” The title itself seems to be a commentary on the American dream, and the idea that there is no real, absolute truth or right that exists. Lewis sees this happening with the amount of trust and transparency of government officials:
-Samuel G. Those who trust each other will fight for one another, and fight against those who would seek to destroy or rob them.
According to Jonathan Franzen, The Art of Being Equal is “the most political book in his entire oeuvre.” The title itself seems to be a commentary on the American dream, and the idea that there is no real, absolute truth or right that exists. You can have equality, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re equal. Franzen’s writing style has a great deal to do with this fact:
-The U.S.A., like a growing number of countries around the world, has very different values than the U.S. -The United States is an absolute democracy. So, if someone believes that all men are created equal, in principle, then obviously there is no absolute justice and that means that nothing can be ruled by an authority greater than itself, which is precisely what happens when we create any kind of government.
And Samuel G. Lewis sees this happening with the amount of trust and transparency of government officials:
-Samuel G. Lewis believes that the more a person trusts their fellow citizens the more there will be in a society. Those who trust each other will fight for one another, and fight against those who would seek to destroy or rob them.
-Lewis finds the fact that the federal government spends an ever increasing amount of money a cause for concern. Since so much money is being spent, the very wealthy will inevitably dominate.
-Lewis sees the fact that in a large number of industries, government favors are given to a few because they can afford it, instead of all companies getting the same type of benefits. Thus, it becomes apparent that people need to fight for themselves and that they must organize and become more conscious of their position within society.
-Lewis also believes that, according to what he calls a “gentleman’s agreement” under the American system, a person should support what his government is doing. Therefore, since politicians don’t have to answer to anyone else, they can “deliberately” push forward unpopular ideas.
-He believes that Samuel G. Lewis was right, and that taxes are an absolute evil. And, instead of letting them pay the higher taxes, people should “resist” these corrupt politicians with all means necessary, and that this can only be done by voting for a candidate who will refuse to take part in the corruption.
-Lewis believes that we are all fighting the same battle, but that the knowledge of this fact gives us strength and courage. Therefore, the sooner we all understand that there is something wrong, the sooner we can start to change our own lives.
-Lewis also believes that those who know the truth will be the ones who are able to best articulate the principles of the “Gentler Revolution” and that they should be those who can lead those who are struggling to be better. And so, in an effort to move forward, he sees these individuals making sure that they are not forgotten.
-One thing that I found interesting about the book is that Samuel G. Lewis, like many other people who find themselves fighting against a larger evil, also shows compassion for the individual who may believe that there is no truth or justice in the world. He points out that the individual is usually the one who know the truth, but that the masses will most likely believe in false things, simply because they cannot think for themselves.
Thus, Lewis makes the point that as a people, we should seek out the honest truths about the world and not succumb to the false information that we are most often fed. The Art of Being Equal offers a very interesting view of our world, and so I highly recommend this book.
