William Hogarth:
The Punishment Inflicted on Lemuel Gulliver (1726)

"Good riddance to abysmal governance."

Only apprentices ever opt to Inflict difference upon others. Ten thousand more effective ways exist, so only the deeply inexperienced ever resort to Inflicting change. The more insistent the Infliction, the less effective, and the shorter-lasting the attempted change. Those who seriously believe they can command while others will obey only successfully delude themselves. It's a sad and sorry spectacle to observe, especially when the Inflictor convinces themself that they're acting in the Inflicted's best interest. Such attempts inevitably fall far short of an actual initiative. They might initially appear to produce real difference, but whatever initially appears to stick proves to be short-lived. Considerable undoing might result, but the desired change will quickly dissolve and disappear. Further, the Inflictor will ultimately fall much further than they imagined they might rise had their initiative proven effective. Those afflicted by the attempt will be absolved of all accusations against them when they resisted. The opposition will produce the only heroes. The Inflictors will make themselves infamous.

Fresh from a multi-day affliction, an epic back spasm that left me bedridden and aching, I carry a fresh appreciation for change. Whatever message that backache intended to deliver, its contents were severely garbled in transmission. It encouraged no more than defensive action from me. I couldn't think properly when every movement left me grimacing. The first prescription achieved nothing. The second didn't seem to be effective, either. On the third morning, I'm uncertain if that second prescription induced any healing. It might have been that whatever the knot was just left on its own volition. Or, it might not have even retreated yet. It might be merely napping, waiting for some more convenient moment to pounce again. I am tiptoeing through my morning ablutions. I learned little from the experience other than to renew my empathy. I was never worthy of the affliction. It was probably not divine retribution. I had not earned the punishment. It just appeared, apparently unbidden, unable to teach any lesson. I learned only paranoia from its visit. For all I know, it could revisit at any moment. I never for a moment deserved it.

Yet, colors and sounds became more vivid as it faded. I realized that I had been living muted for the prior few days. I had imagined every morning accomplishing the work I'd laid out for myself before choosing instead to take back to my bed. That choice brought muted colors and sounds. The Muse probably thought I wasn't around because, even to myself, I had apparently just disappeared into the guest room. The cats found me and huddled near, as if to protect me or pleading with me to protect them from coming down with whatever afflicted me. My world shriveled into a poorly imagined shadow of its former self. I could barely find myself in there.

This is the texture of Infliction. Whatever the cause, whomever the Inflictor, it produces little more than diminishment, less of the inflicted than existed before. Whenever success results in less, critically significant information results. Positive difference tends to make more, while the negative type produces subjugation, the kind of less than never results in greater. The me I became seemed unrecognizable. I could not replicate the change Inflicted. It would always require some overseer, an enforcer, to sustain the difference, like our present incumbent, who appears to believe himself suddenly powerful. His self-deception seems obvious enough to most observers, for we have experience with such pretenders. They never vary their techniques and always over-rely upon enforcement to appear to achieve anything. The appearance quickly fades. Anybody can fool everybody for a short while. Those interested in producing long-lived difference must rely upon the demand side of the equation. In his first administration, Franklin Roosevelt insisted that the American people would overcome the Great Depression, "If they want." He acknowledged that success was actually out of his hands. He could help, but he could not insist or Inflict a resolution upon the situation.

Most of us have no clue what our current incumbent's attempting. He appears to be in the business of Infliction. He was never capable of reasoning anyone into accepting anything, but only of deceiving, baiting and switching. He could only appeal to the baser emotions. The baited always eventually realize they've been had and seek retribution. The flim-flam man was born to serve prison time. Our incumbent will be no different, for he chose the most primitive means to attempt to succeed. He, too, will prove to be a big loser. The way he's started, he seems likely to become the biggest loser in the country's history. His loss will ultimately prove to be everyone else's gain. Our progeny will very likely never forget the lesson he unintentionally imparted. His sorry attempts at Infliction should result in solidifying our collective resolve to defend this damned democracy against any similar opponents. Good riddance to abysmal governance.

©2025 by David A. Schmaltz - all rights reserved

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