Overpowering the Powerful: Maimonides’ Manipulation of the Elite

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(Depczyk, Jac. “Concentrated Wealth Leads to Concentrated Power.” As Inequality Grows, so Does the Political Influence of the Rich, The Economist.)

With increased wealth and power, the elite class dominate society, asserting greater influence over the average person.

 

How do you get to the top in society? Many would answer by winning over the common people; after all, if the majority of the population supported you, you would likely succeed. Yet there is another exclusive, high-ranking societal group that dictates who rises to fame and who goes to zero: the elites. Win them over, and you are sure to be at the top.

In his November 13th “Maimonides Lecture,” Dr. Singer covered the biography, the underlying ideas and beliefs, and the legacy of Maimonides, an individual who accomplished this very feat – winning over the elite. Maimonides became a revered community leader among Jews in Cairo and an influential figure; he was a superior physician, a remarkable interpreter of Jewish law, and a brilliant philosopher, theologist, and scholar (Singer, “Maimonides Lecture” 11/13/18). Additionally, he crafted the book The Guide of the Perplexed to reconcile reason and faith, which Dr. Singer described as a “philosophical and theological masterwork” (Singer, “Maimonides Lecture” 11/13/18). The circulation of Maimonides’ ideas from this work along with his influence got me thinking about how he did it all, especially after Dr. Singer lightheartedly pointed out that we would never be as overwhelmed as the busy Maimonides.

When Dr. Singer introduced elitism into the mix, addressed its relevance, and encouraged us to reflect on its implications, my mind made an interesting connection, correlating Maimonides’ rise to the top with elitism. Dr. Singer explained that “The Guide is written for the elite – and therefore is, as Maimonides directly says, sometimes deliberately challenging to interpret” (Singer, “Maimonides Lecture” 11/13/18). By explicitly stating that the points he presents are intended for the elite, Maimonides issues a challenge to the them. He expects that they should be able to follow his logic – this is his justification as to why the The Guide of the Perplexed is so difficult to understand (since it is meant for the elite, they should be able to extract meaning, no matter how demanding). Maimonides hints at this same idea himself, writing “Understand the extent of that toward which they give guidance, if you are of those that understand” (Maimonides 415). Maimonides equates the elite with knowledge: if you are a member of the intelligent elite class, you should be capable of understanding this text and the particular “guidance” offered. Ultimately, Maimonides puts pressure on the elite to comprehend what he writes about. Whether they truly understand or not, they are more likely to adhere to his views out of fear of not being a proper elite member, thus spreading his ideas in the community.

Maimonides further provides his own interpretation regarding the topics he mentions, suggesting that his interpretation is the “correct” one. For instance, Dr. Singer stated, “Maimonides argues that when scripture is properly interpreted by the elite it is equivalent to correct philosophy. So reason and revelation are not merely compatible; they are one and the same” (Singer, “Maimonides Lecture” 11/13/18). Maimonides acknowledges that the elite are able to reach the “correct philosophy.” He then connects this “correct philosophy” to the primary argument he is making – that philosophy and theology are “one and the same.” By providing this concrete answer, Maimonides leads the elite to his beliefs; he also implies that his interpretation must be accepted by offering that “knowledge of this matter has ceased to exist” (Maimonides 415), adding to his own influence.

In many ways, Maimonides reminds me of a politician. He is able to utilize such tactics to manipulate the elite and use their social standing to his advantage, oddly familiar to how political leaders will use different strategies to convince others that they are correct and win them over. The image below humorously depicts how well-known political figures will act absurdly and go to great lengths to make themselves look appealing. To the average individual, they may look foolish. Yet political leaders put on this persona to gain the support of the elite members, those who matter the most. Sometimes, by acting oddly, political leaders such as those shown below are able to gain attention, which is exactly what they want. Through this post, I have felt like a political analyst, illustrating Maimonides’ step-by-step approach, from the imprinting of his ideas into the minds of the elite to his acceptance and leading of his community.

(Keane, Chris, and Mike Reuters. “Rarely Have Two Presidential Front-Runners Needed More from Running Mates than Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.” WHY RUNNING MATES WILL BE CRUCIAL FOR DONALD TRUMP AND HILLARY CLINTON, Newsweek, 22 Apr. 2016.)

Politicians must convince other influential individuals to take their side – this was especially present in the 2016 presidential elections between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.

 

I would like to conclude by asking Dr. Singer a question about the extent to which elitism directly affected Maimonides’ ideas in The Guide of the Perplexed: did Maimonides ever attempt to conform to the beliefs of the elites in this work? Are the ideas Maimonides presents his own thinking, or do they contain some of sort of bias intended to make them more receptive in society?

 

Works Cited:

Depczyk, Jac. “Concentrated Wealth Leads to Concentrated Power.” As Inequality Grows, so Does the Political Influence of the Rich, The Economist.

Keane, Chris, and Mike Reuters. “Rarely Have Two Presidential Front-Runners Needed More from Running Mates than Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.” WHY RUNNING MATES WILL BE CRUCIAL FOR DONALD TRUMP AND HILLARY CLINTON, Newsweek, 22 Apr. 2016.

Maimonides, Moses, and Shelomoh Pines. The Guide of the Perplexed. Univ. of Chicago Pr., 2003.

Singer, Ira. “Maimonides Lecture.” Culture & Expression. 13 Nov. 2018.