Just a Thought

Let’s suppose, for the sake of argument, that there is such a thing in the world as an elite. Relax; I’m not going to start expounding on yet another conspiracy theory. Let’s just suppose that the existence of such an elite is inevitable and a natural part of the human experience.

The elite who are in on these communications are not the usual suspects, gaining their place through power or money, inheritance or fame.Only one thing would be needed to qualify: an ability to perceive meaningful nuances within or behind the obvious world we have in front of us.

If such a thing does in fact exist, this higher level of communication, it could have two possible forms, a natural (or accidental) form or an artificial (or intentional) one. The easiest to approach would be the natural form; you could call it a byproduct of events or human nature. Examples can readily be found in history or in the case of our example, in genealogy.

In Lorraine, which is today a part of France, in the 17th century, there was a proud family  that received a title of nobility from the Duc Charles IV who was the reigning regent. The reason for the granting of a title is that this family has for several generations, provided loyal service in the breeding, dressage and maintenance of war horses for the duke. Because documents attesting to the family’s story are vulnerable to decay and loss, tracing it from the perspective of several centuries later can be a difficult thing. However, the record can still be found in other forms.

In this particular case, a sobriquet or nom-de-guerre (literally war names – sobriquets which were adopted by soldiers) was adopted which described and encapsulated the past history of the family through many generations. These nom-de-guerre’s came from a wide variety of sources but could also be chosen by a soldier himself. An investigation into the possible origin and history of the name led to the finding that “Lafantaisie” was a term used in the training of horses. A mount that displayed a momentary lapse in obeying its rider, as though making a break for freedom, was said to be having “a fantasy”.

The profession that had been carried down for so many years in the family led to the adopting of a name that preserved the memory of the family’s history. The discovery led to others and a snow ball effect was produced. This set up a trail to follow that eventually established the family’s pedigree back to the duchy of Lorraine at the time of the Duke Charles IV.

This may not seem like anything out of the ordinary. In fact, it sounds quite mundane, but this was a sobriquet, a nick name, chosen relatively late in the family’s history. The manner in which the research was begun is what labels it as what I’m calling “natural elite communication”, the unusual name attracted attention, almost as though it was meant to do just that for future generations. Its unusual and unique character demanded attention.

This is what led to, in a way, bring those forefathers back to life to tell their story. The name could easily have been overlooked; taken for granted. This form of communication could be categorized and systematically studied if its existence is accepted, thus providing another tool for the study of other branches of science.