In this, the final section of our seminar, I will ask you to draw personal conclusions about how you, I, or any other citizen should “live within the truth.” As always, I am thinking about “truth” in all of its bountiful and uplifting manifestations. In terms of citizenship, I am thinking especially of how we are obliged to act in both a flourishing liberal democracy as well as any other human community, such as Notre Dame.
25. Tuesday, May 4: Power of the Powerless I
What does it mean to live in a lie? The first half of Havel’s magnificent essay focuses on what it meant to live in a lie under the sclerotic authoritarian regimes of late communism. In the last few pages, Havel suggests that we may be doing the same thing in advanced democracies.
As you read the first part of this essay, ask yourself how his argument about “post-totalitarian” societies might apply to everyday life in a non-posttotalitarian society. When you get to chapters XX-XXII, you will see that Havel has exactly this idea in mind.
For this class, do not focus on what Havel means by “living within the truth.” We will discuss that issue in our next class.
Vaclav Havel, “The Power of the Powerless.” This essay is in Open Letters. Read Parts I-VI, and XX-XXII
26. Thursday, May 6: Power of the Powerless II
The second half of Havel’s essay challenges us to live within the truth. What does it mean to live within the Truth? Why is it difficult to do so? Under what circumstances might we nevertheless be compelled to live within the Truth? This is a different question than asking about the desirability of living within the truth. It raises the question of what must happen in order for people to see no other option.
Vaclav Havel, “The Power of the Powerless,” Open Letters: Selected Writings, Parts VII-XXII.
Don McNeil, “Fauci on what working with Trump was really like,” New York Times, January 25, 2021 READ AND PRINT In my view, Fauci has embodied the aspiration to live within the truth. This is hard to accomplish when working with any political official, not just Trump.
A message from Arnold Schwarzenegger: WATCH This is a very partisan video (albeit by a Republican about other Republicans) Politically speaking, make of it what you like. I am asking you to watch this video because of what Arnold has to say about 1) the impact of a culture of lies and 2) the Catholic idea of a “servant’s heart.”
Anyone who doubts the Terminator’s intelligence should read his book, Pumping Iron.
27. Tuesday, May 11: Truth in the Deepest Sense: Our Fellow Human Beings, Ourselves
For today’s final class, I would like to addresss two questions: 1) What does Truth mean in the deepest and most profound sense of the word; 2) What does this idea of truth tell us about how we should behave.
It will not be obvious how either Amand Gorman’s poem or Emily Scott’s short article relate to Truth, Politics, and Democracy. But “obvious” is a terrible word. Good things are never obvious. Thus, I will challenge you to make sense of both women’s conceptions of the questions above.
Amanda Gorman, “The Hill We Climb”
Emily Scott, “Start looking and you’ll see roads all over the Bible” PRINT AND READ
Please print both of these readings to make the most of our final discussion.
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Your Final Essay Assignment is HERE
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No one ever asks me why I include this passage at the end of all my syllabi.
Ecclesiastes 9:11 “I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all.