We’re just going to take a minute and forget this book is about communism and take a look at what else it could be relevant to ….
I am a teacher. I cover several subjects but something very meaningful to me is having book discussions and digging out the universally true principles that we can learn from.
This book has a lot of principles about communities and governments, but it also talks about power, manipulation, oppression, and conformity. And those things are not unique to governments.
There are tyrannical leaders in other fields too. Narcissists are everywhere.
Even institutions can be narcissistic.
Reading this book for the third time was very eye-opening, because now I’m seeing so many of the characters’ behaviors in the institution of the LDS church.
Napoleon, the tyrannical pig. He claims to be the leader of a democracy, giving privilege to these animals who are now freed from the farmer (or Catholicism and Protestantism). However, he slowly changes the rules, and then the rules don’t apply to him at all. He claims to be a magnanimous, selfless leader, going to great lengths for the good of everyone else. But he gets privileges the others don’t get (*cough* second anointing for all the elite Mormons). He demands their full allegiance, and of course, he is never wrong. He has their best interests at heart, so all they need to do is turn off their brain and just do what they’re told! And if anybody interferes, they get executed (or canceled…or excommunicated) – a cult leader at its finest.
Napoleon’s dogs, essentially the police force. Carrying out his commands and making sure all the animals are in line. Or else, no temple recommend for you! – This might be the well-intentioned local leaders who have no idea they’re just puppets acting on behalf of a system taking advantage of them.
Boxer, the work horse – “I must work harder!” and “Napoleon is always right!” (follow the prophet, follow the prophet!) Things not looking good? You must not be doing enough! Work harder! – Of course, this is the rest of us. Happy, clean Mormons doing everything we are told. Aahhhh life is good. Totally oblivious. #worksbasedsalvation
Squealer, the propaganda machine — whitewashing history, lying to the animals to get them to comply and not suspect anything amiss, slowly shifting the rules to give more power to the leaders, making the animals think they can’t live without the leaders, and brainwashing them to think they’re so lucky and privileged when in reality they’re living in extreme oppression.
Pretty soon, the new farm is just like the old one, but worse.
And the Mormon church became just like the medieval Catholic Church, but worse…
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Side note: another parallel I want to point out is that it’s possible, and actually quite common, for a corrupt leader to overthrow the previous, also corrupt, leader.
“Numos” are obsessed with proving Joseph Smith did not practice polygamy and that Brigham Young framed him — and hence, Joseph Smith was a pure man, a prophet of God.
Guys. Joseph Stalin threw out Trotsky. Trotsky wasn’t so great either. And Stalin’s communism was way worse than Karl Marx ever intended it to be! But that doesn’t make Marx a saint.
It’s possible for both to be wrong.
And it’s possible for a criminal to be faithful to his wife.
Just sayin’
(Sorry….just lost a bunch of subscribers with that one…..)
All I Possess 