The Long Way Home 12.6.24

“The important thing is the obvious thing that nobody is saying”--Charles Bukowski.

The obvious, the important thing, often threatens reputations, feelings, and identity. Who else grew up hearing, “We don’t say that here.”

When it comes to politics, our tendency to not say the obvious thing is apparent from city council and county commissioner meetings to the White House.

I visited my favorite library to understand what happened with the election last month. I checked out The Populist Explosion: How the Great Recession Transformed American and European Politics, published in October 2016. 

Its author,  John B. Judis, defines populism as a political ideology pitting "the people" against "the elite." Populist leaders mobilize a broad base of support by appealing to the frustrations and anxieties of ordinary people against a perceived corrupt and self-serving establishment. Ironically, over the last couple hundred years, those populist leaders were themselves part of an elite establishment.

The book highlights some prominent and influential figures, from Huey “The Kingfish” Long, a depression-era governor of Louisiana who didn’t think Franklin Roosevelt was far enough left, to Pat Buchanan, a conservative firebrand who sought the Republican presidential nomination in 1992 and 1996 because he didn’t think the party leaders were right-wing enough.

The book comprehensively analyzes populism's global rise and impact on politics and society from the 1800s to the 2016 election. 

It examines Donald Trump, a central figure in the book, and the populist wave that shook American politics during his first campaign. At the same time, Bernie Sanders led his populist movement on the left. 

Not to be left out, the Europeans have their populism, too. Marine Le Pen, the French far-right politician known for her anti-immigration and nationalist stance; Nigel Farage, a British politician who played a vital role in the Brexit movement; and Viktor Orbán, the Hungarian Prime Minister, is an authoritarian populist known for his conservative policies and attacks on liberal democracy.

Another book that found its way to me is 1861—The Civil War Awakening by Adam Goodheart. Goodheart is an American historian, essayist, and author. His book gave me a whole new perspective on American society during the rupture of North and South. 

Both books clarified that I am too hung up on the idea that today's political turmoil is somehow unique and worse than anything the world has seen. It’s not, not even close. So I’m breathing a bit easier.

I idealize important truths, however. Our world suffers from a lack of Honor among elected officials and other celebrities. Personal honor is about living up to our values and standards, even when no one is watching. It encompasses qualities like integrity, honesty, courage, and fairness. 

While our society loves to build up our heroes, whether political or otherwise, we are shattered when we see that a part, if not all, of their honor, is missing—either never there or sold off to status and adoration.

It’s hard to trust anybody.

We saw Bill Cosby do a two-hour solo comedy show in a Las Vegas casino showroom before he was Dr. Huxtable. Smoking a cigar and sitting on a wooden stool, he had the audience in the palm of his hand the whole time. And there was nary a swear word in his stories. He was brilliant. Decades later, we learned of his disgraceful lack of honor regarding the treatment of women.

Honor is a pretty important trait for people doing important work. The fact that it doesn’t seem as important now is a source of deep disappointment for me.

Honor demands honesty and truthfulness in all situations, treating all people with dignity and kindness, standing up for what’s right, even when it hurts, and taking ownership of our actions and their consequences.

In business, the professions, and government, honor requires adhering to a code of ethics, avoiding conflicts of interest, maintaining a high standard of work and behavior, and being responsible for our actions and mistakes.   

The key to a healthy and prosperous society is the personal honor of those we admire. And we, as a society, have the power and responsibility to hold them to account. It’s our own damn fault if we don't.

There, I said it.