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