All The Emperors Are Naked: Demystifying Power & Unmasking Elite Incompetence
In Progress...
There is anger across the political and social spectrum at the seemingly growing incompetence, corruption, and amorality of our supposed wise leaders and imperious-acting elites. We fail to understand the commonality of the visceral anger of the Brexiteers, Women's Marchers, Me-Too Movement supporters, Black Lives Matter advocates, yellow vest picketers, occupy Wall Street drummers and MAGA hat wearing grandfathers.
We see both the politically engaged, and those who are criminals receiving lenient sentences ( or no sentences at all), while others suffer under an unforgiving and draconian criminal justice system. We see prominent people, often in authority, behaving in ways we wouldn't accept from our children. Whether it’s the President of the United States, wealthy 'captains of industry', celebrity personalities, sports figures, religious leaders, local elected officials, or teachers and school officials.
Since the 2016 election, many reports have noted the upsurge in political engagement
and participation, especially the increase of women and people of color running for elected office up and down the ballot. Most articles have framed this as a ‘blue wave’ of Democratic resistance to the Trump Administration. There are several problems with this myopic analysis. First, is it fails to account for the increased engagement in down ballot local races
which little to no interaction with the federal government. People, many of whom have never run for elected office, are not running for their local school board to oppose President Trump. Similarly, it ignores the intra-party contestations within the Democratic Party. Progressives within the Democratic Party are not running against incumbent moderates solely to disrupt Trump’s policy agenda. The true catalyst, as has been the case in other points in history, is the unmasking of the powerful.
One of the most effective ways those in power remain in power is by convincing the rest of us they have a special talent or advanced capacity to make decisions and understand issues. Since the first leader proclaimed their appointment was divinely directed or Divine lineage, powerful people have encouraged the notion that being in power is just way too complicated for the average person. Whether it's the modern use unduly complicated jargon in business and academia or an elevated throne, the goal is the same. Convince the rest of us that they are uniquely suited to their authority over you.
Today, this idea is continued not by village elders or petty potentates, but by corporate executives, trust fund celebrities, bankers, and many other so-called power brokers. During the Great Recession, we heard how exorbitant executive pay and bonuses were necessary to, “recruit and keep talent”. We elect wealthy business people with the morbid logic of, “He/she must be smart, look at how much money they have”. We illogically believe someone will get rid of corruption because “He/she can’t be bought by special interest because they are already rich.” This of course wrongly assumes that rich people wouldn’t want to be richer. We can see this every time someone is incredulous that Ted Bundy went to law school or asserts Ben Carson’s qualification as Secretary of Housing & Urban Development because he was a neurosurgeon.
Conversely, we ( including the poor themselves) blame the poor for their station in life and conclude their individual behavior led to their financial dependency rather than unequal access or structural unfairness. We all have been amazed at some time when realizing someone in a position of authority was an actual human being. With all the faults and foibles that come with that humanity. It might have been seeing your teacher at the grocery store or watching your father cry at a funeral. Whatever the individual circumstances are, perceiving the distance or dissimilarity between yourself and the powerful can be equal parts frightening and empowering.
It’s frightening because you are no longer confident that things will be OK because or that the so-called ‘adults in the room’ know what they are doing”. For example, the fear felt once you realize that the safety of your airplane flight or child’s roller-coaster ride is depending on the integrity and expertise of some overworked, underpaid safety regulator somewhere. Or the horror when you find out the guy you knew in high school who was a not-too-bright bully is now a judge or a cop. However, it’s empowering because realizing those in charge are no better than you instills an internal efficacy and self-confidence that overcomes often paralyzing self-doubt. Seeing the clay feet of the powerful puts our own faults in a better perspective.
