SOCIAL CLASS
Ethics, Politics, and Metaphysics Inspired by Dragonwyck
That Democracy
It is easy to think that America has been stable since its inception if the Civil War is ignored and the stampede of British soldiers in the nation's capital in 1814. When reading history, one does not have to look very deeply to see the dissatisfaction and inadequacy of our government. Like the rest of the world, the United States suffered and still suffers from the oppressive distinction of social class. Although it is harder to see as it used to be, class struggle continues, although now gender, race, and orientation are layered into the distinction.
It strikes me as curious and terrifying that a writer who published in the 1940s a book set in the 1840s should eerily cause concern for repetition in the 2040s or earlier. Many parade the term democracy as a stranglehold, something to count on. The sorry state of the situation is the United States has never lived up to its ideals. Equality and self-determination seem good and morally sound on paper, but they have less substance if they have never been fully achieved or even attempted. Now is as good a time as ever to reflect not on the vulnerability of democracy but more on where society has not met the mark of meeting our stated ideals. How can we further reduce social struggle by looking forward to what our country could be and focusing less on what we have already done? How can we prevent the repetitive nature of looking backward and risk repeating history repeatedly?
He was Weak
People often look to themselves for strength, courage, and support. We view Man as the pinnacle of superior beings and overlook the value of community strength and spiritual guidance. However, Man is not superior, and it falters in isolation. No one person has the capacity and wisdom to go through life, lead people, or survive without other people. Only the people who think they can go on alone show their weakness in their lack of enlightenment. In the 21st century, we are still witnessing men who believe they are above the rest and see humility not as a strength but as a weakness.
Overcompensation is the first sign that something is not as it should be. Instead of correction, we often see overcompensation as a cover-up, an attempt to hide a failure. It is not just a fault but a deep, dark inadequacy that, instead of embracing humility and growth, the person chooses to bury the truth. They cloak their limitations in bravado and menace while never moving forward, stuck in the past where their weaknesses cannot be exposed.
“Hard times create strong men. Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. And, weak men create hard times.”
Rights of Others
While arguing that every disaster is the result of Man’s selfishness may not be sound, the idea is not too far off the mark. One only has to think of water crises, infrastructure disrepair, and corruption in public office to see the selfish motivations of those in power. Dot-com, real estate, and big tech bubbles only solidify the belief that the few care more about their own ambitions than the rights of others.
Contentment is achievable, but not when people focus too much on excess rather than what is truly necessary. It means little to speak of rights and the rights of others if there is no willingness to make sacrifices. The world does not operate on the basis of equality. Human nature drives us to pursue self-satisfaction. It's easy to give in to self-motivation, but it requires diligence, hard work, and virtuous effort to counteract our nature and create the equality we desire.