Complexity and Democracy
Typically speaking we do not do well with complexity. There seems to be a natural impulse to make things simple. Maybe simplicity suggests the possibility of control, and we would like to think that we have a measure of control over events. The impulse toward simplicity and control, however, give an opening to demagoguery and propaganda. Take the word “immigrant’ for an example. The word has no descriptive value for any particular person other than their movement from one country to another. Are we referring to an individual, a family, a young person, an older person, a person who desires more opportunity, a person who feels they are in danger, a member of a criminal organization, or a person of any other of a myriad of different descriptions and motivations? We don’t know any of these possibilities from the term immigrant. It is complicated because each immigrant is an individual with their own identity and story. When an individual commits a crime, that is wrong; when that individual’s crime is used to stereotype an entire social, racial or gender group, that is evil.
Stereotyping individuals who commit crimes associated with representative of their greater group is a favorite of demagogues. Anger defeats intelligence. If one becomes angry enough, then one doesn’t take the time to recognize the humanity of those who did not commit the crime. They become the enemy. The problem for the would-be demagogue, is that one must continually ramp up fear of one other, or another, lest people stop and think. That is why the television political ad world is filled with specific stories of criminal activities, which they say their opponents approve of. That is an appeal to simplicity. No group of humans, racial, gender, ethnic, or other grouping, is evil in essence. When demagogues attempts to make one feel that way, they are aiming at manipulating their supporters. They want anger, not thoughtful consideration of the issues. How easy it is to condemn people by a general stereotype term if we do not take the time to find out the character and story behind the stereotype. Too often the demagogic message is that immigrants are different, they are other, they must be feared. That attitude usually lasts until we get to know them. I employed a Jamaican African/ American at the golf course. A golfer and I were joking with him as we prepared to go out for a game of golf. As we walked down the first fairway he made a derogatory comment about Black people. I said, “How can you talk like that? We were just having a good time with our employee back at the clubhouse.” He replied, “But, he isn’t Black…’ and then realized, that he was. Our employee was an individual to him now, and not part of the general stereotype he had formed of Black people.
Part of the desire for simplicity is the appeal of having an autocratic ruler. They project an image of strength and a way of cutting through the frustrating complexities of a democratic system. Our democracy is organized to give voice to many competing interests. Electing representatives that will represent our interests takes time and effort. Democratic solutions are usually compromises, and no one interest group gets the complete package of what they want. That conservative system grinds at a slow pace, but saves society from the radical, and chaotic administration of a government run by an authoritarian leader. One only has to look at current authoritarians to make that judgement. Putin in Russia, Xi of China, Orban of Hungary, and Kim Jong Un of North Korea all run repressive regimes, and appropriate the wealth of their countries for their personal use. They take chances in international affairs, promoting their own glory and image, but endangering peaceful relations among countries.
Do we face complex problems? Yes, we do! But, we should be discomforted by easy answers, half truths and demagogic self-promotion. We should remain steadfast to our values of working for justice, freedom and peace. That means, not only having compassion for others, but having the courage and initiative to go out and meet others as individual people. If we ado that, our fear of others is less. That makes hatred difficult. Embracing the complexity of modern life, helps us avoid the dangers of simplistic answers that endanger our values of justice, freedom and peace.
Rick Lohr, formerly of Marathon City, is a retired history teacher and former owner and manager of Pine Valley Golf Course. He has been retired for over 20 years but has given about 650 talks to schools, service groups and senior centers related to the 45 counties he has traveled to.
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