Comment on The Belmont Club "Equal to ourselves"

What the totalitarians have succeeded in doing is poisoning the fruit of the wisdom of crowds. Democracy rests upon the theory that since the spark is within us we can recognize it in others. As individuals we may be venial, corrupt and in the Calvinist sense damned, but as a community we can recognize the truth and will choose to be ruled by "the better angels of our nature." Ideally we would elect the Elect.

Through the art of demagoguery and due to some mechanical tricks coming from a practical experience based on lay knowledge of the science of neurology those who would be Masters have learned to impede the ability of the Commons to discriminate in their judgement. The masses repeat the memes that Reagan was an idiot and Obama is a genius with no consideration of the actual evidence.

On the "East versus west" thread I noted that over time the model of man as a slave will fail. What a waste though in all the glory that will be lost and the blighted hopes that will be ruined while freedom sleeps.

All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.

- J.R.R. Tolkein