Small Men, Big Shadows
When small men begin to cast big shadows, it means that the sun is about to set.
– Lin Yutang
Here in the West, we are living in an unfortunate era. Our institutions have become bastions of mediocrity and our leaders petty tyrants. Their demagoguery and corruption cast a long shadow over our society. They mistake their outsized influence for evidence of their greatness, but we all know the truth. It’s only an illusion of the fading light, an empire in its sunset years.
Evil men will exist for as long as humanity persists. However, it’s a sign of civilizational decay when those men are elected to office. When cruelty is celebrated as wisdom, when hubris is praised as strength, when wealth becomes a virtue, the decline is inevitable.
Standards are a thing of the past. By and large, we’ve lost the ability to recognize what is honorable and deserving of admiration. Tolerance is weaponized, “both sides” an easy cop-out. Our culture has been ingeniously manipulated to make us weak and easily distracted.
Those small men casting long shadows, they won’t live forever. In the meantime, we have to wake up and be ready. When the White House doctor finally loses the battle against cholesterol and heart failure, the people need to seize the opportunity.
The setting sun may be inevitable, but we might be able to extend the day for just a little while longer. Long enough to give our children a chance to do it right.