The Age of Democracy

The culture trend of our day is quickly sweeping us into the age of democracy.

For over two centuries the US culture has been an age of Constitutional Law, but over the last 80 some years we’ve been shifting, changing. The massive and insanely rapid technological advances we’ve been seeing over this period of time have greatly aided this shift towards a far more democratic form of government.

The odd part of this trend, and it seems almost contradictory, is that as governments, businesses, and banks get bigger and bigger, the close relationships built between them and the people at large are getting further and further apart. How many people have, or have had, a close personal connection with someone who has major decision making power in say Amazon, Apple, the Green Bay Packers, Wells Fargo, Fannie Mae, The Presidency, Nike, The New York Times, Samsung, Google, etc.? Or are they under such lock and key, special body guards, and highly private and invention only parties and meetings?

The further away these powerful people get, it seems the more involvement customers want in those companies. The bigger the company gets and the richer these men and women become, the more the people despise and seek after their demise. The more polarized politicians and companies get on issues, the more the flood gates open of hateful memes, tweets, and vines.

We want to have our cake, but we demand to be able to eat it too. This is not a good place to be.

The Age of Democracy

The desire to have the cake and to eat it too very nicely sums up the sentiment that Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville and The Federalist by Hamilton, Madison, and Jay wrote about on democratic forms of government. Let me be blatantly clear, this does not mean the democratic party, simply the democratic form of government as opposed to a republican form of government.

A big win for the whims of men, as opposed to the rule of law, came in a time of crisis and several companies were considered too big to fail. Many people were angry and understandably frustrated that they were too small to be cared about; thus being allowed to fail. Many people lost their jobs, their homes, their security, their credit, and their confidence in the law.[i]

When the law is on our side we’re all for it, but as soon as the benefit for another starts hitting our wallet we can’t stand for the treachery. When government and bank representatives came knocking on thousands upon thousands of homes saying you no longer own this property and you have two minutes to be out. Let me back up a step real quick: by law they were required to give eviction notices with ample time to move.

So many people thought they owned their home, it was not just a house, but their home. Their car. Their things.

The hard cold truth of the matter is that if it’s mortgaged, if it’s financed, if it’s collateral it belongs to someone else. Period. There is no security in debt. The piles of paperwork to sign for a home, a credit card, a car payment, same as cash checks, and title loans are so easily signed. The immediate pressure of paying the wolf pack of money collectors to get them off our backs, or to provide for the expected

Christmas joys, or whatever the case may be comes so easily. But we agreed to pay the piper when it is time, and we struggle to understand why my home isn’t actually mine. Why the judge would be so cold, why the Sheriff is so cruel, why the real estate agents would do such a thing, why our very own government is doing these things to us.

We then cry out, demanding to have our cake. We then cry out foul play. We then cry out to be saved. Big business, big banks, and big government have leveraged the law to win big. They’ve turned the law against the people, making so much fine print that the average person making a living, living a good life, won’t be able to understand.

As more and more people come out hurt and wounded, blind-sided by The Three Bigs (big business, big banks, big government), the people are the biggest of them all and they demand that they are too big to fail. If government officials want reelection, if bankers and businesses want customers and not riots, they’ll start giving the benefits demanded. This has led to the modern middle class squeeze. The wealthy know how to get breaks, the poor get the benefit, and the middle class ends up paying.[ii]

Many of the American Founding Fathers wrote—and many political scientists before and afterwards also came to a similar conclusion—that once a people realize they can vote themselves benefits the society is not far from destruction.

By Whims or By Law

The law used to be in favor of the people at large. But somewhere in the last 80 years the people have stopped studying the law, paying attention to what the heads of each sector of society are up to, and holding themselves and others to the bounds of the law.  

If we were to divide the United States into two parts, I think a very clean line would be made between those who understand how the law works, and those who don’t. Those who know, often prey on those who don’t.

The law should be the check and balance between the elite and the other classes, but also amongst themselves. Once the law is used as a whimsical tool to aide one business over another, or one group over another, then the firm foundation by which the referee on human nature is founded cracks, slips, and crumbles. Then it becomes every man for himself. It degrades to whose whims can win over the law more than the next man’s. This war of human nature and its whims does not end well.

There must be a better way than for those who can’t cover the bills to become outcasts and/or babysat, for the middle class to be squeezed out of existence and be the main group paying, and for the elite to either sit idly by or to be siphoning off the labor of the middle and lower classes. There must be a better way than the self-destruction of a democratic or whim ruled society.

Simple or Complex?

What I’m about to propose is nothing amazing or outstanding. It’s not revolutionary, neither is it necessarily exciting and cool.

I’ve mentioned these things before in previous blogs and speeches. I’ve heard them mentioned dozens of times in various places by my mentor. I’ve seen these answers pop up in ancient times as well as modern, from the blue side as well as the red side, the poor side as well as the rich. They have been a common universal answer to practically every problem faced in the course of human nature.

The formula for greatness, for success, for freedom has always been simple. Rarely easy, but very simple. There is a lot of stress, fear, and doubt in our society today, many run from one place to another looking for the fix, the solution, the hero to save the day. We go from making one political party dominant to then making the other party dominant, and then back again. This mad scurry and swinging pendulum won’t stop until we take a deep breath and decide to hunker down and do the hard work necessary to enact the simple solutions needed.

Looking to the Future

We must develop in ourselves and spread the skills and principles of entrepreneurship.

We must become voracious readers and deep thinkers in all things great. This is definitely including the fine print of businesses, governments, and banks.

We must build communities. Building support groups, friend groups, trusting groups. There is strength and power in numbers. There is security, aide, and encouragement in great communities. Communities enable, fill gaps, connect, lead, develop, and strengthen empathy; communities

humanize and aggrandize the whole.

Become a student of success, find the simple solutions for yourself. I’ve found them to be as simple as entrepreneurship or intrapreneurship, being a voracious reader and thinker, and building communities.[iii]

The people have been breaking themselves against the law and not understanding what is going on. One or the other will give. What if both give? What if we lead out by using the three vital principles from above and we all come out of this struggle victors, a free society, a nation of opportunity and prosperity? 

Maybe we’re the next founders of the new golden age of America.

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[i] The Financial Matrix by Orrin Woodward

[ii] “The Middle Class Squeeze” by Orrin Woodward

[iii] Freedom Matters by Oliver DeMille (Or 1913)

Which is Better: More National, Or More Local?

The Federalist Papers is one of the greatest collections of thoughts and analysis on freedom available. There is a wealth of knowledge and passion for establishing and maintaining a society that fosters freedom, opportunity, and widespread prosperity.

The authors—Hamilton, Madison, and Jay—are deep thinkers and powerful writers. I often wrestle to understand many of their concepts and phrases, but it is well worth the struggle!

As I’ve been studying the Papers again, I keep finding myself disagreeing on a common point over and over again. Normally in a book I’m excited about the disagreement, I will write an argument or a reference for why I see they are wrong and what I think the correct perspective is. With these Papers, though, I haven’t been as apt to write my initial disagreements and thoughts as I am with other books and authors. I’m concerned that I am wrong and that I just don’t understand why they are correct yet.

Let me make a quick aside. I disagree with many things written in the Federalist Papers, where I think they have something flat out wrong. But when it comes to this caliber of men and women or this caliber of classic, I take some extra time to think and process to make sure I’m finding the principle and not disagreeing over a surface issue.

The Disagreement

For example, in Federalist Paper #23 Alexander Hamilton makes his argument for “giving the Union energy and duration” through a strong national government. He says, “we must abandon the vain project of legislating upon the States in their collective capacities; we must extend the laws of the federal government to the individual citizens of America.” My initial response was an emphatic, “no! We do not want more national control over the individual!” Then I stop, think about it, and say, this is Hamilton we’re talking about, what is he seeing about the principles of freedom that I am not?

This is one example out of several where I have had the same line of thinking with Hamilton and Madison. I’ve been mulling over this for several days now as I continue to read, and I think I understand what is happening. Neither of us is necessarily right or wrong, we must understand the times!

As the Power Pendulum swings from one pinnacle of Tyranny to the other of Anarchy the direction we should be facing is completely different.

Understanding the Times

In the Era of the Founding Fathers there was not enough federalism, not enough Union, not enough national strength. They had just broken off from a tyrannical head and were slow to accept another head that was further than a few days’ ride. They were weary of confederating together into another national government that would boss them around. They were on the brink of anarchy and desperate for the balance, security, and strength that Union brings.

Today, in the 21^st century the power pendulum has overcorrected—thus the too perfect analogy of the pendulum swinging—and have too little “anarchy” or a far more localized power into a very top heavy national, and barely even federal, government that bosses individuals around.

There must be a balance of power between the different levels of governments and the different sectors of society. And depending on where we are as a society and where we should be heading to find the freedom balance—where the pendulum rests in the center. We must be aware of the current playing field and adjust accordingly.

Taking the exact words of the Federalist, or any of the Founding Fathers, and applying them into our modern world will not work. It will not produce freedom in our day and age like it did for them in their time. We must seek out the principles, the reasons and the understanding they had because these can be applied to solve and improve our current situation. Hamilton and I don’t disagree as much as I thought, we’re just living in different times and need to apply the same principle differently.

Two Methods of Approach

When studying the classics there are two main approaches, or perspectives.

There is the approach I mainly discussed above. Study the classics looking for the principles, thinking, and education to be applied directly to the issues and problems of today. The second approach is a historical perspective. Study why they thought and acted how they did, studying what was going on in their time. Obviously studying the historical climate of the time provides principles and application for us today, but the questions, focus, and lessons are completely different than a more principle based approach.

Approaching classics for learning principles to apply or studying the historical climate around the classic can both powerful and great. When I didn’t know I was discussing and arguing with the classics with one foot in each method it can be rather confusing and potentially even dangerous. The principles in the classics can come out warped, twisted, and misunderstood. It makes sense now why the conclusions and answers weren’t adding up for me.

Perspective and approach are key parts to getting a truly great leadership education. Make sure and work with your mentor, make sure and ask great questions, and make sure the approach used is understood and utilized properly. I’ve been enjoying arguing with the classics a great deal more with separating these two methods in my thinking.

Our Book List of Lists

A good friend of mine recently asked a very thought provoking question. She wondered, “What five books, outside of your religious book, would you take if you had to pack up and leave home?”

My wife and I got excited about the challenge and got into a discussion that lasted three days.

Through this dialogue we realized what was happening: we were defining what a “classic” meant for our family. We have a long list of classic books that we love, have learned from, and would like to take with us, but being limited to five pushed us to refine our answer of what a classic really is for us.

Simply put, a classic is something you can read over and over again and learn from it every time. There at least two different types of classics: personal classics and cultural classics.

Personal classics are subject to personal opinion—anything could be a classic to anyone, really. A cultural classic generally rises when many people consider it a classic. Thus the Harvard Classics, the Great Books set, the Thomas Jefferson Education classics list, and many other collections of some of the greatest works from history. Cultural classics are works that pass the taste of time, when generation after generation read and re-read these works and still pass them on to their children.

What are the great classics in your family culture? Your nation’s culture? Your religious culture? These are powerful questions to think about, discuss, and answer. I’d love to share in your thoughts and discuss what the core cultural classics are for your country in the comments below.

Consider the impact and widespread influence of the writings of Aristotle, Shakespeare, Homer, the Bible, and other such works. How many lives have they impacted over centuries and millennia? This is incredible to me! That is serious influence.

To fulfill this little project, Emma and I had to separate those classics that are good from the truly great.

We wanted the best classics for our family and the coming generations.

We realized as we discussed some of the most influential classics, that we need the greatest and best classics for us. That meant that we need to share what is ours. It doesn’t need to be the most “classically acclaimed,” but it does need to be something that we care about deeply. It needs to be something we get excited and passionate about, something that we deeply connect with.

A classic like this will naturally instill a passion for the love of learning in all those we come in contact with. We realized we must take the classics that are a part of us because we would be able to inspire those around us to use these classics and make them a part of who they are as well.

When you’re excited and passionate about something, those around you can’t help but gain some interest or curiosity (if not fall head over heels in love) with the subject. This is a powerful thing, the power of love. This is key to a great education, a great society, and great success: share your love for what is yours.

Think of a book that is considered a classic that you’ve tried to read but just had a hard time engaging. Such a book would be hard to get excited about and share with others. I wouldn’t pick Galileo’s Two New Sciences over Euclid’s Elements, because I get excited over studying Euclid but didn’t have the same experience with Galileo.

Maybe I could end up falling in love with Galileo’s works as much as Euclid’s if that’s the book I had, but if I had the choice I wouldn’t want to risk it on something I didn’t already deeply care about. Being able to instill a love of learning and thinking in others is much more valuable to me than taking something that is considered a “better classic” by others.

What are your top five books that you couldn’t help but share?

I’ll share what Emma and I came up with. We ended up making two book lists. The first is if we are pioneering somewhere and so our book options are limited for a time, but not forever. The second list is if there is a great disaster and the likelihood of ever getting more books is slim. We discussed these two scenarios and decided we would have different needs and a different focus depending on the availability of more classics. We chose the scriptures for both lists, these five books are in addition the scriptures.

Our first book list:

        The United States Constitution and the 196 Indispensable Principles of Freedom by Oliver DeMille

We picked this one for its invaluable list of principles needed for founding a great, free, and successful society. Also how it teaches and directs the reader to think, analyze, discuss, and read is a powerful teaching tool.

2.       Jane Austen’s Complete Works

Austen shows the principles of freedom, merit, and character in action. It doesn’t talk about the importance but shows the importance in action. They are brilliant stories that depict manners, morals, and grace.

3.       The Complete Works of Shakespeare

The entertainment value of Shakespeare provides for some spice and great community productions. Memorizing the stories and lines strengthens the mind, the depth of characters teach powerful life lessons, and the breadth of ideas covered supply ample opportunity for study and discussion.

4.       The Hunger Games Trilogy

This series gives a variety of styles and types of books for a different flavor. We decided on this set to stand as a reminder, a warning, and a call for greatness, mission, and paying the price for freedom. We must found a new society that will guard against such tyrannical rule. This supports many similar themes from Shakespeare, Austen, and 196 by DeMille.

5.       Herbalist Book of Home Remedies

Founding a new society we must work as a community, and it requires a lot of self-sustainability. Having a great reference book of different helpful plants could be the tipping point of our success or demise. Let’s stack as many odds in our favor as we can!

Our second book list is as follows (the first three are the same as before):

1.       The United States Constitution and the 196 Indispensable Principles of Freedom by Oliver DeMille

2.       Jane Austen’s Complete Works

3.       The Complete Works of Shakespeare

4.       The Complete Works of C.S. Lewis

We have been greatly moved by Lewis’ works. His insights, questions, principles, and styles of teaching are powerful. We have a very close relationship with Lewis and would be able to pass on a great passion for learning through his works.

5.       Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville

This book shows what the American Founding society looked like. And the type of people that produced one of the greatest nations in the world is analyzed and described in this great work. This is another book that Emma and I feel passionate about, a book with which we could spread the love of learning and freedom. 

Climate and… Freedom?

A great leadership book on reading like the top leaders of our day, entitled Turn the Page, teaches about the power of arguing with the author of the book you’re reading. Needless to say, I have had a couple run ins with Montesquieu.

When I first read his Spirit of the Laws I was surprised by his thoughts about the impact of the climate of a nation. He said that tropical climates which require little work to obtain the necessities of life tend to raise people who are weaker, less moral, and generally less free. Montesquieu broke down the history of these nations and showed they would often be conquered by more hardy northern nations who had all the seasons. These northern people had to struggle to live, they had to store up and think more long-term. The Carthaginians were conquered by the Romans, and the Romans defeated by the Gauls. Or—in a modern example—the northeastern Ivy League schools tend to be more scholarly, while the Arizonian or southern Californian schools are considered the nation’s party schools.

The book gives great historical examples and case studies for this common thread. I thought it was pretty funny at first. I didn’t take him seriously in the least and often joked about it with some of my peers and students I was mentoring at the time.

I was left wondering why brilliant Montesquieu would say this. I kept asking, “What am I missing? What am I not seeing here?” So I’d laugh and wonder at the oddity of climate influencing freedom.

My reconciliation came slowly, with much more reading and discussion. But I’ve come to understand that he’s onto something here. He’s not saying that you can’t have freedom if your life isn’t really really hard in order to survive—because there are ample cases to the contrary. But climate does matter. We see this dynamic between the islanders of the Pacific being very communal, relaxed, and peaceful as tribes, as opposed to the conquering Vikings far to the north who lived much by a survival of the fittest type of culture, even within in their own society. Climate absolutely has great effect on people—both societal and familial.

Summer naturally drives family outdoors to work, play, and build. Fall naturally inspires preparation, harvest, and gathering for feasts. Winter naturally tends toward rest, family stories, and study. And spring naturally produces unrest, new birth, and new energy. It’s different if you only have summer and spring, or fall and winter. You must make adjustments, checks, and balances to hedge against the weaknesses of each season and exploit their strengths.

This is simply another piece of the freedom puzzle, just as Montesquieu argues that for a Republic to be successful it must be based on the principles of public virtue. Looking closer at the founding of the United States—and a similar thing will be found in the founding of any great and free people—the effects of their climate, their natural resources, and their position in the world, geographically as well as politically, important. In order to establish a successful new nation, or a new business, a new family, a new move, a new phase in life, these things should be considered.

Do we too seldom notice the power and influence of our environment? The culture of the society you’re in, the temperament of the climate around you, the type of soil you reside on, the neighboring military powers, the business competition down the road, the addictions one is faced with, the customs and manners of a region or society, etc. etc. etc. Understanding the environment is a powerful tool in finding the right answers to make anything a success.

So, how does your climate affect you, your family, and your government?