The Authenticity of the Jester

In the torch-lit castles of old Europe, the Jester had a reputation as a truth-teller.   He could say painful true things because he was so fake.  Ha ha its just a joke.

I don’t know how people are going to take this–I can see an angle for folks to get mad of almost any political persuasion–but I think the same phenomenon is part of Donald Trump’s appeal.  He has a reputation both as a very funny guy and as a blowhard–whether either reputation is justified or not we leave as an exercise for the reader.  Even some of his most ardent supporters will say we take Trump seriously but not literally.  But because of this a big part of his appeal is  he is the guy who will take on third rails and say things that everyone is thinking, that need to be said, but that no one will say.    His people love him because he keeps blowing through the dirty little conspiracies of polite silence.

Children especially young children are the same.  Out of the mouths of babes and little children as the scripture says.  Little children in particular will just say things.  You look fat.  I don’t like your warts.  He’s mean.  But at the same time, they live in a world of play and whimsy.  The same child who told his Aunt she needed to lose a few pounds will also tell her that they are both pink sharks in the lemonade ocean.

Mulling this over, I eventually realized we are looking at a form of the synthesis of two competing virtues  Fact and fiction.  Truth and play.  The synthesis of these virtues reaches its highest form in pageantry, ritual, and sacrament.

Whereas the Devil gravely lies.

I think we have found yet another meaning of the Savior’s teaching to become as a little child.  One of his most inexhaustible sayings.