Dumbing Down

I think I first heard the phrase ‘Dumbing Down’ in the early 90’s when it was often used to describe the way TV was heading.  With our attention spans apparently getting shorter television producers were beginning to make programmes that demanded less of us!

Since then it seems to have been a process that is unstoppable. 

My generation thinks the exams we took were harder than those taken by my sons – the exam boards have ‘dumbed down’ the syllabus!  From news bulletins to sermons we are told people can only absorb so much information so make it snappy and short!

Well that’s OK until, because we are so used to a ‘dumbed down’ framework, we all start seeing life as inevitably simple and straightforward – which of course it isn’t.

Such a scenario exists when politicians bring simplistic or wildly unrealistic solutions to a campaign just to capture the ‘popular’ vote rather than be honest and upfront in acknowledging that most of the world’s problems are highly complex with no one easy solution.

It happens too in churches when preachers and members make out there is only one ‘real’ way to pray, worship or be Christian instead of honestly struggling with the fact that the bible contains genuinely difficult parts and all our traditions are flawed by power struggles.

When we ‘dumb down’ difficult issues we start lying to ourselves.

I was so impressed the other day to read a line from a piece by Richard Rohr that went: Remember, how you get there determines where you finally arrive!

All leaders, including politicians and pastors, need to journey honestly with the people they are leading.  Our task isn’t to give simplistic answers which then generates a false hope, but to struggle with the issues we are all facing and work hard to sift through the siren voices on all sides and bring a measured provisional response that is still open to the discovery and revelation of yet more truth in coming days.  Such leadership recognises the value of the journey, which may be a long one, rather than constantly being fixated on the arrival, which may be premature if achieved by a ‘dumbed down’ fast fix route.

Of course it must be obvious to you now that I’m writing these words with half an eye on what is happening in Washington tomorrow as a most unlikely man is inaugurated as America’s 45^th President. 

All our leaders need ours prayers and all of us, I believe, need to take on board the words of my favourite Franciscan priest, Richard Rohr: Remember, how you get there determines where you finally arrive.