Frank's Musings

Thomas Edsall’s essay in the NYT of 9/25/2024 characterizes the appeal of lying demagogues to members of the classes that are losing status to the inevitable progress of knowledge as confirming their dislike of losing their place in the social pecking order.  This is a natural regret of having less privileges than they have been accustomed to.  They call this change “political correctness,” but it really shows that time marches on; and if you lose step, you will be left behind.

In fact, the strength of the demagogue also has a shortening half-life.  Fortunately, the number of the demagogue’s followers will diminish over time.  That will  make him a political artifact and only a temporary threat to social advancement; however, during his heyday, he will be ridiculed by forward-looking critics for his backwardness and futile but dangerous threat social progress.