(Part 2) Social Corruption Recontextualized
Although the aforementioned political corruption is the most obvious example, an equally prominent danger to society comes in the form of social corruption. As Dante journeys through each of the nine circles of Hell, he often pauses to inquire a damned soul regarding their identity in life. One such encounter was with an Italian named Ciacco; one can guess his sin just by his reputation as “the Hog”. Throughout the poem, Dante continually expressed his lament for the Florentine society’s fall from grace; his social commentary described the over-indulgence and excess that has gripped Florence’s nobility.
The U.S. is internationally mocked for its extreme indulgence in food and entertainment, the plight a result of the nation’s post-industrial culture. Unlike in Dante’s time, this level of excess is no longer relegated to being a product of exclusive wealth. Americans of both poor and modest means are able to enjoy the indulgences made possible by society. For example, the lower class consumes the greatest amount of fast food in America, as evident by the grossly high obesity rate among its population, particularly in children. The saturation of media with mindless entertainment, stemming partially from new technologies such as smartphones, numbs the mind with useless trivialities. It distracts from issues of greater importance, and often misleads the individual through the presentation of false information.
In “Inferno”, Dante emphasized the significance of corruption, not only of one’s own body, but of its negative influence upon civilization. The collective sins of Florentine nobles, ranging from Wrath to Fraud, was what degraded Florence of its once chivalrous principles. However, society also shares the blame for allowing this decline to take place. The political turmoil brought about by the papal-imperial conflict served as the genesis for this cycle of circular causation. Similarly, in modern society, the government’s lack of accommodations and adequate care for the poor turns them toward criminality and vice. The spread of this behavior enabled observers to note a subsequent decline in societal values.
This video by Vox explores the failure of America in preventing social corruption; the government’s facilitation of an unfair legal system fosters the growth of discontent and criminality, which serves a part in eroding social wellness and promoting injustice.
Dante’s criticisms of sinful behavior in the Florentine nobility highlights the role that individual behavior plays in influencing perceptions upon society. The cumulative effects of Ciacco’s gluttony and numerous other sins are evident in their impact upon the public opinion of Florence. His self-corruption through over-indulgence injected society with the poison that he had consumed so much of. Recognition of the cyclical causation that enabled this downward spiral is the first step in preventing future possibilities for the degradation of civility. Modern society needs to take note from Dante’s “Inferno”, and learn to reinforce the importance of maintaining social wellness through the societal responsibilities of individuals.
