The New Age of Humbugs

In reading the book “Inseparable – The Original Siamese Twins and Their Rendezvous with American History” by Yunte Huang, I have just completed the chapter titled, “The Age of Humbugs”. As you might be, I have been aware of the phrase, “Bah Humbug!” as it relates to the character Scrooge in Charle’s Dicken’s, “A Christmas Carol”. This was a great segue into what I was about to learn.

It essentially means that something is rubbish, nonsense, or a sham.

As I began reading the chapter, I was intrigued by the word “humbug”, so I looked it up and was surprised at what I found. As I continued through the chapter, the author did a very nice job at leading the reader through the story to reveal the word’s subtext. "Humbug" can describe a person or object that is intentionally deceptive or misleading, often as a trick or a sham.

As I finished the final few paragraphs, it dawned on me that while this chapter in Yunte Huang’s story was set in the late 1800’s, it has many parallels in current Americana. The “Age of Humbugs” enumerated many stories of the Yankee huckster, traveling peddler, carnival freak shows, and any number of ways that people were swindled for their money or property through deceptive means.

Huang writes,

“ . . . political representatives gain the trust of the common men and pull a con on them. The most successful politicians, [Andrew] Jackson being the best example, are those who show an extraordinary capacity for identifying the needs of others and playing them for suckers, as a shrewd confidence man would.”

I can see that we have now entered a second Age of Humbugs, where not just America is being duped, but rather the entire world. The hot topics hitting the headlines for the past several years (if not decades) have been the “carrot and stick” approach to motivate people by deceptive means through incentives and threats. This motivation touches our very human survival triggers that enflame us to do and believe things that otherwise would be considered ludicrous.

While we divide ourselves into groups (also a base human tactic in our effort to feel safe) we fight with the sticks provided to us in an effort to achieve the safety of the carrot and claiming victory. All the while, what is really happening in the dark of night by the Yankee Trickster Humbug, is implanting detonators into the explosives tied the foundation of our Constitution.

I can confidently say that our current President has taken his place alongside the Prince of Humbugs, P. T. Barnum, to be considered one of the world’s greatest Humbugs we’ve seen in over 175 years. Perhaps you’ve already had an inkling that while the hot topics of today seem important at the outset, things don’t really seem to add up when you look at what has been told to us by this Humbug.

Take a moment to consider that what we are going through now is not new. We will again learn from the experiences we are having and move mankind ever so slightly forward in our infinite evolution.  Go back to what you know is right, how can you apply the Golden Rule in your life and live it every day? How can you take a leap of faith to consider that your neighbor is just as scared and confused as you might be?

Perhaps it will change your world if you reach out and notice that you have more common ground than you might realize. And in this place, you will know the truth of the matter and form the necessary bonds to once again create a firm foundation we can all build upon.   

Dwight J. Raatz, Author