Ideas Have Consequences

Chapter Two: Distinction and Hierarchy

Offensive is the adjective I would use to describe Weaver’s message in this second chapter of his famous book, Ideas Have Consequences. By that I mean that many of the concepts he describes are repugnant to the average American, especially women, which explains the reason that this book no longer enjoys the popularity it once did. For example, its Amazon.com sales rank is #233,595.

"Uniformity and without distinction"

seems like a fitting title
to this picture of an
outdoor sculpture
found in Kansas City.







The phrase is taken from the Athanasius quote which opens the essay. The full quote can be found in Chapter One ("The Creation and the Fall") of The Incarnation of the Word of God.

Not only did the author deconstruct the idea that all men are created equal, but also he debunks the notion that the French Revolution (liberty, equality, fraternity) was a good thing. He actually discusses the positive aspects of “superior” and “inferior” roles in society. Do you read anyone else who does that?

Furthermore, Weaver points to the writings of America’s Founding Fathers to substantiate their reservations about democratic rule, placing his point of view squarely in opposition to just about every public school teacher today because most believe the United States is a democracy instead of a republic.

Now we are at the point of discovering the purpose for reading IHC. It’s education! And exercising one’s privilege to avoid (or refute) that misinformed public school teacher mentioned in the previous paragraph. Mr. Weaver states on pg 49,

It has been said countless times in this country that democracy cannot exist without education. The truth concealed in this observation is that only education can be depended on to bring men to see the hierarchy of values.

We are all in this boat called education. Some see it more realistically than others. Either way it is crucial. While there are many aspects to education, the best results are achieved with consistency in the application of the blueprints in all areas of construction (of the boat called *education*). This author is throwing you a life preserver.

Read this chapter again and again.

It is the best thing you can do today to help your child (student) tomorrow.



PS
There is an alternate definition of my summarizing adjective, “offensive,” and in tomorrow’s post I will try and list some applications of Weaver’s essays as they might manifest themselves in my family life where we live on the offensive, as opposed to the defensive.

PPS Did you figure out who Richard Hertz is?