation, however, can't be stanched. His running mate—a younger, personable man (some would dare say charismatic)—is the toast of the convention, and on the night of his own acceptance speech, he's upstaged by a crowd-pleasing actor. He ends the convention in a trademark pose, a man of no substance giving a speech of no substance.
And so our Faust becomes a cipher, and probably the source of an eponymous insult, yet to be invented. Even if he's elected, he'll serve as a mere functionary in his own White House, while the nation looks past him into the future. He has paid a remarkable price for success, possibly the highest ever paid by a presidential candidate.
What can we make of this limbo dance, in which a man bends under an ever lower bar? I'd say that the man himself is only part of the story, and probably the less significant part. The more significant part is us, his enablers, the American electorate. How did our judgment fail so badly that we permitted a person with a one-line résumé—I am ambition's slave!—to come so close to the summit of power? How could we have been so careless with our votes, and how long can our carelessness continue? It goes back at least 12 years when the Republican nomination went to a man whose only recommendation was a well-known last name. (The presidential election is another story.) In 2004, the Democrats nominated an obvious narcissist with a $500 haircut as its vice-presidential candidate. He trumpeted his humble roots, smiled charmingly, and won us over. In 2008, he had the gall to return for another bite of the apple. He was surpassed, however, by a man who could weave generalities into seeming inspirations. Now it's 2012, and the race is no surprise: a man who doesn't deserve a second term versus a man who doesn't deserve a first one.
We are a people ready to give our hearts and our fate away to almost anyone. We've created a pathway to power for simpletons, egoists, zealots, posers, vacillators, and practiced liars. I'm sick of enabling fellow citizens who are less than competent and honorable. How about you?
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Copyright © 2012 by Ken Marks
So for Mittens this is a "Truth or Consequences" election? Even in New Mexico?
ReplyDeleteKeep up the fantastic piece of work, I read most posts on this website and I conceive that your blog is really interesting and has lots of great information.
ReplyDeleteExcuse me, I've been reprimanded for that premature "verbless participle" nonsense.
ReplyDeleteRevised nomination [for an eponymous insult based on the name of the politician referred to in the post as "our Faust"]:
The verb to mitten, meaning to subject to an orificial exam wearing a wool surgical glove.
Andy, nice try at Busherian cleverosity, but imprecise.
ReplyDeleteKen, yes, many of us are "sick of enabling fellow citizens who are less than competent and honorable," but how many competent and honorable people are actually willing to run for office? Why would anyone throw themselves into the meat grinder of modern political campaigning, fund raising and media coverage if they weren't so ego driven as to be delusional?
In some cases that delusion is dangerous and expensive, as with the Bush conquests in Iraq and Afghanistan. In others it is just sad and pathetic, as with a vice-presidential candidate lying about his marathon time.
As an aside, and not to brag, but by using "Lyin' Ryan" math my own personal best marathon time is now 13 minutes faster than the current world record. If anyone wants to book me for fitness product endorsements I suggest they send contracts quickly before word gets out and my rates escalate.
As a member of the voting public, what amazes me is how voters are routinely dismayed by the results of political elections, yet, as you noted, they create the results.
Good questions, Moto, yet we can look back at our long string of presidents and find instances of competence and honor. A commitment to public service has, now and then, been stronger than a thirst for power. What's more interesting is that the men and women who run for Congress rarely have grandiose visions. They're guppies in the political ocean. Yet the electorate continually fills congressional seats with scoundrels and morons. Our judgment is awful across the political spectrum!
ReplyDeleteThere are ways to lead "We the People" to sounder thinking, and better candidates will follow. Maybe I'll write about those ways sometime. As you can imagine, it's not a simple matter.