Crossing the Rubicon
Thoughts on courage, democracy, and what we can do.
In 49 BCE, Julius Caesar stood on the edge of a small river and decided to cross it, a decision that made him dictator for the remainder of his life (which was only 5 more years).
In 49 BCE the Rubicon river marked the border between two provinces of the Roman Republic. There were strict rules about crossing from the province you ruled to another province, particularly if it involved your army. (One might say these rules were an important political guardrail of the time.) But Julius Caesar broke the law and crossed the Rubicon at the head of his troops, making him and his troops outlaws, condemned to death.
I have been hearing the phrase “crossing the Rubicon” in news reports and political analyses this week, which is why I looked it up. It’s an idiom that means making a decision that cannot be undone… no matter how terrible the consequences. It’s similar to being “past the point of no return”, a phrase from the world of aviation. The point of no return refers to when you’ve burned enough fuel that you can’t turn around and go back to where you started from. From missing guardrails to plane crashes. Seems somehow appropriate this week…
I know I’m not the only one who feels that, as an American, I’m riding in a plane where the pilot has decided the point of no return doesn’t matter.
But it does…it really does.
All of us, no matter where we stand on the political spectrum, are being summoned to do our best in these very difficult times.
Summoned to do what? First and foremost, we are being summoned to bear witness, to not look away. And, once we see clearly where we are, we are summoned to check our individual and collective moral compasses to make sure we have not strayed too far from where we should be.
What else can we do?
Timothy Snyder provides other actions with his list of 20 ways to defend democracy. Here are the three I’m starting with.
Join me?
Stand out. Someone has to. It is easy to follow along. It can feel strange to do or say something different. But without that unease, there is no freedom. Remember Rosa Parks. The moment you set an example, the spell of the status quo is broken, and others will follow.
Believe in truth. To abandon facts is to abandon freedom. If nothing is true, then no one can criticize power because there is no basis upon which to do so. If nothing is true, then all is spectacle. The biggest wallet pays for the most blinding lights.
Make eye contact and small talk. This is not just polite. It is part of being a citizen and a responsible member of society. It is also a way to stay in touch with your surroundings, break down social barriers, and understand whom you should and should not trust. If we enter a culture of denunciation, you will want to know the psychological landscape of your daily life.