In William T. Vollmann's "The Royal Family," the author critiques politicians for overlooking the widespread decay of moral values and genuine connection among people. He suggests that politicians often minimize the challenges faced by individuals, promoting solutions like lowering corporate taxes or redistributing wealth, which fail to address the deeper issues at hand. This simplistic view ignores the complex realities that people experience daily.

Vollmann highlights the futility of believing that these surface-level solutions will lead to a utopian society. His metaphor of crossing the Jordan implies a desire for collective progress, but he warns that the ghosts of the past—the remnants of those excluded or lost in this pursuit—will linger. True happiness cannot be achieved merely through economic adjustments; it requires a fundamental understanding of the human condition and the shared struggles that come with it.