Two strains of thought came together recently as I ping-ponged between readings on politics and spirituality. In the political area I was increasingly interested in the idea of tyranny and autocracy and in the personal, I was interested in the idea of an autocracy that we create with our individual egos.
Given the times and the omnipresence of certain personalities, political tyranny is a normal part of current thinking. Authors like historian Tim Snyder and politico David Pepper offer in-depth consideration of the autocratic impulse. As I read, I came across this quote form Lenin: “Autocracy can not do without its twin agents: the hangman and the priest, the first to suppress popular resistance by force, the second to sweeten and embellish the lot of the oppressed with empty promises of a heavenly kingdom.” Snyder is particularly cogent about what Lenin hints at reminding us that, “you submit to tyranny when you renounce the difference between what you want to hear and what is actually the case.”
In the political sphere autocrats rarely end well. The guillotine awaits the oppressive king, Il Duce is hung by his heels in Milan, Caesar is stabbed at the senate and Hitler is left with his two remaining friends, a cyanide tablet and a pistol. Yet we seem to rush toward the rule of a single strongman like flies rush to feces. The strongman is the one who promises to make you safe if you turn a few liberties over to his control. Why not be safe? How can that be bad ?
The strongman of our ego offers us the same lousy deal.
We have said or heard many vocalizations from the tyrant. ” You can’t do that.” “Just look the other way.” “Look out for number one. ” We are told that certain kindnesses are too risky or that personal goals are too difficult to achieve and sadly that is often what we want to hear. It absolves us from trying and protects us from failure. How often have we lost liberty and safety because we listen to the autocratic voice in our heads? The tyranny of our egos is powerful and subtle.
So I shout out to those that resist. The octogenarian ballet dancer and the charitable soul that breaks free and takes action. Be brave. Break free.
Olio Folio 