The Regime It Is A-Changin’ (Or Not)

Bob Dylan, Joan of Arc & the Flavors of Fanaticism over Donald Trump

In my indie-music days, I probably covered Bob Dylan songs more than those of any other artist. My favorite tune of his to introduce was, “The Times They Are A-Changin’.”

I would preface “The Times …” by offering that it’s the perfect protest song, because it contains no details as to what stances were favored or disfavored. It could, therefore, be used by almost any side of almost any issue.

I thought of this malleability of earnestness while reviewing the conversation I had with Scott and Patrick on the most recent “History Homos” podcast episode, released Sunday, Jan. 19 (listen right here at SUBSTACK!!! or Spotify, Rokfin, Odysee, Rumble, Bitchute).

The topic was the trial of Joan of Arc, a controversial 15th Century French militarist and mystic who lived during the Hundred Years’ War. Scott framed Joan’s legacy early in the discussion:

She’s this really enigmatic figure that means a lot of things to a lot of different people. It’s almost like she’s this blank slate that everyone can project whatever they want onto her, in a really remarkable way. I’ve never engaged with a historical figure where so many people identify her with their thing.

For the full list of my interviews, click the image or this caption.

More than one strain of the disease

I recalled Dylan’s timeless “Times” and Scott’s podcast comment when pondering the inauguration of Donald Trump as the U.S.’s 47th president two days ago.

Has any contemporary figure been the target of as much fanatical projection as Trump?

I’m not only referring to those stricken with the variant of Trump Derangement Syndrome that causes them to equate everything Trump does with the worst figures from all of human civilization. I’m also talking about the lesser-diagnosed strain of Trump Derangement Syndrome which manifests as insane support for Trump.

Trump isn’t a Hitler-like politician. Trump isn’t a Savior-like politician.

Government isn’t suddenly becoming evil because of Trump. Government isn’t suddenly becoming good because of Trump.

And the “serious thinkers” who wish Trump and the whole circus would go away so government could return to some sort of “respectability,” aren’t doing anywhere near the level of serious thinking they pretend.

Coercive civil authority is inherently, intrinsically evil. Trump neither started this reality, nor can he change it, nor will it revert to some quietly virtuous character in his absence.

Seemingly the only good that comes from TDS is the plentiful satire, delivered here by Austin Bragg and Andrew Heaton in “Inauguration Spin Showdown: Fox vs. MSNBC”:

That sketch is obvious parody, but the sentiments and feelings presented aren’t far off from the abysmally low-IQ, low-attention, low-mental-effort, low-ethics posts I see in my social media feeds and occasionally in my inboxes.

And these posts aren’t necessarily shared by low-IQ, etc., persons. But the positions they amplify have all of those aforementioned deficient qualities. Especially sad is the terribly low level of ethics. Humane ethics can compensate for gaps in the other aspects, but high levels of the others can’t make up for a morality that misses the mark.

Power corrupts more than those who possess it

There’s something about government that infects even regular folks.

It reminds me of the quote attributed to Lord Acton: “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

Acton referred to those who had already attained control of government’s violence-justifying apparatus. But I think the poisonous effects of power are much broader. As such, I’d like to propose a corollary:

The desiring of power tends to corrupt.

Those who pursue power as direct officials or as cronies, who want to feel like part of the team in power (party politics), who adore power and those in possession of it, have this ethical illness even before actualizing any such goals.

This, in turn, reminds me of Jesus’ warnings about “mammon,” an Aramaic term for material wealth/property: “You cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13).

Paul’s pastoral advice to Timothy echoes the Gospel message: “For the love of money is the root of all evils” (1 Timothy 6:10)

Photo by Bermix Studio on Unsplash

Material wealth was even more closely tied to power in Jesus’ and Paul’s time than it is in the freer societies of the modern West. And the phrasing of Jesus’ and Paul’s admonitions addresses the devotion to power and money more than merely having them.

This nuance does two important things. First, it draws a distinction between remaining charitable and virtuous while prospering, vs. reveling in the manipulative potency.

Second, it warns that corruption can occur even among those who lack the objects of their desire. Those without much political and financial pull, but who still religiously “serve” and “love” it, have the inward illness even in the absence of outward opulence.

The fanatical worship of government is always a much bigger problem than what it does to those at the top of the imposed, hierarchical social order. The subordinates, enforcers, cronies, and the cheering congregations are all part of the rottenness and decay known as good, loyal, dutiful citizenship.

The problem is the exalting of coercive civil authority, no matter who exercises it.

The times may be a-changin’, but the essential evil of government is a-stayin’.

Be a good neighbor and undermine it.

Be a good Commenter, too …

Did you watch any of the inauguration and other official events on Monday? What were your impressions?

Does Trump change your view of what government is? Why or why not?

What’s your favorite Bob Dylan song? If you’re a fan, what do you think of the new biopic about his early years as a musician?

Anything else on your mind related to this article’s themes?

Let me know your thoughts below …

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