We hold these truths to be self-evident:
Apr. 4th, 2002 04:08 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rinueIt is said that a meteorologist's long-term forecasts are exceptional if he is right 40% of the time. On the surface, it would appear that more accurate predictions could be made by flipping an evenly-weighted coin.
The mistake is in believing that duality exists where it does not.
On a golf course, the ball is either in the ninth hole or out of it -- yet outside the hole, the ball may be on the ground, in the air, or in the sand. This is not duality.
There are many things that we think are dualities: Happy and Sad, Peace and Violence, Good and Evil. Yet, there is only one true Happiness, however the causes vary. There is only one complete Peace, and one universal Good. Each Sadness is unique; Violence and Evil take one thousand forms.
The necessary conclusion is that Sadness, Violence, and Evil outnumber Peace, Good, and Happiness, and they cannot be erradicated.
However:
Peace, Good, and Happiness have an advantage in their minorities. Because there is one Peace, one Good, and one Happiness, all who are peaceful, good, and happy will work toward the same ends. They are united, whilst those who oppose them fight amongst themselves. Although they are outnumbered, they can hold together.
Their unity is a common dream.
The greatest of men understood this. Lao-Tzu, Zhuangzi, Ben Franklin, Jim Henson, and Jesus of Nazareth understood this. John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, H.G. Wells, and James the Apostle understood this. They were great men, but their greatness did not lie in cities or kingdoms. They created enduring myths that would reach far beyond their countries' borders and stand when their cities had fallen.
It is true that their myths have sometimes been perverted. The dream of America has been used to justify un-American forced conformity. The dream of Christianity has been used to justify un-Christian cruelty. Jim Henson's dream of community has become an electronic babysitter. The dream of the followers of The Way of Life has become an obsession with death. It is harder to tell who is friend and who enemy.
We could fault the myths themselves, but some men have always been cruel. Always obessed over death. Always lusted for power. Always tried to abandon hard work. This cannot be avoided. In even the best of societies, false leaders will emerge, and they will gather congregations; they will use the myths because they recognize their power.
It is this same power that will hobble them. Because they use the myth of America instead of totalitarianism, they will lose followers to the American dream. Because they use Christianity instead of simple bigotry, they will lose followers to love for all men. Because they abandon their children to Sesame Street instead of Loony Tunes, the children will learn counting instead of violence.
The Dark Ages were toppled by the dream of the Renaissance.
This is why we must never stop writing our stories, nor trying to get them read. We are like the fox; our prey is much bigger and stronger than we are. We win through our intellect. We are united by our wisdom, our valor, and our compassion.
We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams.
The mistake is in believing that duality exists where it does not.
On a golf course, the ball is either in the ninth hole or out of it -- yet outside the hole, the ball may be on the ground, in the air, or in the sand. This is not duality.
There are many things that we think are dualities: Happy and Sad, Peace and Violence, Good and Evil. Yet, there is only one true Happiness, however the causes vary. There is only one complete Peace, and one universal Good. Each Sadness is unique; Violence and Evil take one thousand forms.
The necessary conclusion is that Sadness, Violence, and Evil outnumber Peace, Good, and Happiness, and they cannot be erradicated.
However:
Peace, Good, and Happiness have an advantage in their minorities. Because there is one Peace, one Good, and one Happiness, all who are peaceful, good, and happy will work toward the same ends. They are united, whilst those who oppose them fight amongst themselves. Although they are outnumbered, they can hold together.
Their unity is a common dream.
The greatest of men understood this. Lao-Tzu, Zhuangzi, Ben Franklin, Jim Henson, and Jesus of Nazareth understood this. John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, H.G. Wells, and James the Apostle understood this. They were great men, but their greatness did not lie in cities or kingdoms. They created enduring myths that would reach far beyond their countries' borders and stand when their cities had fallen.
It is true that their myths have sometimes been perverted. The dream of America has been used to justify un-American forced conformity. The dream of Christianity has been used to justify un-Christian cruelty. Jim Henson's dream of community has become an electronic babysitter. The dream of the followers of The Way of Life has become an obsession with death. It is harder to tell who is friend and who enemy.
We could fault the myths themselves, but some men have always been cruel. Always obessed over death. Always lusted for power. Always tried to abandon hard work. This cannot be avoided. In even the best of societies, false leaders will emerge, and they will gather congregations; they will use the myths because they recognize their power.
It is this same power that will hobble them. Because they use the myth of America instead of totalitarianism, they will lose followers to the American dream. Because they use Christianity instead of simple bigotry, they will lose followers to love for all men. Because they abandon their children to Sesame Street instead of Loony Tunes, the children will learn counting instead of violence.
The Dark Ages were toppled by the dream of the Renaissance.
This is why we must never stop writing our stories, nor trying to get them read. We are like the fox; our prey is much bigger and stronger than we are. We win through our intellect. We are united by our wisdom, our valor, and our compassion.
We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams.
