Pride

The most serious sin of power is pride. It is a self-validating notion that everything I believe is true because I believe it to be so, it derives from an infallible source, or because it could not be otherwise (my favorite form of pride is Christians and religious people who stubbornly refuse to acknowledge any contradiction in the Bible or their religious texts, thereby rationalizing the worst that humanity has to offer as much as the best).

And that is the sin of power. And the reason why democracy and separation of powers and checks and balances and federalism and decentralization and elaborated and unelaborated freedoms and rights that create the space for them and all other forms of checks on power and devolution of power are so important for those who care about more honest liberal values, and, more to the point, more honesty and honest wisdom given more serious attention in our human experience and cultural values.

That is why Caleb Carr's rationalization that creating an American democratic government is less important than abolishing slavery is such a serious mistake of judgment. Because it ignores the much more serious problem for humanity, at that time and for all time: the corruption that comes with the pride that power is being used wisely by whomever wields it.

That pride has consequence. And the biggest consequence is a legacy that cannot sustain itself and which loses power and real influence over time. And, more importantly, yields resentment that makes it a relic to be shunned in the future. Hopefully, it yields forgiveness, too. Hopefully for all of us, that is.

Love,
Ben