On Dogma and Militancy

"It is a terrible and dangerous arrogance to believe that you alone are right . . ."  (Isaiah Berlin, 1909--1997)

In the aftermath of the August 2017 Charlottesville demonstration, Trump infamously declared that there were 'good people' on both sides.  If instead he had said that there were 'ordinary people' on both sides, then maybe I could have agreed.  On both sides were sons and daughters, husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, working men and women, church goers and neighbors.  Ask any of them if they thought themselves to be good people, and I suppose most would answer yes.

Hannah Arendt, political philosopher and observer at the trial of Nazi Adolph Eichmann, wrote that ordinary people can perpetrate great evil.  This happens when ordinary people cease to think for themselves, voluntarily relinquishing free thought, independent conscience and critical reasoning. Instead they assume the identity and guidance of a group.  They become the slavish followers of an ideology.  Germany was full of ordinary people who willingly surrendered their independence in order to become the obedient and loyal followers of the Nazi party.  This Arendt famously called 'the banality of evil'.

So why the rise of hate, anger and intolerance in our country?  Dialogue, divergent opinion and civil discourse are not modelled or honored by our leaders.  Media ratings are driven, not by dialogue and compromise, but by the drama of conflicting ideologies.  Conservatism, Liberalism, right to life, right to choose, gun rights, gay rights, freedom of religion, freedom from religion; causes are the new religion, ideology and dogma the new idol worship.

Where there is dogma, there is no dialogue, no exchange of ideas.  There's only vilification and suspicion of the other.  Where there is dogma, compromise is not possible, it is not an option.  Compromise is 'losing' or worse yet 'selling-out',

Every dogma is defended by its militants, those who are sure of the answers, but who are unwilling to question.  For the militant, there are no alternative points of view.  They demand their point of view be heard, but close their ears to the thoughts and ideas of the other.  They seek converts to their cause, rather than mutual understanding.  Perhaps it is not coincidence that dogma spelled backwards is 'am god'.

Militants have no self-reflective humor.  They have no capacity to look critically, searchingly at themselves.  From within their ranks there can be no questioning, no dissent.  Questioners from within are called heretics.  Questioners from without are called enemies.

Militants are self-congratulatory.  They love their banners, their songs, and their slogans.  They love their martyrs.  Sadly, the lives of the outsider matter not at all.

Militants are ever vigilant to threat from without.  They crave and demand acceptance, but they are accepting of no outsider.  Militants demand fairness, protection under the law, but do not behave reciprocally.  They often demand civility and the language of political correctness from others, but are willing to inflame with their words.

There can be no dialogue with militants.  One can choose to appease them or to patronize them.  Or, one can become their adversary in defense of free thought.  But never in the process of interaction with militants can one expect to be heard, respected or validated.

And the militant's opposite?
Not one who knows, but ONE WHO WONDERS.
Not one who serves a cause, but ONE WHO SERVES OTHERS.
Not one who is self-righteous, but ONE WHO LIVES RIGHTEOUSLY.
Not one who clings to banners, but ONE WHO SEARCHES FOR TRUTH.