You are probably aware that all of the intelligence of the nation resides in either Washington, D.C. or New York…..with a few outliers in Los Angeles. The remainder of us are incurable blockheads who are who are doomed to lives of meaningless meandering because we do not have the advantages of those who reside in the seats of power. We, the little people, are incapable of managing our own affairs, choosing our own directions or enjoying the fruits of individual liberty. Our “betters” believe that we are incompetent nincompoops who are amazingly fortunate to get through any day without the strong arm of government either aiding or coercing us for our own good.
The elite intelligentsia attend the same parties, the same restaurants and pass one another in the hallowed halls of power. Their individual knowledge and wisdom merge into a collection of “everything that is right” just as a simple tomato loses it individuality when tossed into a churning bubbling pot of homemade vegetable soup. Anyone who is familiar with homemade vegetable soup knows that every cook has a unique formula…a one-of-a kind recipe. The self-appointed elites however have determined that their version of basic nutrition is the only acceptable one. As the various power-center cooks “refine’ the soup that they have determined we should swallow, it becomes blander and blander until the lusty values of the tasty vegetables have been replaced by a thin broth-like gruel. Bon Appetite, Serfs.
Those of us who reside in “flyover country” do not have the advantage of basking in the lavishly shared wisdom of the elite opinion makers in our sophisticated centers of power. We struggle in the hinterlands to survive and thrive without the benefits of the daily council of the wise ones whose incestuous ideas solidify into a mass of irrefutable collective wisdom that is transformed into conventional wisdom for everyone in our stumbling republic. We who live in the corners of the nation are, in the view of our elite betters, are obsessed with the price of hogs, the availability of the right brake pads and the finalists for “Dancing with the Stars.” Matters of state and policy appear to be beyond our concerns, and certainly beyond our capacities for understanding them. The complexities of government and country are far too difficult for those who don cowboy hats, John Deere caps and Pittsburgh Steeler’s regalia. It seems as if the elite minds that call the shots are unaware that Wal-Mart, K-Mart and Walgreen’s shoppers are humans. They seem to think that we who do not have a significant place at the national table are either sub-human or barely-human. It is obvious that they (the elites) have never experienced the thrilling moment when a Wal-Mart “happy face” suddenly appears above a coveted item.
Our leadership class from the centers of power can be identified by their uniforms…..actually their copycat sartorial sameness. They can also be detected by their tendencies to self-aggregate. In other words, they rarely mingle with others who are not like them. They are rigid segregationists. They….who believe themselves to be in the center of it all….are isolated and marginalized. Their incessant inbreeding has caused their power-hungry species to become more stupid, less creative and more committed to failed schemes from the past….it’s in their ever-weakening DNA. While they are becoming increasingly isolated, their collective group-think has allowed them to hold the reins of power with a singular purpose. In their isolation and their obsession with power, their ignorance about those of us who do the work, pay the bills and build the nation has increased. They do not know us, and they do not value us.
The people, you and me, have proven time after time that we can solve our problems, live our lives, and responsibly exercise our freedom. The ignorant isolated elites do not have the on-the-ground resources and creativity of our citizens who face obstacles every day and must discover means for overcoming them. Their self-important attitudes deny the creative energy of the people in the flyover regions of the nation. They assume that we are too feeble to “fix things.” Their isolation, insulation and in-bred ignorance are leading us down the path of destruction and despair. Because they insist on implementing their elite controls of lawmaking, regulation and rule-making, they are thwarting the capacity and the creativity of us who do the work.
History has shown us that for the long run, the concentration of power dilutes the innovative impulses of the people. True progress is not a product of “progressive” government. Real strides in the human condition are a result of the creative energy of the people being unleashed to search, discover and develop new and better products and methods for “doing things.” Unshackled liberty is the foundation for risk taking and creative development. Free to choose is more than just a slogan. It represents a national (perhaps even global) mindset that encourages people to discover and to flourish. Isolation, insulation and ignorance are the descriptors of those who presume to lead us. If they are allowed to continue and to amass more power, they will direct us to the abyss of despair. We are smarter than that. We must fight and resist our in-bred elites. We must say “NO.”
Charlie,
ReplyDeleteI'm visiting and was just walking through DC by the Senate buildings, and seeing long lines of bureaucrats waiting to be searched an allowed into work reminded me that there's a significant level of insulation between these decision-makers and influencers, and the people. The insulation is significant for even state and local government leaders, let alone average citizens.
I google searched for "ignorance by insulation" and arrived at your article.
Larger organizations suffer from cognitive and information limitations (http://blog.media.mit.edu/2011/10/cognitive-limit-of-organizations.html), which speaks to the overwhelming complexity your cite.
I agree with your commentary overall, especially about the spirit of creativity. I would be interested if you could expand on what might be done about this, rather than just saying "no", as you concluded.
Education seems to strike at the core of some of the issues you cite. Social and political education is fundamental and necessary for a functional democracy. But that's a much larger issue. I've found opening and sharing public information and data goes a long way to build a foundation for civic understanding, even for non-political types. People can participate!
Do you think there is a way that the 'insulation' can be used by those outside the DC/NY/LA power sphere of influence to their/our advantage? Can we show local progress and development is both feasible and sustainable without the heavy hand of federal bureaucracy?