What A World

There is a bit of irony about life that we as human beings deal with every day. It is so much a part of our lives that we do not even notice it anymore, yet it affects us negatively every day and we complain a great deal about it with almost everyone we meet. Like the weather, every one experiences it but no one really expects to do anything about it. The damage done by this thing is incalculable, yet no one does anything to eliminate it because we think we cannot. That is, we think we cannot, until we have the power.

When children are small, they are subject entirely to their parents, guardians, babysitters, older siblings and nearly anyone who is bigger than they are. Theirs is a world of giants (and sometimes ogres) who dictate what their life will be like from the moment they awake into this world until they are big enough to fight back. As subjects in this little world, they are made to do whatever the bigger people decide they should do. The means by which they are 'made' to do those things is usually, first: asking, second: telling, third: forcing and finally: punishment if the child is not compliant. Thus defines the circle of many a child in the world today.

I will not argue that children can be difficult to raise, or that they do not need some form of discipline; no, in my opinion, raising children is far and away the most complex and difficult task anyone can undertake. But this is not about the children, it is about the adults. You see, each of us was once a child, subject to the discipline and sometimes unfair treatment of others who were older and bigger than us. Does it not seem surprising then that people often become the thing they despised when they were children?

Does it make sense that a person who was bullied all his life should become a bully? I think it makes more sense that if one was bullied, he would do all in his power to NOT be a bully. By the same token, those of us who are treated ill by some power larger than ourselves ought to be doing all in our power to eliminate such things in the future.

Here I would like to make a comparison to the Lord of the Rings. In that story, the ring is a tool of control. It is filled with all the malice and hatred of its master and seems to want only to serve his ends. When those with good intentions come along and take possession of the 'ring of power' they are sorely tempted to use the ring 'for good'. However, Gandalf, the wizard, informs them that the ring serves only one master and that if you try to use the ring you will not be able to do good with it. You would only do evil in the NAME of good, thus doing an even greater evil. That is the irony.

This kind of thinking is employed every day in our world. People raised in situations of control and coercion go on to control and coerce others. When this becomes the norm, then we consider it our duty to control and coerce other people and we see no other way to achieve the ends in mind. It makes me think of the saying, “Fighting for peace.” We haven't made the connection that fighting never achieved peace. The ring of power only has one master. But the power is so tantalizing that people are willing to forget all that they really know about life in order to wield the power, and power, unfortunately, is addictive. Once used it is almost impossible to resist.

It seems to me that it is a little bit like children on a playground who have discovered a powerful weapon and use it to force everyone on the playground to play correctly. You don't need to teach manners, politeness, kindness or consideration when force is present. You merely wave your magic weapon and everyone is at peace with everyone else. Sound effective? Sure. No one is fighting. But what kind of playground is it? Do you really want to play there, or would you do anything to get away from it? Or, on the other hand, would you do everything in your power to get the weapon away from the one in charge so that YOU could be in control. Sound familiar? It should. As the witch in the Wizard of Oz put it: “What a world, what a world.”