I laughed out loud reading Federalist Paper No. 10.
It's available online, but I wanted to read it on paper––I have an easier time paying close attention to things on paper, and I figured this would take attention (it did)––so I went to the library this afternoon and got a copy of The Federalist.
I stopped at a coffee shop on my way home to read the famous No. 10––it's only 8 pages long.
Reading it reminded me of truffle oil, which I've only eaten once, at an expensive French restaurant with my father.
I don't care much about cuisine, I'm pretty happy eating at White Castle. My father chose a multi-course menu for the whole table, and the first course was a little something on a big white plate, drizzled with truffle oil.
I thought, Oh, truffle oil, who cares?
And then I ate it, and it was so good, so flavorful, and so subtle, it's the sort of thing that makes you stop. Just stop. I don't care if I ever eat truffle oil again, but it's one of the best things I've ever tasted.
Like truffle hunting, this paper takes a bit of effort, but it's worth it. It's tight and elegant, a real pleasure, and if haven't read it before but you studied US History in grade school, you might think, like I did, "Oh, that's where that came from!"
"That" being a key element in the design of the government of the United States, my (and maybe your) country.
But also, this is a little essay about human nature, trying to see clearly and to think honestly about how we are, and not to fool ourselves that we, or anyone else, are better than we are. Or worse!
Thinking we're better than we are sets us up for temptations we can't handle.
Thinking we're worse than we are deprives us of freedoms we can handle (or that are worth risking, anyway).
Seeing that is both ennobling and humbling.
Here's the part that made me laugh.
James Madison, the author of this particular paper (Alexander Hamilton and John Jay wrote others--all signed "Publius"), is talking about how self-interest will sway lawmakers. It's just human nature. If a lawmaker has the opportunity to vote in his own interest, even if it sticks it to the little guy, well... maybe that's not a smart set up.
I have noticed this myself.
Further (this is where I laughed), he writes:
NO KIDDING!
The paper's modern that way.
Shortly after I read it a friend happened to come in the coffee shop, and I read those two lines aloud to her. She laughed in recognition too.
Reading Federalist No. 10, I felt a debt of gratitude to Publius for going after the philosophy of politics like pigs after truffles.
What we do with the results, well, that's up to us.
It's available online, but I wanted to read it on paper––I have an easier time paying close attention to things on paper, and I figured this would take attention (it did)––so I went to the library this afternoon and got a copy of The Federalist.
I stopped at a coffee shop on my way home to read the famous No. 10––it's only 8 pages long.
Reading it reminded me of truffle oil, which I've only eaten once, at an expensive French restaurant with my father.
I don't care much about cuisine, I'm pretty happy eating at White Castle. My father chose a multi-course menu for the whole table, and the first course was a little something on a big white plate, drizzled with truffle oil.
I thought, Oh, truffle oil, who cares?
And then I ate it, and it was so good, so flavorful, and so subtle, it's the sort of thing that makes you stop. Just stop. I don't care if I ever eat truffle oil again, but it's one of the best things I've ever tasted.
Like truffle hunting, this paper takes a bit of effort, but it's worth it. It's tight and elegant, a real pleasure, and if haven't read it before but you studied US History in grade school, you might think, like I did, "Oh, that's where that came from!"
"That" being a key element in the design of the government of the United States, my (and maybe your) country.
But also, this is a little essay about human nature, trying to see clearly and to think honestly about how we are, and not to fool ourselves that we, or anyone else, are better than we are. Or worse!
Thinking we're better than we are sets us up for temptations we can't handle.
Thinking we're worse than we are deprives us of freedoms we can handle (or that are worth risking, anyway).
Seeing that is both ennobling and humbling.
Here's the part that made me laugh.
James Madison, the author of this particular paper (Alexander Hamilton and John Jay wrote others--all signed "Publius"), is talking about how self-interest will sway lawmakers. It's just human nature. If a lawmaker has the opportunity to vote in his own interest, even if it sticks it to the little guy, well... maybe that's not a smart set up.
I have noticed this myself.
Further (this is where I laughed), he writes:
"It is in vain to say that enlightened statesmen will be able to adjust these clashing interests, and render them subservient to the public good.Ha!
Enlightened statesmen will not always be at the helm."
NO KIDDING!
The paper's modern that way.
Shortly after I read it a friend happened to come in the coffee shop, and I read those two lines aloud to her. She laughed in recognition too.
Reading Federalist No. 10, I felt a debt of gratitude to Publius for going after the philosophy of politics like pigs after truffles.
What we do with the results, well, that's up to us.
4 comments:
I’ll add one passage: “Men of factious tempers, of local prejudices, or of sinister designs, may by intrigue, by corruption, or by other means, first obtain the suffrages, and then betray the interests of the people.” And how.
MICHAEL: Oh yeah, that line jumped out at me as all too topical too!
Halfway through reading the paper I thought that if I were underlining the good bits, half the page would be underlined.
I'm soooo glad you posted that little blip about the Columbia reading list--I don't know that I'd have ever bothered with a F-paper otherwise. Thanks!
Federalist Papers...I've heard of them, but I am so poorly educated that I've never even seen them in a school library. I think I have this in common with Trump. I'm sure he has never given the Federalist Papers a thought either.
But I have thought about the beginnings of the USA, since my mother is from Philadelphia, and I've always thought how uniquely lucky we were to have had so many brilliant statesmen alive and working together at the founding of our republic, to create this new, experimental government. No other country has had this kind of auspicious beginning; at best they're lucky to get one or two great men (it's usually men). But we had -- how many? 56? 35? 15? A lot. And they invented something wonderful, for the most part. And then, when the country was going to tear itself to pieces we got another brilliant leader. So maybe, in this other dark hour, our luck will hold out and someone with the power to channel the best of Hamilton, Jay, Madison, Jefferson, Franklin, Adams, Washington, and Lincoln will save us from ourselves. Maybe his name is Mueller. Maybe it's Pelosi. Don't know.
VIVIAN: I bet you're right about Trump--has he read any political theory? I can't imagine!
Has he even read any history?
If you want a brief overview of the Federalist Papers, here's one from The Guardian--they have it as #81 on their list of 100 best nonfiction books:
www.theguardian.com/books/2017/aug/21/100-best-nonfiction-books-the-federalist-papers-publius-1788-robert-mccrum
Frex= Fresca
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