Of Magic and Myth

Extreme partisanship and ideological divides are nothing new in American politics, but at least in my lifetime, cultish worship of political figures is a new and disturbing behavior. Now I must say that I have yet to meet any man or woman who I felt deserving of such veneration, not religious figures, not government leaders nor any other. Not that I am above bending the knee to those I deem worthy, and not because I hold myself in such high stead, but because I am keenly aware of the fallibility and flaws that are baked into the human experience. I also must admit in all candor that I was taught to question, to seek answers to even the most difficult ideas. I've heard that described as critical thinking but the emphasis is not on critical as an admonition but rather an acknowledgement that every idea should be carefully weighed and acceptance never given lightly.

Observing the manner in which some in our country explain away what is so painfully obvious to an overwhelming majority is what gives rise to the 'cultish' label. It is more than faith, and not , as some would say, simply a function of ignorance or willful blindness, however much those attributes also may be at play. They alone do not explain why reasonable, intelligent and successful individuals engage in the same contrary and convoluted rationalization of actions that can and have been shown to result in catastrophic failure, economic ruin, and human tragedy even and including the preventable deaths of hundred's of thousands.

Today we watch as our country's standing in the world, our economic strength, and the respect and goodwill of nations has been squandered. We have watched as our most sacred institutions and rights are being stripped away, believing that only happens to others or to the deserving and all the while those who should know better, who should be alarmed, stand by and not simply acquiesce but claim that these same acts are the result of a complex, cunning and ultimately brilliant strategy. How is this possible?

Surely I am not the first to ask this question. I have a theory that I submit here for consideration. I believe it is about the power of magic and myth. Let's start with some assumptions. Humans want and generally believe in positive outcomes--it is hard wired into us and even those who have suffered otherwise are loath to turn cynic. When those charged with leadership--those who can and will affect our collective destiny say and do things that should shock us, those who subscribe to myth and magic will inevitably search for and find some explanation they can cling to that transforms the irrational, inhumane and destructive into the product of a superior and omniscient intelligence.

How else do you explain these tortured beliefs? A man who habitually lies--even about the most easily disproven things is the only one who is telling us the truth. A man who flaunts his personal disregard for religion, for morality, for equality, for the rights of all, self describes as the defender of the faith and rescuer of our national exceptionalism. A man who is ignorant of fundamental science, who believes in magical cures, who thinks he can bomb hurricanes is the great healer and smarter than everyone in every field of human knowledge according to his own reckoning. Yet millions of devoted followers appear to believe exactly that.

You've heard it said--"he is playing chess while others are playing checkers". This is the mythology speaking--a carefully curated narrative that endows the figure and his actions with qualities he does not possess and which even a casual review would prove fictional. But it does not stop there, or otherwise how could we explain leaders of all stripe, CEOs and experienced professionals buying into absurd and empty fairy tale pronouncements where strategy and tactical intelligence are the only qualities they know from personal experience ensure success.

When the outcomes are precisely the opposite of what was promised, the blunders evident for all to see and the explanations amount to either the dog did it, or wait, it is all part of the grander plan, we have surrendered credibility. That is the magic, a fundamental belief that in the end it will all work out, never mind how--you wouldn't understand.

There are some who know better and see what is happening but play along even as they lend their efforts to the conjuring trick laid out for the public's benefit. Few admit to being deluded, fewer still would risk their reputation to acknowledge that the emperor is wearing nothing--cannot even find the leg of the pants to put on any clothes. Better to save face, to wink and slyly suggest the possession of insider knowledge--to pretend to be a savant and not a fool. There is money to be made, opportunity to be grabbed in the midst of national ruin.

What we do not understand, what we cannot fathom or believe is exactly what it appears to be, that is the work of magic and myth. We might as well argue that rain is Zeus pissing through a sieve. No amount of proof or experience is likely to persuade true believers their god is a myth. The thing to remember about magic is that all successful tricks are based on persuading you that what you see is real and never what is really going on behind the scenes.