Of all the worlds we could have made, this is the one we did. That isn't meant to be cynical, merely concisely honest. As a historian I know how we got here, but as a person I must ask why. At present, the only answer that comes to mind is cowardice. People will do just about anything if they are afraid. It can make one compromise every moral, break every vow, betray anyone and do things you sincerely thought yourself incapable of. Fear is the way in which all authority is established, expanded and maintained. By authority I mean the phenomenon in which one person or group gives orders and another follows them. Each revolution was the result of people caring more about a cause than their own safety. Consequently they were able to overthrow a regime; lamentably only to establish new ones. All the great things man has ever done was the result of overcoming that craven weakness that dims the soul and displaces the heart. Mankind is really only separated from the animal kingdom in that we scare and then do things completely out of harmony with the rest of the planet. One common way in which people deal with it is to inspire fear in others in an attempt to cloak their own, both from others and themselves. Apathy is another common defensive measure people use to counter being scared. It is said that the shrugging of ones shoulders is a behavioral trait that dates back to the Reign of Terror in the French Revolution. Everyday people would gather round the guillotine to watch the executions and would instinctively cringe when the blade fell. After 20,000 heads had rolled the novelty had worn off, but not the innate twinge at seeing something as awful as another person being decapitated. I see this trait alive today when people are confronted with evil. They prefer to follow in the Parisians footsteps and shrug, as opposed to doing something about it. So much simpler to be complicit as opposed to explicit. How much easier to chase after money rather than ones dreams. I deeply believe that all humans are born with hearts of resplendent valor that can only be tamed through many years of organized effort on the part of others. A wise leader once stated 'we have nothing to fear but fear itself'. Humanity must take that statement to heart if we hope for our lot to
improve.
Of all the worlds we could have made, this is the one we did. That isn't meant to be cynical, merely concisely honest. As a historian I know how we got here, but as a person I must ask why. At present, the only answer that comes to mind is cowardice. People will do just about anything if they are afraid. It can make one compromise every moral, break every vow, betray anyone and do things you sincerely thought yourself incapable of. Fear is the way in which all authority is established, expanded and maintained. By authority I mean the phenomenon in which one person or group gives orders and another follows them. Each revolution was the result of people caring more about a cause than their own safety. Consequently they were able to overthrow a regime; lamentably only to establish new ones. All the great things man has ever done was the result of overcoming that craven weakness that dims the soul and displaces the heart. Mankind is really only separated from the animal kingdom in that we scare and then do things completely out of harmony with the rest of the planet. One common way in which people deal with it is to inspire fear in others in an attempt to cloak their own, both from others and themselves. Apathy is another common defensive measure people use to counter being scared. It is said that the shrugging of ones shoulders is a behavioral trait that dates back to the Reign of Terror in the French Revolution. Everyday people would gather round the guillotine to watch the executions and would instinctively cringe when the blade fell. After 20,000 heads had rolled the novelty had worn off, but not the innate twinge at seeing something as awful as another person being decapitated. I see this trait alive today when people are confronted with evil. They prefer to follow in the Parisians footsteps and shrug, as opposed to doing something about it. So much simpler to be complicit as opposed to explicit. How much easier to chase after money rather than ones dreams. I deeply believe that all humans are born with hearts of resplendent valor that can only be tamed through many years of organized effort on the part of others. A wise leader once stated 'we have nothing to fear but fear itself'. Humanity must take that statement to heart if we hope for our lot to 
improve.
No comments:
Post a Comment