Reign of the terrible simplifiers
Friday Flashpoint: April 3, AD2026
Keeping it short for Good Friday
We are governed by the terrible simplifiers. Life is complicated, especially war, but we have leaders who flatten that which is deep. But life remains deep, wide, and complicated. It resists the inelastic mind. Political oversimplification is not just a handy trick; it is a failure of government. The new elite prefer the false clarity of the caricature—simplified, exaggerated images—over reality.
The Swiss historian Jacob Burckhardt coined the term les terribles simplificateurs. A cultural historian, Burckhardt saw the rise of mass democracy and industrialization with deep fear. He saw that as the commoners, the newly educated masses, gained the vote and became political, the demand for uncomplicated or crude solutions would grow. He predicted that “ruffians” would eventually overrun Europe—would-be leaders who would not try to navigate the tangles of history or tradition. Instead, they would thrive by stripping away every shade of meaning that would color their black and white myths. Conspiracy theories often work by simplifying complex stories. The terrible simplifiers kill nuance and nurture lies.
The Pope, the President, and the Enemy
This week brought three major statements regarding the Iran Crisis that I’ll deal with in detail after Holy Week: Pope Leo’s call for an “off-ramp”; the American President’s claim that the threat is “nearly eliminated”; and the Iranian President’s offer of the “will” to end war in exchange for “guarantees.” These declarations are the flashpoint, three rival ways of seeing the international crisis.
Have a good weekend.
