THE AIM OF AIMS

Some naive lovers of semantics believe
that if only our leaders
(of all sorts)
could understand the meaning of their own pronouncements 
they would amend their ways. 
What an illusion!
They - the leaders 
know the mechanism of Language much better than all the semanticists,
linguistic philosophers,
& logical formalists put together.
It's only that they use their knowledge for their own purposes. 
And when a Poet 
or a Novelist becomes a demagogue 
the same applies to him.
Because 
POETRY as well as POLITICS may be morally vicious,
and intellectually dishonest. 
In such cases both Poetry and Oratory 
(political, religious, philosophical) 
are like Crime.
The greater a Crime is 
the more impressive it is 
but the less excusable. 
Thus 
when all is said and done
one finds that no poetic rhymes 
and no politic aims 
are more important 
than decency of means. 
Because when all is said and done 
decency of means 
is 
the aim of aims.


S. Themerson