Governed by Symbols

The power of symbols, not ideas, are destroying our republic

In politics, like advertising, symbols are paramount to success.  For example, memorable symbols unify people around a common imagery that is visually distinct and further evokes strong emotions.  The memorability of these symbols thus creates an instant attachment that often overrides thoughtful deliberation.

And in our republic we’re constantly bombarded with symbols without being taught how to think.

For our republic the prevalence of these symbols then is a political problem.  

This is because in a republic it takes more than symbols to protect American values.

A republic with sovereign citizens requires ever vigilant individuals to safeguard their rights and responsibilities.  This doesn’t just mean protecting one’s home with arms and other lethal weapons although that’s important too.

It means arming one’s mind with the ideas necessary to defend oneself against the ever multiplying encroachments of liberty in culture, politics, and society.

Ideas, however, are not mere symbols.  

While mere symbols provoke an instant reaction in us that then creates a deeply emotional attachment to a belief system, ideas are neither instantly understood nor do they bond our feelings to an ideology.

Instead ideas, on the other hand, are imperfect descriptions of reality as it is and/or should be.  Accordingly ideas resonate less with people than symbols because they don’t immediately evoke a strong emotion.

And making these ideas more intelligible to others is called being articulate.

Yet in a symbolic society being articulate about the ideas of liberty and our republic is impossible.  Because too many follow the lead of whatever power symbol grabs their heart, too few take the time to think about liberty and how to speak to it.

To account for this the leaders of our republic must support a pro literacy and pro liberty agenda.  Otherwise the people will be governed not by themselves or their representatives but by pictures and symbols.

Zigmund Reichenbach holds a M.A. in Philosophy from West Chester University.  You can find him commenting on news stories of national and state interest at his Facebook page Zigmund Reichenbach -- Commentator or you can follow him on Twitter @zreichenbach1.  Additionally you can find episodes of the weekly Sunday podcast (4PM) that airs via Youtube, Facebook, and Twitter at this link here. 

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