day no. 15,992: the few and the fools

"When a man talks about 'Government by the wise few,' as if they could be picked out by their pantaloons, 'the wise few' must mean either the few whom the foolish think wise or the very foolish who think themselves wise." -- G.K. Chesterton, The Priest of Spring

Is it the case that we fools have found a few handfuls of men wise enough to lead the rest of us? But how can you trust a fool's appraisal? Fool's gold is considered valuable by fools after all, but it doesn't make it worth any more to the wise. And how can fools identify wisdom without becoming themselves wise? 

Or is it the case that there are only a handful of men bold enough to declare that they are wiser than the rest of us? But the one who imagines himself wiser than most is a certified fool. There could hardly be a better way to broadcast your folly than to declare yourself to be king.