I really enjoyed SNL’s representation of democratic political candidates in the last electoral cycle, primarily as a result of my introduction to Larry David’s portrayal of Bernie Sanders. I was glad to see that another parody came out a few days ago, and watching it did not disappoint. Of course, not every line was a gut-buster, so don’t get your hopes up too high. Some elements were simply comedically solid (the treatment of Cory Booker), while others seemed right on the money (Woody Harrelson’s Joe Biden, 8:44-8:55). Overall, I think watching these parodies is probably my fifth favorite political activity, followed in order of importance as follows:

4. Reading Bertrand de Jouvenel’s books

3. Reading about Thomas Dewey

2. Reading about Adlai Stevenson II

1. Reading Willmoore Kendall’s books.[1]

(What did you expect? I enjoyed my one-time attendance at a Sarah Palin rally slightly less than a standard dental appointment. I wrote the weekly sage column, not a daily political speculation column.)

Seriously though, what I have enjoyed about these SNL parodies is that their focus on the personalities of politics today not only facilitates humor, but also reflects a real difficulty of our current political situation in getting beyond the candidates’ facades to reach the nexus between their core beliefs and resulting policy positions across the board. (Marianne Williamson doesn’t count – she only provides one half of the equation.)

Facing this problem of shallowness in political articulation, the ordinary citizen could spend a significant amount of time trying to think up a solution. My own nutty idea? Require presidential candidates to fill out the top-5 positions in their prospective candidate within 3 months of announcing their campaign. Debates will thenceforward commence between the collective groups of potential cabinet officials. Candidate-Secretaries of State will debate diplomacy, Candidate-Secretaries of the Treasury economic policy, etc.[2]

Nevertheless, such solutions seem highly unlikely to ever be implemented, given the currently massive gap yawning between the citizen and the making of policy in the American polity. Is the alternative simply to give up and plead ignorance? I think not. Unfortunately, our culture and society are so politically saturated that this method seems to lead most likely to a stewing, brewing sort of anger flowing naturally from the powerlessness at its root.

As a different tactic, I propose humor. The ordinary citizen should practice the faculty of making light of our present political environment.[3] This will hopefully reduce the tendency to identify so strongly with one side or another, decreasing the bitter partisanship that erodes civil society and culture. Willmoore Kendall pointed to the importance of humor for neighborliness in political society, and I think he’s spot on.

Now, I recognize there’s a difficult line to walk here in some ways. In cultivating a ready and generous political humor, we should not ignore the fact that political issues and political choices have actual significance. The trade policy the United States pursues has very real influence on the livelihood and wellbeing of many individuals, not to mention questions of defense policy and foreign affairs. Politics is a very serious thing in many ways, and one that requires active engagement by citizens.

Still, the ordinary American is likely to find that their political activity has very little impact. We can sign petitions and vote, but after that it’s mostly throwing up our hands in joy or despair based on what all those many millions of our fellows inexplicably chose. While by all means we should engage the healthy outlets provided by politics for making our communities a better place, including for some mature citizens the pursuit of local office, as individuals we cannot allow ourselves to become so invested in these actions. If we do, our inability to really influence and shape outcomes will lead only to frustration.

Proverbs 17:22 says that a merry heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones. I suggest that in the upcoming years and electoral cycles, the cultivation of a merry heart[4] would be a valuable political activity for the American citizen.  Whether you, like Antonio Brown, occasionally suffer from accidentally freezing a layer of skin off your feet, or simply endure the slow poisoning of a political culture shaped not a little by the dubious ambitions of fallen humans, some good medicine is in your best interests.

[1] Reading other authors may be more enjoyable in general, but are not strictly political acts – Russell Kirk, Leo Strauss, and Eric Voegelin are more philosophical, Wilhelm Ropke and Milton Friedman are focused on economics, etc.

[2] To anyone who thinks this would be boring, I suggest that the staid, blasé statements and general tone of cabinet officials these days comes in part from their dependence on the president. Possibly if they contributed more to an executive’s election, they would be a bit more freewheeling. Even if not, they’re still people. I would love to see prominent economists calling each other nitwits and intellectual lightweights and really trying to back up those claims by succinctly sharing equations, principles, and theories in a coherent, non-sound-bite manner. A dream you say? Everybody’s gotta have one. Get a better one you say? Alright, more listening, less talking for you, that’s how an audience is supposed to behave.

[3] In as self and own-party-deprecating fashion as possible. Making fun of the other guy doesn’t help here hardly at all. Thus, my own tendency to watch parodies of democratic presidential candidates is very imperfect, and only helps if it moves me toward watching parodies of republicans.

[4] Cultivation is a long process, and a merry heart is not the same thing as being happy for a moment or laughing at a joke. I’m no expert, but if I had to describe what cultivating a merry heart looks like, I would say it involves things like coming to accept powerlessness, being able to claim defeat without terror, recognizing that the effects of the fall apply to you and yours as well as the other guy, and reading GK Chesterton. That last one may be the most important.