Liberal Rapture

Poet, Philosopher and Political Pundit

by Kara

Some authors speak to a year, a decade, an era... others are timeless. Ralph Waldo Emerson speaks more faithfully to my soul than any essayist, poet or philosopher. His belief in the beauty of the individual's soul, and the individual's ability to touch on the divine truth within us is more edifying for me than any Psalm. As people see the world through the lens they hold most dear, I thought it would be interesting to look at the Obama Administration through an Emersonian Lens.

For my first piece I've taken an excerpt from Nature and used Emerson's commentary on language and truth to look as some of the more disconcerting trends in the President's young administration.

The excerpt, which I'll be breaking down, reads:

A man's power to connect his thought with its proper symbol, and so to utter it, depends on...his love of truth and his desire to communicate it without loss. The corruption of man is followed by the corruption of language. When simplicity of character and the sovereignty of ideas is broken up by the prevalence of secondary desires,-the desire of riches, of pleasure of power and of praise,-the duplicity and falsehood take (the) place of simplicity and truth. Old words are perverted to stand for things which (they) are not; (like) a paper currency being employed, when there is no bullion in the vaults. In due time the fraud is manifest, and words lose all power to stimulate the understanding or the affections-Nature

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A man's power to connect his thought with its proper symbol, and so to utter it, depends on...his love of truth and his desire to communicate it without loss-Nature

Emerson is saying the individual's ability to share their ideas clearly and honestly depends on how faithfully one is committed to speaking the truth.

This notion could apply to any politician, lawyer, teacher, police officer-any man or woman. Our choice of words and the way in which we present our ideas shifts depending on our audience and subject. This is only natural. However, there are those who through their position, must love Truth more than most, must stand and speak for Truth even if it is unpopular, or difficult. President Obama has such an obligation, particularly given the host of foreign and domestic threats our Nation is facing: Financial uncertainty, record job losses, a Congress that is out of touch and largely complicit with the financial industry, a newly emboldened collection of global villains and despots, nuclear armed North Korea's brazen launch of a ballistic missile capable of hitting both Hawaii and Alaska, Mexico in chaos due to cartel violence, the very real possibility of an Iranian/Israeli war, Iraq, Afghanistan-Obama's challenges are legion.

Clarity of thought, purpose and language is desperately needed-more it is essential to effectively dealing with these challenges. Let's look at what Emerson had to say about language and how President Obama is doing according to Emerson's standard.

The corruption of man is followed by the corruption of language. When simplicity of character and the sovereignty of ideas is broken up by the prevalence of secondary desires,-the desire of riches, of pleasure of power and of praise,--the duplicity and falsehood take (the) place of simplicity and truth-Nature

Emerson notes here that the prime threat to clarity, honesty, and Truth in language is secondary desire. Secondary desire can take the form of greed, power seeking, and love of praise. All politicians tend to allow the secondary desire of getting elected infect their rhetoric. My worry for President Obama is that I have yet to see him make the transition from flowery rhetoric rife with lawyerly equivocations, which shield him from actually being held to an idea, belief or policy.

A President must put aside the perpetual campaign in times of crisis. A President must also be willing to forgo praise for Truth. Both of these are going to be serious challenges for President Obama. From the perspective of armchair psychiatrist, President Obama has always played the role of "Coolest Kid on the Block," his campaign and a fawning media provided him with accolades that must have been intoxicating. The accolades almost always began with gushing praise of his eloquence. Sadly, Obama's devotees and the media have led him to believe that his smooth speaking style is a substitute for substance.

Style is not policy. Style will not move Putin, employ a single autoworker, or wrench financial sector lobbyists from the halls of power.

We cannot afford "duplicity and falsehood" to reign any longer. The Bush Administration led from behind fortified walls from which they'd lob the occasional set of talking points. They'd rewrite history but never allow us to question anyone other than their poor Press Secretary. One week we'd get, "Four legs good, two legs bad" the next "Four legs good, two legs better" and the media would be left to shout impotently at the silent walls.

To this point, President Obama has given me no more faith that things will be any different. The duplicity and falsehood is still there, though it's out in the open. There's no need to dig a moat, when the raiders want you in power. So now the press releases are the same, but rather than Jon Stewart mocking them, he and Anderson Cooper smile at one another on Monday and say, "East Asia has always been at war with Oceania" and on Tuesday, "Isn't it lovely that East Asia and Oceania have always been such close allies?"

In order to save the Nation, and continue the positive human gains made since the fall of the Soviet Union, President Obama must stop the slow decay of truth, end the open duplicity and lead.

Old words are perverted to stand for things which (they) are not; (like) a paper currency being employed, when there is no bullion in the vaults-Nature

It is an extraordinary coincidence that Emerson would use a financial metaphor, particularly one referring to the Gold Standard. Here Emerson is explaining that the language of the corrupt man, though it be filled with old truths, and words that carry power--these words are as worthless as paper money tied to nothing of substance. The secondary desire of power, greed, praise or a thousand other human failings makes any co-opted word no matter how noble... meaningless.

President Obama during his campaign certainly co-opted "Yes we can" among other powerful phrases and words... many of which seemed hollow even then. As of yet he hasn't supported these phrases, he hasn't added substance to the played out rhetoric.

In due time the fraud is manifest, and words lose all power to stimulate the understanding or the affections-Nature

It is my sincere hope that President Obama will take the opportunity history has provided him, and show that my worries were premature, show that he's not a fraud built upon the sand foundation of meaningless rhetoric, media fanaticism, and a increasingly segmented and gullible electorate.

He has challenges, but he has opportunities too. The American People are rightfully livid that more than 3 trillion dollars have been promised in stimulus/bailouts and aid... while at the same time the very people who have defraud millions of our fellows are enriching themselves, receiving bonuses, retaining their jobs and engaging in a staggering cover up intended to keep the wealthy and privileged in their proper place, while the untouchables like UAW pensioners are expected to renegotiate their benefits despite having contract. As we all know, according to the AIG CEO, we're a Nation of laws and all contracts must be fulfilled... well if the contract gives an AIG charlatan a multimillion dollar bonus that is.

Obama should have no fear that Geitner will discover that he's a fraud... apparently, he was never a regulator.

President Obama could seize upon this or any of a hundred other injustices to live up to his origin mythos of community organizer and friend of the downtrodden. Sadly I believe we're seeing the cracks in the Obama facade.

The "fraud is manifest" and daily his words lose more substance.

This is a cross post with Kara's blog Come on, Pilgrims.

Labels: Barack Obama, emerson, fraud