To fully understand the pitfalls and offensive applications of government, Utopia is a must read. To understand the futility of honest governance and the dangers to humanity the social contract engenders us; one must look no further than Utopia. The story of Raphael Hythloday’s journey to the land of Utopia and the perfect society and government encountered there is infuriating for its simplicity and breadth of analysis. The world imagined by Sir Thomas More is perfect in many ways, maybe even a stoic paradise. However, the infuriating part is its impossibility in the real world.

Utopia is what Karl Marx hoped of for the future. No personal property and cooperation of all inhabitants. This is possible because the Utopians discredit the value of such things as jewels, and precious metals, because they have no utility. Why should one place value on an object just because it is so rare? “ Nature, as an indulgent parent, has freely given us all the best things in great abundance, such as water and earth, but has laid up and hid from us the things that are vain and useless (p.43)” Utopia goes so far as to make their chamber pots out of gold and silver so as to further devalue these metals in the eyes of their citizens.

Consider any year that has been so unfruitful that many thousands have died of hunger; and yet if at the end of that year a survey was made of the granaries of all the rich men that have hoarded up the corn, it would be found that there was enough among them to have prevented all that consumption of men that perished in misery; and that if it had been distributed among them, none would have felt the terrible effects of that scarcity; so easy a thing would it be to supply all the necessities of life , if that blessed thing called money, which is pretended to be invented for procuring them, was not really the only thing that obstructed their being procured (83.)

Utopians live a simple life, full of work and devotion. They are not accustomed to frivolity or luxury. There is no need. The community provides for each other and all know that they are equal. All houses are the same as any other, and are switched often. Whatever one needs is provided for, but since no man or woman needs a lot little is taken. “It is the fear of want that makes any of the whole race of animals greedy or ravenous; but besides fear, there is in man a pride that makes him fancy it a particular glory to excel others in pomp and excess (p. 38.)” Truer words are rarely spoken.

Utopia also has a simple view of religion that makes society congenial.

“[Utopus, the founder] judged it not fit to determine anything rashly, and seemed to doubt whether those forms of religion might not all come from God, who might inspire men in a different manner, and be pleased with his variety; he therefore thought it indecent and foolish for any many to threaten and terrify another to make him believe what did not appear to him to be true (p.73.)

This honest look at freedom of religion would ultimately be used and applied by the founding fathers of America. Many would argue that same freedom is being challenged today. (I refrain from forming an opinion.)

More, through Hythloday, had many grievances with the time and world that he lived in. Especially with the aristocracy and the king under whom he lived, Henry VIII, More showed great disgust. “For most princes apply themselves more to affairs of war than to the useful arts of peace… they are generally more set on acquiring new kingdoms, right or wrong, than on governing well those they possess (p.5)” This is a view of governance that could be applied to almost any time in history, even today (Iraq or Afghanistan.)

My main gripe with this book is the ultimate impossibility of such a world. Utopia itself means nowhere in Greek. The problem is that a society like Utopia needs to be closed off from most of the world in a remote place. It must be able to form a populace that wishes no more than for the peaceful coexistence of all men. It needs to devalue scarcity, and value the community over the individual. I fear that a world like this is impossible to imagine truthfully. Even if this world were possible, it would become its own prison for its inhabitants, stifling the need for exploration and improvement.

Many of the ideas in this book are powerful and worthy of further study. However, I know that Utopia will remain a distant dream that will never be reached. This is okay because it is often found that dreams such as this turn into real life nightmares.

Utopia

We, is one of those books that everyone should read, but no one has. The first dystopia, which spawned countless others, e.g. 1984, Brave New World, Anthem and many more. Yevgeny Zamyatin, a Russian exiled by both a Tsar and Stalin, captures the simple but mistaken idea of the collective over the individual. This book is frightfully hilarious in its depictions of true futuristic collectivism, where mankind is on the verge of machine like accuracy and identity. This book is an exploration of philosophy, identity, and revolution.

The OneState and its reliance on routine versus the other side of the Green Wall with its spontaneity and naturalness are at odds in most dramatic fashion. The people of OneState are merely numbers, D-503 and I-330 being the main characters of this work. D-503 embodies the ideal of collectivism, a mathematician who is the head engineer on OneState’s biggest project the Integral, a spaceship to spread their philosophy to the other planets. I-330, the revolutionary woman who upturns D-503’s life and the whole of OneState is the embodiment of individualism.

D-503 and the rest of the numbers of OneState believe wholeheartedly in the benevolence and plan of the Benefactor, they are coldly rational without emotions, imagination or dreams. They do not question the situation they are in. They listen to dogma. However, when I-330 enters D-503’s life he falls in love (an emotion he did not believe in before and was difficult for him to comprehend.) I-330 made him question his entire life, and the system under which he lives.

When I-330 challenges his beliefs and he retorts she responds with, “Children are the only bold philosophers. And bold philosophers will always be children. So you’re right, it’s a child’s question, just as it should be: Then What? (p. 168)” Humanity must never stop questioning the conditions that it is surrounded by. Things can change, but if one merely accepts all the conditions that surround one’s life then nothing will ever change. No one can control everything, and the only constant in life is change. Others will not do it for you though; they will do things from themselves. Only your identity and you can make positive changes in your life.

Identity plays a huge part of this work of prose. All the characters are numbers, except the great Benefactor that rules over OneState. The numbers all follow the rules of a calendar, with specific activities at certain times and rhythms. In fact, all men and women eat as one, chewing fifty times before swallowing their petroleum-based food. When walking on the streets they walk in perfect lines of four across in rhythm. But as the novel continues more and more chaos is thrown into the machine.

The numbers are scared of being individuals; they have relied on OneState for so long, most do not know how to react to dissent. In fact, the scenes that show individualism of the numbers in any fashion cause chaos with the numbers, no one knowing what to do. The highly logical D-503 struggles with this himself:

When all is said and done, this being a point has its own logic (modern): A point contains more unknowns than anything else. All it has to do is move, budge a bit, and it can transform into thousands of different curves, hundreds of solids shapes (p.141-2.)

As the world slowly devolves into greater and greater chaos, with the tyrannical OneState trying to hold tighter and tighter on to the reins of power, I-330 continues to hold her ground. “What difference is it to you if I stay on here alone? What difference is it to you if I don’t want others to do the wanting for me? If I want for myself? If I want the impossible? (p. 200)” One has no duty to do for others, without thinking of themselves. The individual is the basic point of humanity. We form groups because we can achieve more together. However, we must not get locked into any specific station or point in space lest we lose the ability to control our own destinies. Others do not always know what is best for us, and we often need to make our own mistakes to truly learn. This is how revolutions take place, and without them the universe would implode.

Revolution is another major theme of this novel. A revolution pitting the individual versus the collective. Freedom versus the safety of the collective. These themes apply to this day. In fact, this novel was so inflammatory at the time of its writing, around 1920, that it was not published in Russia until 1988. There are strengths to both sides of the argument, which is inherent in life. But one side cannot rule forever. As there is no good without bad, no beauty without ugly, or up without down, control needs freedom or neither exists.

D-503 the paragon of collectivism sums it up perfectly, “The only means to rid man of crime is to rid him of freedom (p. 36)” This stark portrayal of his beliefs and those of OneState is shocking, but abundantly clear to everyone (or should be.) Man always has a choice of his actions, even under the most severe regimes. Man can change at any moment, or fight the established rules of his day, because the rules are not absolute, they are just made up to control him. But following and enforcing them are a choice to be made by all parties. And some men will always choose to disobey. Most times a woman is involved somewhere, as is the case in this novel.

This ability for man to always change at any moment as they always have a choice of what to do is not only stoic, but inherent in the idea of revolution. Change and time are continual; they will flip the coin of control and chaos until there is no difference between the two.

And how can there be a final revolution? There is no final one. The number of revolutions is infinite. The last one – that’s for children. Infinity frightens children, and it’s essential that children get a good night’s sleep… (p. 168)     I-330.

The lessons of this novel apply to life more than I wished they did. It has captured the attention of scholars and authors for generations, but it has largely been forgotten in recent times. This book is scary and hilarious in its satire. The world that exists in OneState cannot exist today, but it is easy to see the machinations of those in power wishing for the control of the world like that of the Benefactor. Remember that one must always choose one’s own path. Don’t let others want for you. There is no end in the infinity, if you don’t like your circumstances change them. Revolution is the only way for progress.

We

War: The ultimate male aphrodisiac. Nothing has captivated the mind of man more throughout the millennia than the applied use of force. Sure, women captivate men, but most times the women come after the war, rarely before. War is the ultimate distillation of life: kill or be killed. General Douglas MacArthur in a speech at West Point said, “Yours is the profession of arms, the will to win, the sure knowledge that in war, there is no substitute for victory.”

If war is such an important part of the human condition it is important to know how to wage it successfully. There are thousands of books on the subject, it seems that every courtier, and effeminate writer needing to raise his testosterone quotient has written on the subject. However, these all pale in comparison to a short simple book written 2,500 years ago. Sun Tzu’s Art of War is the distillation of strategy, deception, and leadership that stands the test of time.

Those who are willing to study and apply the knowledge of this great book will be victorious in their endeavors. It is a simple enough book to read, it can be done in an afternoon for even the most lachrymose reader. But one reading is not enough to glean all the valuable wisdom locked inside the words. Some things will shock the reader, e.g. all warfare is based on deception (I.18.) However, upon closer examination this is known to be true.

Where this book really shines is in the depiction of strategy and leadership of generals. In fact, this handbook is written for generals, not the soldiers or the kings of history. The general is the man that actually wages war, and makes the life or death decisions that affect his men, his country, and history. The military strategist is a rare creature indeed, but when they are discovered in history they are deadly effective.

There is required for the composition of a great commander not only massive common sense and reasoning power, not only imagination, but also an element of legerdemain, an original and sinister tough, which leaves the enemy puzzled as well as beaten. Winston Churchill, The World Crisis (1923)

 

Sun Tzu argues for vast amounts of preparation before war. In fact that is the only way to win. “Thus it is that in war the victorious strategist only seeks battle after the victory has been won, whereas he who is destined to defeat first fights and afterwards looks for victory (II.15.)” This rule is helpful in realizing that it is not wise to leap without looking. Great generals have their battles planned out so well in advance that they fear no battle they engage in. They see all the options, all the angles, and are always willing to mix things up.

“There are not more than five musical notes, yet the combinations of these five give rise to more melodies than can ever be heard (IV.7.)” The beautiful simplicity of this statement echoes to the reader that with concerted effort and variation of tactics anything can be accomplished. One must merely look for the advantages in all obstacles.

To truly succeed as a general though requires a deep understanding of both oneself and the enemy.

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle (III.18.)”

These words seem foolhardy and egotistical at first glance. How can one guarantee success in this crazy world we live in with so many variables and things that can go wrong. But knowing everything about oneself and the things that will affect is a sign of a well-ordered and humble mind. Knowing and understanding the enemy one is facing means that one has looked outside him to see the true picture of the world around him. He has taken the ego out of the equation.

How can a general accomplish the goals he has set for himself? How does he beat another man who is trying to do the same to him? Through the use of deception a general succeeds. “…that general is skillful in attack whose opponent does not know what to defend; and he is skillful in defense whose opponent does not know what to attack (VI.8.)” A general must be like water, always filling the form of the vessel that holds him. Using all the avenues around him to his advantage. “In war, practice dissimulation, and you will succeed. Move only if there is a real advantage to be gained (VII.15)”

How can a general know that his deceptions are working, and what his enemy is doing? He uses spies of every sort. Sun Tzu argued that war is an expensive endeavor (something everyone can agree on,) so the use of money to acquire spies that can end the engagement quickly is an expense that pays dividends. Being able to use spies effectively is important, and their management must be direct and generous. They are the most valuable genius of the general. They give him all of the information he could ever need to win.

It is important however to keep utmost secrecy with the use of spies, as it is the nature of their business. But if one is subtle with the art of espionage, spies can be utilized for every kind of endeavor and greatly augment the chances of success.

As “there is no instance of a country having benefited from prolonged warfare (II.6,)” it is important that the general of an army be able to lead his men effectively. He must be a great leader. His men must love him or he is to be doomed, as the men of a leader reflect the leader himself. “Regard your soldiers as your children, and they will follow you into the deepest valleys; look on them as your own beloved sons, and they will stand by you even unto death (X.25.)” This is the way to great leadership. The general is the ultimate arbiter of a soldier’s life, if they do not trust this man they are not willing to go forth boldly into battle for him. One must therefore respect the men/women underneath oneself, and not act the tyrant lest they lose the war.

There are five dangerous faults which may affect a general: (1) Recklessness, which leads to destruction; (2) cowardice, which leads to capture; (3) a hasty temper, which can be provoked by insults; (4) a delicacy of honor which is sensitive to shame; (5) over-solicitude for his men, which exposes him to worry and trouble (VIII.12.)

If one can cultivate the opposite of these characteristics, they are well on their way to success and leadership. These are characteristics one must cultivate over time and not give up. This may be difficult to accomplish, but the rewards are worth the effort. Leadership is the one trait honored by all men, and if one is a great leader, one is great before all men.

As you go about your life, and face the many day-to-day battles we all face. Remember this:

The art of war teaches us to rely not on the likelihood of the enemy’s not coming, but on our own readiness to receive him; not on the chance of his not attacking, but rather on the fact that we have made out position unassailable (VIII.11.)

Art of War

Humanity loves all winners, history is written by them. Most losers of history are disgraced, their names dragged through the mud, and quickly forgotten. However, every now and then, a man or woman comes around that bucks the trend. They are remembered in their loss as well as, if not higher than, the victor. General Robert E. Lee is one of those losers. A man so deified by the South after his surrender to General Grant at Appomattox Court House, that he has come to define the South. There was no man more chivalrous, humble, and dignified, and his letters proved it so.

Robert E. Lee Jr. compiled this excellent collection of letters, and remembrances in 1904 to the betterment of society. Through this book, the reader is introduced personally to a man that stands high in the annals of time. Although the Civil War and the results have marred the history of the United States, of the few benefits that came out from this war, Robert E. Lee ranks highest.

General Lee was the kindest, most affectionate and chivalrous man that ever led an army. Through his character and his actions he led the ragtag Army of Northern Virginia through terrible winters, vastly outnumbered at most engagements, and without adequate supplies. He lived as his soldiers did: cold, hungry and in tents. Even when offered housing and better food by the people around his encampments, he turned it down. His men put such trust in him, that they would follow him to the ends of the earth. They also knew that he was always willing to listen to the appeals and the problems of his men. Many of his letters included these problems his men had, and whenever conversing with his family he always wished for more socks or supplies for his men.

His letters to his family during the war show such affection and service that one is surprised this man was at war while writing these. A man that had certain pressing engagements constantly around him, always found time to write to his wife and children. He constantly remembered the personal lives of his soldiers and officers. Treating them as his sons, and as real people. Not just cannon fodder ready to be thrown to the wolves.

After his army faced disasters through the mismanagement of troops and equipment by others Lee would not blame others. Jefferson Davis once wrote,

“Yet, through al this, with a magnanimity rarely equaled, he stood in silence, without defending himself or allowing others to defend him, for he was unwilling to offend anyone who was wearing a sword and striking blows for the Confederacy (p.45.)”

When other men challenged Lee’s skills or leadership. Others were more than willing to come to his aid. General Stonewall Jackson is quoted as saying, “ He is cautions. He ought to be. But he is not slow. Lee is a phenomenon. He is the only man whom I would follow blindfold (p.83.)” This is high praise from another of the South’s consummate generals.

He was known to have a love of children and animals. Always willing to play with young children and offering help to all. His affection for his horses, Traveller (as recognizable as the rider) and Lucy Long is amazing. Not to mention the love he showed to his family’s animals at home.

What amazes even more is the extreme humility that was showed by this gentleman. Always placing the efforts of God, his family, and his men before his own. His belief in God, and religion showed throughout all of his works. He attended church every Sunday, even most of the Sundays of the Civil War (battles notwithstanding.) During his tenure as President of Washington College (later renamed Washington and Lee,) he kept in close contact with the Young Christians and placed the rebuilding and improving the chapel as the highest priority for the school.

His son defined his devotion as, “His was a practical, everyday religion, which supported him all through his life, enabled him to bear with equanimity every reverse of fortune, and to accept her gifts without undue elation (p. 93.)” This stoicism is a mark of few men, but should be upheld as a guide for future generations of men. In a letter to his wife, the General states, “What a glorious world Almighty God has given us. How thankless and ungrateful we are, and how we labor to mar his gifts (p.32)” The humility he showed throughout his life, embarrasses my ego, and gives an image to reach for.

General Lee was also increasingly dignified throughout his life. Alexander Stephens, Vice-President of the CSA said of the General, “What I had seen General Lee to be at first – childlike in simplicity and unselfish in his character – he remained, unspoiled by praise and by success (p. 65.)” This is the type of compliment Lee received almost constantly through his life. Further personified by Colonel William Preston Johnson, a faculty member at Washington College.

I never saw him take an ungraceful posture. No matter how long or fatiguing a faculty meeting might be, he always preserved and attitude in which dignity, decorum, and grace were united. He was a very well built man, with rounded body and limbs, and seemed without the slightest affectation of effort to sit or stand or walk just as a gentleman should. He was never in a hurry, and all his gestures were easy and significant. He was always an agreeable companion. There was a good deal on bonhomie and pleasantry in his conversation. He was not exactly witty, nor was he very humorous, though he gave a light turn to table talk and enjoyed exceedingly any pleasantry or fun, even. He often made a quaint or slightly caustic remark, but he too care that it should not be too trenchant (p. 285)

This man received such high praise from all of those around him. However, it is his own words and actions that show his dignity in the highest. In a letter to a fellow General (Longstreet), Lee states,

“I am of the opinion that all who can should vote for the most intelligent, honest, and conscientious men eligible to office, irrespective of former party opinions, who will endeavor to make the new constitutions and the laws passed under them as beneficial as possible to the true interests, prosperity, and liberty of all classes and conditions of the people (p. 242.)”

Words like these show a man who was not troubled by his losses or the past. He merely hoped optimistically for the future of the United States always. This dignity cannot be taken away from him, no matter how people look at the Civil War. There were many problems associated with the Civil War. But for this man it was easy to fight, for he would not turn his back on his home state nor what he thought of as the Union. “All that the South has ever desired was that the Union, as established by our forefathers, should be preserved, and that the government as originally organized should be administered in purity and truth (p.202.)”

There is no better praise than to be praised in defeat. There is no greater honor shown to a loser than shown to General Robert E. Lee. His life and his words offer a glimpse into a man led by duty, and of such caliber that all should wish to emulate. I hope that I can live according to the principles that Lee lived, but know that I will assuredly fall short. This portrait has opened my eyes to a challenging time in the history of the United States and I recommend it to all who wish to gain an appreciation of character.

Be the gentlemen and ladies that Robert E. Lee would be proud of.

Recollections and Letters