Why Do Elites Mock and Try to Control?

Yuval Harari, Ven. Archbishop Fulton J Sheen, plus news from the Hot Pants Farming Club

The darkness never really ceases its goal of stamping out all that is True, Good, and Beautiful. But those of us who are awake, also never cease exposing their evil plans for us and doing our best to thwart their advances.

Over the past several years, we’ve taken to calling those who would subvert and demoralize us “The Elites,” though they certainly are not elite in the true sense of that term.

The Venerable Archbishop Fulton J Sheen (Source: Catholic University)

Back when the Venerable Archbishop Fulton J Sheen lived, he called them, “The Intelligentsia.” From his talk, The Arrogance of the Intelligentsia, Sheen explains:

“Every age has its intelligentsia. By this we do not mean ‘the educated,’ but those who have been educated beyond their intelligence. A sponge can hold so much water; a person can only hold so much education. Once the sponge is saturated, it becomes a drip, and the person a bore.”

He goes on to say that these intelligentsia are all proud due to the alleged superiority their education affords them. Their judgment of others is based on what they ‘know’ rather than moral conscience, Sheen explains. They judge everything by their own standards, even religion, for they are almost to a one, a godless people.

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Sheen remarks on their affinity to mock good things. “In the face of simple faith, they mock and sneer.” This brings to mind the words of Obama back in 2008:

“They get bitter, they cling to guns and religion, or antipathy to people who aren’t like them, or anti-immigrant sentiment, or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations.” ← Definitely NOT anything close to an elite — Obama is a low level poser.

In listening to the talk, this observation of Sheen’s struck me particularly:

“Why is it that in times of trouble, God is the One put on trial and not man? Judge and culprit are made to change places.”

We barely have the motivation to put even horrific criminals on trial anymore. It’s always a plea bargain, or lesser charge, or simply letting them go free. It makes no sense.

Why Do They Mock Faith and Cultural Norms?

I think part of the reason they mock, outside of pure and simple evil, is that learning doesn’t necessarily bring understanding. They have no wisdom, only bare knowledge. Further, that raw knowledge is very specialized (a scourge of our times, in my opinion), making it thin and anorexic without much ability to truly foment positive change through creativity and altruistic innovation.

I’ve written in comment sections on other people’s stacks about Yuval Harari. My brother (I have 3 and one sister) bought me Harari’s book, Sapiens: A Brief History of Mankind, for my birthday last year. (I know, gross). He really wanted me to have it and read it for some reason. I have my ideas about why, but that’s for another article, which I probably won’t write.

Harari holding a skull. An appropriate image for this man, IMO. (source: Creative Commons)

Anyway, I wrote a nine page review of the book and gave it to him. I researched and refuted so much of what Harari claims. I will say that it was easy to read and seemed more like reading a novel than a non-fiction “history of mankind.” And I don’t say that to be unkind in any way. He’s not a bad writer.

He’s simply arrogant, doesn’t offer any new ideas or philosophy about how we developed cognition, etc. He doesn’t cite authoritative texts. It seems he wants to convince the reader based on his own interior hopes and wishes (I wish I could put it in a better way, but I just can’t).

Arrogance In Layers More Abundant Than An Onion’s

Back, in June of this year, Harari said that the Holy Bible should be rewritten using AI to create a new bible. Here’s a direct quote from this little twit:

“In a few years, there might be religions that are actually correct…just think about a religion whose book is written by an AI. That could be reality in a few years.” ~Yuval Noah Harari

He hopes AI can create “unified religions that are actually correct.” Actually correct in what way? Are you going to have the AI rewrite the texts of Islam? What about Buddhism and Hinduism? Not sure the Wiccans would like you messing with their “holy” texts.

I can’t stand thinking too much about this person. It’s not good for me. Seriously. AI is fast becoming a problem. I don’t know enough about it to really give a cogent argument for or against it. I’ve played around with ChatGPT some and wasn’t too impressed, but that was months ago. I hear it has ‘learned’ a lot lately.

Thoughts on any of this?

News from The Hot Pants Farming Club

If you aren’t familiar with The Hot Pants Farming Club, look here (it’s probably not what you might guess). We’ve had a rat problem of late, but I managed to save one personal -sized watermelon from the filthy beasts. We’ve got a couple more melons coming and the DS has taken measures to stop the vermin from munching on them — as in, baby, it’s WAR!

Personal watermelon! (Source: Gluck Farms, DBA of Gluck Interests, LLC)

The DS and I took some time to relax in the pool and have some alone time over his FOUR day weekend. That was awesome!

Like a tiger stalks a peacock, I’ve got a creeper trying to get me!

Trying to show off my plumeria flower, but I couldn’t get it to stand up. And, yes, my hair is a little GREEN. The pool caused it! I’m getting it fixed tomorrow!

I’m going to be making more of my comfrey salve this weekend and will be selling it for $12 a jar (2 ounces) sometime next week, so stay tuned.

I wanted to share a photo of three of the types of things we’ve canned. The far left jar is the absolute BEST pasta sauce you’ve ever had — and I’m not just saying it because we made it. It really is amazing. The middle jar is, of course, VERY crisp super dilly pickles (we’ve also made bread-n-butter slices, spicy slices, and more. The jar on the right is mint jelly for spreading on lamb. We eat quite a bit of lamb around here, so need a LOT of mint jelly.

Examples of only a fraction of what we’ve preserved this season.

We’ve made peach preserves, two kinds of chutney/relish, pickled okra, and so many other things. This year we preserved, froze, and dehydrated so much of our harvest. It will be so great to be able to just go upstairs and grab something summery this winter. We’ve got koginut squash and white scallop squash as well. We’re growing eggplant for the first time. I’ve never liked eggplant, but have made eggplant parmigiana three times already and LOVE it!

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Ad majorem Dei gloriam! Next post coming soon.