A king, two vizziers and a courtier: Abstract reflections on the debate

Dramatis Personae

Vizzier 1: An unimaginably cruel and wicked Vizzier

Vizzier 2: much worse than Vizzier 1.

The king: Stupid, inattentive and, at least seemingly, malicious.

The desperate courtier: Morally compromised himself, with little influence, but desperately trying to prevent the worst excesses.

Scene

Vizzier 1: My lord we mussst ravage the people of the ssssssouth and bring upon them devassssstation.

Vizzier 2: NO! IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO MERELY DEVASTATE THE LANDS OF THE SOUTH, WE MUST BRING UPON THEM UTTER UNENDING RUIN AND MISERY.

King: Hrrm, tempting proposals, with merits to both. Now as you know, once every four years, I pick one of my Vizziers to act as my regent. Of all the men of my court, I have elected to select between you two.

Vizzier 1: Select me and all our enemiesssss shall fear usssss and will will grow rich. I shall ensssure the council of a thousand tormentssss is diverssse and take modessst and reassssonable sssteps to ssseek dynamic sssynerrgies to build back the holy forresssst.

Vizzier 2: SELECT ME, AND IN MY MIGHTY POTENCY I WILL DEVASTATE THE NORTH, THE SOUTH, THE EAST AND THE WEST, BETTER AND BIGGER THAN ANYONE BEFORE. WE WILL CAST OUT MILLIONS OF STRANGERS WHO HAVE DARED TO HIDE BENEATH OUR ROOFS- I SHALL BE CALLED THE BEST CASTER OUTER. WE WILL SET AFLAME THE FORESTS WHOSE ROOTS THE FOOLISH PEASANTS SAY KEEP THE ALIEN GODS AT BAY. I SHALL TAKE THE BREAD AWAY FROM THOSE USELESS EATERS SOME CALL “CHILDREN”. I AM THE GREATEST, MANY SAY IT, AND SOON ALL TONGUES SHALL CRY IT OR BE RIPPED FREE OF THEIR FLESHY CAVE.

King: You there courtier, what do you think?

Courtier: My lord, I know that you are good, and in your goodness, I am secure, even if sadly you are frequently lied to by wicked advisors. Might I suggest then sire…

[The courtier believes every word of this. He cannot allow himself to contemplate, even for a moment, the possibility that the king is morally suspect because if he does, he will lose all his persuasiveness.]

Courtier cont’d, sobbing: In your wisdom and kindness my lord, you should- you should- Make Vizzier 1 your regent.

It is not clear that the King has heard the courtier, he raises his finger and moves it back and forth between the two vizziers, as if indecisive or playing a game. The scene fades to black.

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Now this is our predicament as people living in the global north who care about the poor, the meek, the environment, and people outside the global north. You can say that the people of the country are led astray by their media (and this is doubtless true- but they could choose to know and think and care more and they don’t). You can say that if the people tried to elect good leaders, the rich would arrange a coup, and maybe this is true. But still, they do keep voting for these fuckers in primaries as well as generals. You can say a lot of people don’t vote, but the vast majority of them, if they did vote, would still vote for Vizzier 1 or Vizzier 2.

Against this background, the possibility that Vizzier 1 might have dementia really only matters to me if it affects the king’s choice. Vizzier 1 and 2 are much larger than Biden or Trump, although these men are, of course, crucial and influential components. By the same token, Trump’s felony conviction matters little. It’s naive- almost cute- to act as if this little clash were a job interview. What matters about these men is, for the most part, the social energies and powers that animate them. Certainly, Trump called into existence the unique dangerous coalition that supports him, but ultimately the coalition is much larger than him. “Biden” perhaps even more so than Trump, is not equivalent to Biden, but to an administrative coalition.

I keep telling myself that the king is led astray by his wicked advisors. It’s not wrong, and it’s all I can do. I really do believe that, past it all, people are good. And after all, it’s not as if I don’t have plenty that needs forgiving myself, and if we failed to love one another because we were insufficiently impressed by each other’s virtue, we’d ruin the whole point of virtue.

Optimism of the will.