Offsite Post: ‘Want Better Leadership? Look in the Mirror!’

‘Why are we governed by people who s-ck?’, we have been asked.  It is because most of us have become such a lousy bunch of people ourselves.  In places where elections determine the greater share of those who govern, the latter become more or less a mirror of the ones who choose them.

Not everything was rosy back then, but it is nevertheless the misnamed ‘Dark Ages’ that condemn us for our lack of virtue in a number of critical areas.  The little hamlet of Elton in England, circa the 13^th century, described in detail by Frances and Joseph Gies (Life in a Medieval Village, HarperPerennial, New York, 1991) will serve well as an example. 

First is the sense of community and cooperation that prevailed in those earlier times.  Agriculture was the main occupation of most people, but they performed the work together on land held commonly by all (the open field system).  The yield of crops belonged to those who had planted them, but there was nevertheless much cooperation with the other villagers to work out who got to plant where and when, etc. (pgs. 15-6)

Contrast this with today, when most people are so focused on themselves that their neighbor has become what Jean-Paul Sartre said:  ‘Hell is other people.’  And, tragically, COVID has made the feelings of distrust and impatience even worse.

Second is the attitude of the upper class to the lower class.  There were mutual duties shared between the two in medieval times.  Yes, the villagers had to hand over a share of their produce or labor to the manor lord of the village, but in return they received valuable things from him:  . . .

The rest is at https://thehayride.com/2021/04/garlington-want-better-leadership-look-in-the-mirror/ .

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Holy Ælfred the Great, King of England, South Patron, pray for us sinners at the Souð, unworthy though we are!

Anathema to the Union!