The Donkey and the Ape

I'm not political.  Nor am I American.  But as the US election draws near, I can't help but think about C.S. Lewis' The Last Battle.  In that book, an ass dresses up as Aslan the lion and takes control of the country, with the help of a cunning ape who manipulates people into believing flat-out lies.  Disaster rapidly ensues.

The most significant part to me comes near the end of the book.  After the good guys save the day, they find a group of dwarves sitting in a circle, refusing to believe that the horror is over. As the real Aslan explains, “They have chosen cunning instead of belief. Their prison is only in their own mind, yet they are in that prison, and so afraid of being taken in that they cannot be taken out.”  Essentially, they were so convinced by the lies that they refused to see the truth, even when it was directly presented to them.  No matter how many times they were told that their beliefs were false, they were determined to hold onto them.

So what can be done?  Education, for one thing.  Responsible journalism and advertisement.  And, most importantly, the people who know the truth must not be afraid to speak it.  Loudly and frequently, but also kindly and gently.  And quickly.  Otherwise, disaster may soon ensue.