tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48928573097468648322023-11-15T08:44:11.461-08:00Conversations with the DevilDouglas Humphrieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285342563548933886noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892857309746864832.post-62028272632071794122012-10-14T14:50:00.001-07:002012-10-14T14:50:06.007-07:00Puck on... Plots
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">You know, you really must work on this. How long have we been
talking and you’re still surprised at the simplest things. Or is it not
surprised? Startled? Perturbed? Terrified?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Or all of the above? It’s quite all right, of course. I believe half
the reason I can shock you is because you keep forgetting.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Forgetting what?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Who you are dealing with. What you are dealing with. I have been
around the block so many times, before there was a block. What did you think?
That you could understand me in the space of a conversation? Pay attention,
boy. There is much more to learn.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">You have plans.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Our ways are many and various. What? We’re not allowed to be
creative?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">To what end?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Oh, but don’t you already know the answer to that question?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">I’m not sure that I do, no.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">What do you think? What do they say?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">I think you want to corrupt people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">But why? What purpose could it serve? Because I have gathered the
full meaning of your question, haven’t I?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Yes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">You want to know the endgame, right?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Yes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">That I cannot tell you. Oh, come now, you didn’t expect it to be
that easy? Besides that’s the end of the story, you’re in the middle. Let’s not
ruin it. Ah, but as to the fate of individuals, well, that reaches conclusion
much faster. 70, 80 years.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">You want to corrupt a person. So that, what? They go to Hell?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Oh. My. Boy. How little you know. You think we are the reason for
that? That we conquer people? That we somehow convert them to our side? You think
that’s how the game is played?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Well, maybe it is time I let you in on the true nature of where I
come from.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Douglas Humphrieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285342563548933886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892857309746864832.post-49566428776211577422012-10-07T15:49:00.006-07:002012-10-07T15:49:43.487-07:00Puck on... Plans
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">You want to negate salvation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Come now, you paint too great a picture of us. You’ll be steering
too close to blasphemy, if you’re not careful. I mean can we really negate
salvation?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">No, I don’t guess so. But maybe you can do something else.<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Like?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Like make it less effective.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Oh, now you’re on to something. But how?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Well, if we don’t know about it, can it really help us?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Good start. But that’s elementary. Keep the truth away and it can
never help anyone. But the battle is rarely as easy as that. The truth is
crafty; like water, it always finds the hole in the floor. Even we can’t stop
them all up. The truth will find a way in. It’s insidious that way.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Then you make them believe it’s not truth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Excellent, you’ve been listening. Yes, convince them it’s not truth
and they won’t believe it. Ah, but then you have a problem. How to convince
someone a lie is the truth? To convince anyone you have to have some truth,
enough to prove your point. After all, lies are lies for a reason; if they
weren’t then the truth would be meaningless.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">So, you mix in a little truth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Helps it go down easier. The inverse proportion is actually the more
effective. The more truth you have, the harder to find the lie and the deeper
it’s held, thus, the harder to remove. You’d be surprised how many little lies
you have floating around inside you, unnoticed, unperturbed, unchecked.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">But even then, you’re missing the simplest step. You needn’t fight
the medicine if the patient doesn’t believe it needs it, not because it has
embraced a poison instead, but because it does not believe it is sick.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">If you can’t convince us there is no truth, convince us there is no
disease.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">You are learning. The best lies are the ones that hit at the start
after all, before the truth can gain momentum.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">So, that’s how you work? That’s the plan?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Oh, come now, boy. Did you think it was that simple? How long have
we been talking and it still hasn’t occurred to you that an able tactician
never plans for one eventuality but many?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">You have other plans?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Oh, child, we have plans you know nothing about.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Douglas Humphrieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285342563548933886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892857309746864832.post-45745069394490209582012-09-30T15:03:00.003-07:002012-10-07T15:28:00.683-07:00Puck on... Duality<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">We are at war with ourselves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Oh, you think you understand, do you? That you’re at war with your
very nature, right? Is that what you think?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Don’t misunderstand, that’s not untrue, just inadequate an
explanation. Your situation is indeed as schizophrenic as you imagine. You are
two minds, two natures. But it’s less Jekyll and Hyde than you would hope. It’s
not that you are at war with another mind within you but the same mind. I’m
splitting hairs, but I trust you’ll understand why in a moment.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">You see it as a civil war of the soul. One side the good, that wants
good, that knows good. The other evil, that wars and works against the good. A
surprisingly eastern philosophy for a protestant. But it’s not that. There
aren’t two, just the one. The traitor is yourself. You, being good, fight and
strive for that good. Then you, being bad, tear down and mock the good that you
build. You erect battlements and walls to keep temptations, to keep me, out,
and then you wonder why they constantly fail and seem to crumble and dismantle
themselves. When, of course, you are the one dismantling them. The conspirator,
the man within your ranks collaborating with the enemy, is you. You think I’m
lying.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">We are not our sin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">But are you not a sinner?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Yes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Doesn’t your sin matter, then? Doesn’t it carry some weight? If not,
then what would redemption mean? Would it be necessary?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">But we are forgiven. We don’t have to carry that burden anymore.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">But you continue to sin, do you not? What of that?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">I don’t-<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Didn’t one of your greatest say that he had the desire to do good
but could not carry it out? “But what I hate, that I do.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">He also said that it was no longer him but the sin living in him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">True. But that means sin lives within you. You want to divorce
yourselves from it, so it doesn’t touch you. But it’s there and it means
something. Where did you get this idea that you were two different people: the
one good, the other bad? Are you not one person? Without excuse? You see, when
you believe that you are two, it makes it so easy to not feel guilty for the
things you do, because it isn’t you. But it is. A part, a piece, whatever
euphemism you use to try and make it seem like it’s not so much you as
something or someone else. But you’re wrong. Every sin is a willful act, an
act of you. It must be or salvation itself is meaningless.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">And who do you suppose would benefit most from that conclusion?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Douglas Humphrieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285342563548933886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892857309746864832.post-77278427758859717012012-09-23T16:30:00.000-07:002012-09-23T16:30:01.608-07:00Puck on... Comparison
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">So what’s the answer?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">
There is no answer. Only the question. Only the pointing out of a particular
flaw in your species’ reasoning.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">We say we want individuality but all the while praise conformity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Not quite, my boy. You have individuality, yet you crave conformity.
Individuality is not something you attain it’s something you possess. You are
individuals. It’s part of your existence. The fact that you believe you can be
human without individuality is the mistake.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">The world wants conformity, you want conformity because you are
fighting individuality. Though, that is perhaps not the best way of putting it.
To be more precise, you are fighting a particular individuality.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Everyone else’s?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Ha-ha! Oh that’s brilliant. But, again, not quite. Sometimes, yes.
And how poetic, too. Crafted in the divine image you seek to craft everyone
into your own image. But not what I meant. The individuality you are fighting
is the individuality that recognizes itself as such and does not seek change.
What you are fighting is the contented individuality.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">I told you we liked individuality just fine provided it was the kind
we liked. Well, the kind that you like is the kind that is not satisfied with
itself. The kind that seeks change, what it calls improvement, but is only the
placeholder for conformity. And that’s what the world wants. An individuality
that wants to be like all others, that is willing to mold itself so, to follow
the wheel grooves and not stray. An individuality that hates individuality. And
do you know why?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">This is about control.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Power. Yes. Because flocks are easier to control that single sheep.
A person is smart, don’t they say?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">But people are stupid.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Yes. But why? Because they choose to be. Because they have the
individuality that is most wanted. You can’t stand any other.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">So we try to control each other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">It gets worse than that. It would be easy if it were some vast
conspiracy or even a part of human interaction, each will trying to conquer the
other. There is something very animalistic about that. But it’s worse. The
process doesn’t confine itself to everyone else’s. It’s most brutal attack,
like so much else, is the subtlest.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Haven’t you ever woken up and thought you were a failure? Ever
looked around at friends, family, complete strangers and thought that they had
something you didn’t? Haven’t you ever stood in the sanctuary and known without
a doubt that you were not as good or mature or right-minded as the person next
to you? In school, you got grades. Little modes of assessment to tell you if
you were farther along or not. In life, there are stages, jobs, possessions,
financial securities, methods to measure your maturation. Rubrics that you
create for yourself or someone created for you. Rules that are never written
down, that have no power, yet mean everything. And you’re sure, convinced that
everyone’s getting it but you. And even if they aren’t, you are all failing
some predetermined standard. Everyday. All the time. It never stops, this
judgment, this grading. You live in it; it is your life.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Don’t you see? The subtlest poison is comparison. To others or the
standard, it doesn’t matter. Because that’s the secret. The individuality
you’re fighting is your own.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Douglas Humphrieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285342563548933886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892857309746864832.post-8562465080707653832012-09-16T12:21:00.002-07:002012-09-16T12:21:27.623-07:00Puck on... Individuality
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">You hate individuality?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Oh, no, we like it just fine. Provided, of course, that it’s the
kind of individuality that we want.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Which is conformity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Well, that’s a rather bland way to say it, isn’t it? It makes it
sound so boring. Why not give a nice title? After all, as we’ve discussed, you
humans do like nice, catchy names for things.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">What would you call it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Why not: Evolution? After all, it’s all heading towards the same
thing, right? The ultimate existence? The paragon animal? And you are just
animals, after all, correct? Why, look at the animal kingdom. Oh, yes, diverse,
certainly, with your cats and sheep and sharks. But notice the similarities
amongst the cats and sheep and sharks themselves. Can you tell them apart? Yes,
you have spots on one and stripes on another, but the spots are always spotty
and the stripes always stripe-y.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Presumably they can tell each other apart.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Presumably, yes. Though 9 times out of 10 it’s by smell. But look
deeper than that. How many existential lions are there, do you suppose? Or
erudite mollusks? Any creative giraffes? Or an ape who finds the termites in
this particular hill more tasty than another? Aren’t they all very like each
other?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">I think some people would insist that their pets are quite unique.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Of course, they would. But how much of that do you suppose is their
implanting personality into their animals?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">You could easily argue that they were drawing it out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">
Yes, you could, but that’s through domestication. In the wild, would they not
find themselves forced to follow the call of their species or be left to die?
That’s what you do, you little individuals, so keen on offering individuality
to everything else, potted plants included.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Is that so wrong?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">We’re not here to argue that. The point is that of conformity, as
you said. Do you not realize that nature asks for conformity? Adapt or die?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Yes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">And yet you would insist that individuality is some kind of virtue,
wouldn’t you?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Yes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">
How many of your fellow men would agree with that?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">I think a lot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Really? How altruistic. Don’t get me wrong, they would most
certainly say that. But what would they actually believe?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">I see, you’re saying people celebrate individuality, but really they
are only celebrating the aspects that they want or like or need. That they are
fine with individuals provided they are their kind of individuals.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Does that seem so surprising?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><br />
No. Most of the time when people offer freedom they are really only offering
another set of guidelines.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Exactly. Conformity. Oh, you don’t call it that. You call it a
million different things. Fitting in. Adapting. Evolving. Communing. Coming out
of your shell. Hanging out. Being social. And my personal favorite: growing up.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">The world asks for conformity because that is what it needs. Like
nature, it has no space for individuals. You fool yourselves, of course. You
talk about your uniqueness, of geography or ethnicity, but it’s a cover. You
see, there’s a theory that’s been going around a while that you are nothing
more than animals. And if you truly believe that arguments can still be made
for society and order as the constructs of man’s evolution, but only just so.
If you really believe that there’s nothing that would allow you to be
individuals or unique at all. Because you would still be products of nature and
it does not want but one way. There are no parallel branches on the evolutionary
tree, only superior and inferior limbs.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Now, where do you suppose you got that idea?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Douglas Humphrieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285342563548933886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892857309746864832.post-10514068425723560202012-09-09T15:38:00.001-07:002012-09-09T15:38:06.997-07:00Puck on... Differences
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Ah, but I can tell you still are not fully convinced.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">What you say makes sense.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">But…</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">But why me?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Why not? Humble, are we? Oh, come now. Is that what you think? That
you aren’t worth it? Not worth the time or effort or skill? That there is just
isn’t enough special about you to demand my attention, is that it?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Something like that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">What if I told you: you are absolutely right?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">I would ask: why waste the effort?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Well, firstly, it’s my effort to waste, and I do so at my leisure.
Secondly, I don’t consider it a waste. Oh, not because of you, specifically, or
anything you’ve done or what you could do or might do. No, no, it’s not you.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">And yet it is.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">You see this is not an issue of you personally or any man. Oh, I
know the differences. It’s not as if you all look the same to us. We can tell.
We spend a lot of time trying to convince you otherwise because we can tell. In
the end, we choose to treat you the same because we want you to be the same.
Because to us, you are the same. In the end, at least.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">To us, you’re cattle. A good farmer can tell each of his herd apart,
undoubtedly. But when you’re leading them up the ramp, they’re all alike, the
differences die long before they do.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Then why? Why spend so much time-<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">On one man? I already told you that. One man is everything. Oh, we
have led the masses astray before, all the time. But it’s not as much a culling
as you might think. In the end, there’s a hook for every fish. One could
certainly wish for a trawl net, but things rarely work out like that. And
there’s much less style to it that way. You see, it’s not you personally, it’s
you… existentially.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">No, I can say with certainty, there’s nothing particularly about you
that one might label as “threatening” or “important”, nothing that would make
you a special target. But nevertheless, there is something about you that
drives us. Not what you’ve done, not your personality or talents, not who you
are but what.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Human?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Individuals.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Douglas Humphrieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285342563548933886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892857309746864832.post-48551334399820209602012-09-02T15:42:00.003-07:002012-09-02T15:42:16.536-07:00Puck on... Appearances
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">So, is that all this was? An attempt to… what? Trick me?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">You make it sound like such a waste of time.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">But why?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">You keep using that word. I don’t think you fully understand the
implications. But, then again, we need not go into the broad spectrum, the
imminent cause will do. Why did I go on for so long just to fool you?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Yes. Why?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Ah, but the question answers itself.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">How?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Why did I try to fool you? To fool you, that’s why.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">To fool me, specifically?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Yes.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Is that all?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Again, you make it sound so foolish, but really, what could be more
important, more demanding of my time that the fate of a single soul? Have you
never learned? Or, like so many of your race, do you only view value in the
grand scale? Of men, not man, of nations, not homes, of civilizations, not
individual lives. Because small things have small significance, don’t they? For
surely, they must. Size matters, ha, after all. Goodness knows, important
things never come in small packages. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">So you’re saying individual lives matter more than the masses.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Don’t you believe that?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">I just never thought you would.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">How you misjudge me. I know the truth. Individual lives matter more
than all of human civilization, my boy. Civilizations come and go, along with
governments and nation-states. Compared to the life of one human soul, all of
history is a passing fad. We, my kind, see this. The great ruse we play is
making sure you don’t. Making you think all of this, this mockery, this painted
backdrop that you play out all your drama against, is the “real”, the solid,
the meaningful. You give your lives for this, you will take other men’s lives
for this, and Hell laughs.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">You are of monumental importance, dear child. Every soul is. That’s
why we tempt humans, not countries. These are but the furniture that makes up
the manor of your souls. Countries cannot be saved, people can. Civilizations
cannot be damned, any more than can a table, people can. You see so little. The
forest is a blinder for the trees.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Appearances can be deceiving.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Appearances are always deceiving, that’s why they’re called
appearances.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Douglas Humphrieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285342563548933886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892857309746864832.post-11773686516471579772012-08-26T15:59:00.002-07:002012-08-26T15:59:20.500-07:00Puck on... Politics pt. 13
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Oh my, I have gone long haven’t I? Of course, there is, oh, so much
to talk about.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">So what’s the answer?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Hmm?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">What’s the answer? You’ve talked a lot about what’s wrong with
Politics.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">And you’re asking what’s right with it?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">No. But what’s the right answer. We’ve discussed the wrong ideas, so
what’s the right one?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">And why are you asking me?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">You’re the only other one here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Touché. But what makes you think I know?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">I think you know. You know the wrong answers because deep down you
know what the right ones are. At some level, you know.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">If I know, then why am I what I am?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">You rejected it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Oh, it’s more than that and less. I don’t care. That’s the thing. I
don’t care. I don’t give a lick whether you know the right answers. I live for
the fact that you have no idea what the right one is and are mired in so many
bad ones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What? Did you think this
was for your education?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">What was it for then?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Ah, ah, that’s why again. You always want to bring the conversation
back there, but you haven’t earned my reason yet.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Then what are we to make of politics?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Good question. In fact, I believe that was my question. What are you
to make of it?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">I don’t know. I’m not sure there’s anything we can make of it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Perhaps. But what is certain is what it is making of you. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">It divides us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">You do that already. Politics is just another means. Another dimension
to categorize yourself. Republican, Democrat, Independent. Just more words and
titles and little boxes to put people in. Another thing you want to tell you
what you ought to do so you don’t have to decide for yourselves.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">It breeds power struggles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">It is power struggles. That’s the bread of butter of politics.
Another means for the big to control the small. For those who are in the know
to dupe those who are ignorant.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">It makes us hypocrites.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Yes. But, then again, what doesn’t have that potential?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">It makes us into something we’re not. It ties us to something we
shouldn’t be attached to. It makes us less than what we are called to be.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">It is earthly. All its coloring is mundane. What could be more fleeting
than politics?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Maybe the question isn’t: what do we make of it, but what do we do
about it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">What, indeed? Live with it? It’s not going anywhere. Use it? It will
tear you apart. Ignore it? Then how are you changing the world?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Maybe we don’t do any of that. Maybe it isn’t about using it as a means
to an end, but making an end of it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Are you being poetic?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">A little. Maybe it’s not about harnessing it, like some wild animal
that we can’t control. Maybe it’s about conquering it, like every other
temptation we are faced with.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">And how will you go about that?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">I don’t know.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Then what hope is there?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">I don’t know. But I believe there is one. I don’t the answer. But I believe
one exists.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Bravo, my boy. You know, for a second, I thought I had you.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Douglas Humphrieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285342563548933886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892857309746864832.post-82860410879093690522012-08-19T15:59:00.001-07:002012-08-19T15:59:04.292-07:00Puck on... Politics pt. 12
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">And, of course, it doesn’t stop there. I trust you have realized by
now how the whole process is riddled, nay rife with that little concept we
talked about earlier.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">“Us and Them.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Yes. We might call it the law of politics so endemic is it to the
system itself. Why it’s what the system is built on. After all, what’s the
point of striving for power if there’s no one to strive against? That’s where
politics gets its power. It implants the idea that one side is salvation and
one damnation, then feeds off the fruit of its labors. The backbiting, the
empty promises, the general hypocrisy are all symptoms of this, this underlying
vein of thought that winds through everything. Reaching across the aisle is
even used in this way, with one side insisting that it would be more than
willing to do so if only the other side would cooperate, by which it means stop
being the other side and agree with them, and the other side is simultaneously
saying the exact same thing. Oh, it’s delicious.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">It’s getting to the point where it needn’t be hid. Do you know that
in this very political season the phrase “lesser of two evils” has actually
been used? And not ironically, either. Quite seriously. It’s hardly to be
believed. You’re practically doing our job for us. Does it occur to none of you
that that statement carries with it so much misunderstanding and simple-minded
thinking that the wisest of every generation have regarded it as little more
than a joke? Setting aside the sheer idiocy of the idea, “the lesser of two
evils” means you are still picking an evil. And that assumes, of course, that
the one you are choosing really is the lesser. How can you be sure? Are you
really picking him because he is more righteous, or I should less unrighteous,
than the other? Or are you simply picking him because he isn’t the other?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Ah, there’s the rub. Us and Them. Such a useful tool. So many
applications. Both sides employ it, for it’s what drives them. And the
hypocrisy of even those who think they are above it, who think they are
superior to the rabble that don’t know how to think for themselves. Even you
aren’t above it. How much of your life is dictated by it? Don’t be so demure.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">And all those little people who think they are backing the right
horse for no other reason than because he is the only other horse to back.
Where’s the progress? And see how they judge the others for the same action.
How they accuse them of constructing their cult of personality around their
man, thinking him their savior. And what are they doing by detesting him? Are
they not constructing their own cult of personality around him but simply in
the negative? For worship and hatred are two sides of the same coin. They come
from the same place. They each give power to the object adored or despised.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Don’t be disappointed. None of this, not an iota, is anything new.
“Lesser of two evils” has been around longer than any of you, that’s why it’s
so laughable that you would fall prey to it, a trap so many before you have
successfully avoided. But it matters little. Politics doesn’t care. Politics
wants power and cares not for the means to get it, as we’ve discussed. One side
battles another, feeding off the failures of their opponent, even while feeding
them from their own. Like two parasites on the same host. They bicker, they
battle, but in the end the only one that suffers is the host.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">If you, any of you, were smart, you’d stop. But you’re a junky for
politics. It’s got you hook, line and sinker. Because when challenged you fall
right back into the old philosophies. Don’t you see that as long as you buy
into the idea that Them winning means doom things will never change? Why should
they? Us will always be there, standing against Them. The only hope. Never mind
that they are saying the same things. Never mind that the party of Us is no
more righteous. Best to stick with the lesser of evils. “The Devil you know”,
right?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Ha! “The Devil you know.” That’s something I would say.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Douglas Humphrieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285342563548933886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892857309746864832.post-20931190662989441622012-08-12T15:26:00.003-07:002012-08-12T15:26:41.941-07:00Puck on... Politics pt. 11<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">That’s what I love about politics it smuggles in so many different
sins: greed, hypocrisy, pride. Oh delicious pride. Sweetest of fruits.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Of course, you don’t call it that. You never do. What’s worse,
though, is how you disguise it. You cover it up with such wonderful alacrity.
That’s the beauty of politics, it has woven itself into the very warp and weft
of your governmental fabric. So much so that one is very much mistaken for the
other. Politics and government, politics and civic duty, politics and
citizenship. They are one and the same in your eyes! And that’s where the true,
how shall I put this, insidiousness of it is.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">I told you that the way to win was to not play. Ah, but nowadays the
not-players are the outcasts. Your society condemns them. How dare they! To go
against the very framework of democracy. Little realizing that all the things
you now consider democracy were never part of the framework, but the dressing
added by the corrupt and the power-hungry. But you don’t care. Why should you?
The system moves on, and it “works”, to a point. Power volleys back and forth
between your parties: one taking the ball until they fumble it to the other who
does no better in their treatment. Each in an endless cycle of desire,
conquest, abuse and reversal. The system is self-perpetuating. Because you only
have the two options, and you’ve never asked for another or for the options to
be better. You’ve simply accepted what was given to you by those who know how
to play the game, in ever increasing stakes. In the arms race of words, empty
promises and meaningless accusations. Because that’s the big secret: they are
both playing the game. Hilariously, while maintaining that the other side is
really the one who is abusing the system. And you see how it goes on.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">But as if that weren’t enough, what it does to you, to your kind, is
delectable. You have set up hope in your politics. Perhaps in the one place it
is least suited to thrive. After all, how can the seed last among thistles? You
think your country has fallen far, don’t you? That it was once so great, and
now so threatened by… oh, it doesn’t really matter what. Never mind that the
time of national greatness you point to never existed; if it did, it was almost
certainly contemporaneous with slavery, racism, manifest destiny or a thousand
other state-sanctioned sins. No, what is really the kicker is this desire, this
illusion that you’re nation is under judgment, and if you don’t act, if you don’t
perform up to par you are doomed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">And do you see how subtly, under the guise of righteousness, a
works-based philosophy is snuck in? That if you don’t pass the right laws,
elect the right people, the wrath will come. Now, where do you suppose you got
that idea?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>Douglas Humphrieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285342563548933886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892857309746864832.post-87156920873077137022012-08-05T13:09:00.008-07:002012-08-05T13:09:59.920-07:00Puck on... Politics pt. 10<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">But don’t breathe that sigh of relief just yet, my boy, as I don’t
think we fully put this matter to bed.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Will we ever?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Good point. But don’t worry, we will move on to more fruitful
matters when the time comes. For now, I think there is an aspect of your
political motivations that requires more discussion.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Let us posit a situation, shall we? Supposing a “candidate” was so
bold as to offer you a sum of money, say a million, that if they were elected,
you would receive it. Would you take it?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">No.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Of course not! You are a man of honor after all. And who would? Why
the indignity of it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Now supposing another candidate promised that if elected they would
work to put through tax cuts and eliminate government spending, so people like
you could take home more of your hard-earned money. Would you support them
then?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">You know what? You don’t have to answer that. Here’s my question:
what’s the difference between the two? Hmmm?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Let’s leave you out of it, to save that precious pride; do you think
others would take the second offer?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Yes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">In fact, you can see that many already have.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Yes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">So, what’s the difference? Why is the first proposal considered so
indecent and the second lauded, praised? What reason do you suppose one of
those supporters would give for backing the second’s plan?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">I suppose, they might say that they had earned their pay, that it
wasn’t wrong because it was already their paycheck.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Oh, but they shouldn’t count themselves so short. After all, if he
wants to be so generous, who are they say to no? They will certainly have
earned the first’s money. That was the promise. They will do their part and he
will do his. Why should we look down on this exchange?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Because it’s a bribe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">And what is the other candidate’s plan? Is he not plucking at the
same string as the first, appealing to the same part of the citizen? What is so
different? Is not the reasoning the same? Why should gains be so ill gotten
when someone wants to simply give them to you as opposed to promising to take
less? Isn’t the same thing being bought?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">And here we have the second part. Before the ends justified the
means, but here, the means are meant to justify the ends. And this is not so
uncommon a practice. A thief is tried and punished, but a businessman is a
success, however he chooses to make his wealth.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">They are not always praised.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">No, but so few find their way into courtrooms. Of course, we perhaps
are skirting the central point. We are talking about taxes, aren’t we? The
rules are different, always different with taxes. You said yourself, that is
your money, and we both know, that any amount that you have to give- Give? No,
they demand it from you, steal it! Any amount you must render unto Caesar is
nothing more than an absolute encumbrance, a punishment. Why, it’s
unconstitutional! (Oh, the speech I could give you about that word.) And any
man that promises to lighten that load must be a saint, deserving of your
absolute devotion. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Never mind the fact that money indeed makes the world go round. For
governments no less that businesses. If they cannot get it from you, where do
you expect them to get it? Is it any wonder manifest destiny was once a popular
idea? Let the foreigner foot the bill. That surely can’t come back to bite you.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Ah, greed. You are such a crafty sin.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>Douglas Humphrieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285342563548933886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892857309746864832.post-14305815572218924262012-07-29T14:20:00.005-07:002012-07-29T14:20:28.517-07:00Puck on... Politics pt. 9<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Ethics?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Surprised that I would bring such a subject up? The fact that
someone like me would probably says something about how far you all have fallen,
doesn’t it?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Yes, ethics. A word, admittedly, that does not often enter the discussion
of politics. When it does, though, it’s usually by one side calling another
out. Ionic, that you would only broker the concept when you feel someone else
needs to follow it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">But what of ethics and politics? Does it enter into the equation at
all? Should it?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">I should think so.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Yes, you should. But the question beyond “should” is always “does”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does it? </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Not often.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Yes, but keep in mind, we’re not talking about them, we’re talking
about you. And what you have failed to realize is not that ethics and politics
rarely run together, but that ethics and politics are mutually exclusive.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">I can tell I’ll have to explain. You are in the world, but you are
not called to be of it, are you?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">No.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">And yet, one of the first points we established was that politics
was of the world, intrinsically, genetically. So, the question is: do you even
belong there?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Here, you would no doubt point out the benefits, the victories, the
duties you hold to, which you have been going on about throughout this
discussion. But that’s really beside the point. Of course you get something out
of it. If you didn’t, you wouldn’t bother. The question of ethics is never what
you get but what you do to get it, what you sacrifice to get it. Ends. Means.
Why can you never learn this lesson?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Ah, ethics. It’s funny how easily you forget it. Sad, I should say.
But really now, did you think there wouldn’t be rules? Requirements? Did you
think you could do as you like and damn the consequences?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">These are the questions you must answer, my boy. The questions they
will ask, because they are watching. As I said from the start: how you conduct
yourselves politically is moot, that you conduct yourselves politically is the
real clincher. So, why?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">I suppose we are not perfect.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">True, but that excuse will run out eventually, mark my words. It is
even now dwindling. You are not perfect. You have not yet overcome your human
nature. You still seek power, control, influence, because your DNA cries for it
like mother’s milk. But because of what you claim, you still like to call yourselves
blessed, humble and sanctified. But it won’t work. You can’t stand atop the
pedestal and still sink to their level. You think you can play the world’s game
and still stand in judgment of it?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">And this is a game. A grand, glorious, ghastly game. And the only
way to win is-</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">To not play.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">You got it. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Douglas Humphrieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285342563548933886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892857309746864832.post-12440336007222260542012-07-22T17:48:00.003-07:002012-07-22T17:48:13.707-07:00Puck on... Politics pt. 8<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">What do you think of that?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">You’re saying separation of church and state was made to protect us?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Yes.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">From what, exactly?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Why, the most powerful enemy imaginable. Yourselves.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">So, the temptation of politics is too great.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">The temptation for power is. And that’s the real problem. Power
corrupts. You are no exception. Though you think you are. It’s the oldest story
in the world. Told again and again, though you never listen. You never learn.
Though you may start with the best of intentions, it doesn’t matter. It never
will. No matter what you do. No matter what you aim for. Because the goal
cannot redeem the measures you take to reach it. And if the measures be damned,
what then? As long as that kind of power is the means, it will always corrupt
the ends.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">So, long ago, great men saw salvation in one simple act:
self-denial.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Self-denial.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Not very… American, is it? That shouldn’t surprise you. It’s not very
human after all. That was what you said, wasn’t it? That you had a
responsibility, a duty to what?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Make our voices heard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">“Make our voices heard.” Can you hear yourself talk? “Voices
heard.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s what you said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“We have a responsibility to make our
voices heard.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But do you?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Don’t we?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Don’t you? Where are you drawing that particular responsibility from?
Where is it written, that you must make sure people are aware of your opinions?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">We live in a democratic society. As citizens, it’s our duty to
participate. Because if we don’t-<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">If you don’t, someone else will. If you don’t, someone else will
speak for you, will get there before you do, will have what you want. The heart
of self-determination. Self. If you don’t speak yourselves, who will? Pull
yourselves up by your bootstraps and make sure they pay attention to you. Make
the world know you exist. Is any of this coming across as terribly mature? But
that’s how you comport yourselves. That’s how everyone does. Your democratic
society, where the goal is… Self. In all it’s glory. Don’t you see, why you are
doomed to repeat the same mistakes?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Let me ask you this: if your definition of citizenship is making
your voice heard then wouldn’t that mean that the goal of citizenship is
selfishness? Ah, but this is a democratic society, where the people decide.
Where the people decide how they are governed. But then again, if the people
knew how they ought to be governed, then would they need government? So, what
are we to make of democracy?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">I’m not sure there’s anything we can make of it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Giving up hope so soon?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">No. I don’t argue with what you say about democracy. Maybe that’s
why they say it’s the worse until you look at all the other options.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">True! So, true. After all, if it involves people how high can our
standards really be, hmm? But let’s not let that be an excuse. For you are
called to higher things, are you not? You are called to be higher. To rise
above the mundane, to the divine. The question still remains: what are you to
do? Given the world you live in, the country, the state of the union, what are
you to do? How now shall you live?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">And here, as so often is the case, you miss the answer right in
front of your nose. Oh, sweet, sad irony. That of all the things you forget
that you should forget this one lesson.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">What’s that?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">
Ethics.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Douglas Humphrieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285342563548933886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892857309746864832.post-51557782983771493602012-07-15T19:42:00.004-07:002012-07-15T19:42:40.060-07:00Puck on... Politics pt. 7<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">So, what’s the central issue here? Hmm? Is it backbiting? Gossip?
Pride? (A personal favorite) What is it really? What is that defining sin that
sits at the back of all your little play in politics? Lying? Hypocrisy? Close,
but there’s something deeper, more profound and yet profoundly simple. You
might be surprised to know it. Would you like me to tell you?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Yes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Control. Oh, it leads to all the others. It makes you into
hypocrites, and pride is a chief component. But what it really is, deep down,
is control. Or, to put it better: Power.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Ah, yes! And just like that we find ourselves come round again.
Isn’t it amazing, laughably amazing how it all comes back to the simplest,
oldest, pithiest answers? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">And that’s what this is about. That’s what politics is really about.
Power. Control. The ability to make someone else do what you want. That’s what
politics provides, or what it is a means to. And power is what you are after.
But why? What happened to the meek inheriting the earth? Hmm? Why seek power?
Ah, but of course, you’re right. You have the truth, so you should have the
power. It certainly shouldn’t fall into the hands of, gasp, non-believers. What
kind of a country would that create? But you. You would be better. At the reins
of power, think what you could do. What better countries you could make because
right is on your side. How quickly you forget the simple truth. “Power corrupts.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Ironic, isn’t it? All your talk of sin and salvation and what you
are really trying to do is take away the very freedom and choice that makes
either possible. Because when you are in power that is exactly the goal. You
don’t call it that, of course. But it’s what you do. Take away options, so they
have no choice but to pick you. And politics makes hypocrites out of you all.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">And to think, how often, how many times in how many ways you have
been warned. Why, they went so far as to put it on the books. Ah, but you hate
that concept, don’t you? The great bugbear of your age: separation of church
and state. How you hate that. How you denounce and decry it. For you see it as
shackles and chains keeping you from the power you crave.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Funny. Has it ever occurred to you that the concept was coined for
your protection?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Douglas Humphrieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285342563548933886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892857309746864832.post-28408305327424838602012-07-08T19:21:00.003-07:002012-07-08T19:21:16.924-07:00Puck on... Politics pt. 6<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">You’re awfully quiet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What do you have to say for yourself?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Nothing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Don’t give up just yet; we’ve barely scratched the surface. Tell me
something, does it surprise you that you could perform an action thinking it
was for the best, thinking it would spread the word, bring about good things,
and yet what you sacrificed in order to do it sullied the very victory you
finally attained?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">No.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">There’s a word for that you know: Pyrrhic victory. A quite succinct
description of politics, don’t you think? At the end of the day, you may have
gained much, but what has it cost you?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">But how quickly you forget, or choose to forget. You follow these
causes, these laws, these parties, these candidates, so feverishly. Does it not
occur to you what sort of message you are sending, what sort of image this
conveys? You, who hold the truth of the universe, embroiled in petty squabbles,
no better than all the other rabble. No better? No, worse, for you ought to
know better. Yours is a timeless ideal, and you rake it through the mud like it
was a naughty child’s play thing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Oh, I know what they would say. Perhaps not you, but others not so
unlike you. They would say they don’t care what the world thinks, that they
don’t put two cents on it, that they will stand for what is right even if
everyone says it’s wrong. But is that the issue here? Hmm? Does it occur to
none of you? Have you completely forgotten? That your actions can and do have
an effect on the truth you are trying to convey? It may not matter how they
think of you but should it not matter how they perceive your message? And if
all they see is you, what sort of message will they perceive?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">But still you hide behind your minor afflictions like a martyr,
thinking the pebbles that peck you are well-earned badges of righteousness. Has
it ever occurred to you that the world is not so far-gone yet that it will
truly accept a hypocrite? Tolerate perhaps, but not support. Your
“persecutions” in the public sector, if they even can be called that and not
make a mockery of real martyrs, are not the result of your virtue but your
pettiness, dare I say your worldliness. For the world will judge you by your convictions,
your words, deeds and your rules. They will hoist you with your own petard the
first chance they get. They may not be better themselves, but they have no
tolerance for those who are supposed to be.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">But you, or those not so unlike you, go right back to it. No matter
the cost, no matter the consequences. They don’t care about what the world
thinks, because they don’t care about the world. But that does make one wonder.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Aren’t those the people you’re trying to save?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Douglas Humphrieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285342563548933886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892857309746864832.post-86674369213997366532012-07-01T18:49:00.001-07:002012-07-01T18:49:47.611-07:00Puck on... Politics pt. 5<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">I think I see your point.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Of course you do, you’re not an idiot. But what about my question?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><br />
Question?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">What are we to make of that?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">I don’t know.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">You are a party. You’re not supposed to be, but that’s how you act.
In all but name that is how you conduct yourselves. That does bring up the
question-</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Is that our mistake or is it just part of politics?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">And you are beginning to understand. The answer, of course, is right
in front of your nose. We’ve talked about it extensively. Have you forgotten,
the old go-to of your species?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Us and Them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Precisely. And where else could that philosophy thrive so
prolifically as in the realm of politics? It’s written into the very rules of
the game. And it is a game, boy. There are winners and losers and the maturity
level of those playing often doesn’t rise much past that of children.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Some would still say that we could be useful there. That we ought to
try.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">
Some would. But you still fail to see the danger. The kind of message you are
sending. The damage you are doing just by playing the game.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">What kind of damage?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">I see I must give everything to you. Try and follow.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Let’s suppose that there is a piece of legislation. The particulars
don’t matter, they rarely do. This piece of legislation happens to coincide
with your philosophy, happens to follow your particular morality, and having it
passed would mean that the laws of your land would greater reflect your truth.
What would you do?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">I would try to get it passed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Why?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">I believe in the truth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">And the truth is for the betterment of society, yes?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">It is in each individual person’s best interests.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">So, naturally it would be in the country’s best interest, yes?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Yes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">So, let’s say you did try to get it passed. Not just you but all of
your kind. Banded together, you use your not inconsiderable influence to lobby
and march and speak out for this legislation. Faithful pundits taut the
goodness of the law. Preachers encourage their congregations to exercise their
right to vote in order to see this good law passed. All the while, you call
this a good thing. At last, your kind exercising their rights. A chance to be
good men and good citizens. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">And, let’s say, you succeed. The law is passed. However, your
public efforts to see this through have so offended those not in favor of this
law that your reputation is quite ruined in their sight. So, while on the one
hand you have successfully passed a rather small piece of legislation you have
so ruined your “good” name as to make it difficult to pass another and
certainly to make the world deaf to what you have to say on any other matter.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Let me ask you. Does that seem like a good idea? Does it seem worth
the cost? Laws come and go, but your message, your ultimate truth, would you
sacrifice that for this, for politics?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">We shouldn’t. But I can see how we might.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Might? My dear boy, who said we were speaking hypothetically?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Douglas Humphrieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285342563548933886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892857309746864832.post-12933946424140161792012-06-24T18:08:00.002-07:002012-06-24T18:08:25.656-07:00Puck on... Politics pt. 4<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">I told you we set traps, boy. And here is fertile ground. A
veritable minefield.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">You lure us into politics?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Oh, I wouldn’t say lure. It makes it sound so degrading. And give
yourselves some credit. I mean we didn’t really invent it. Government,
politics, democracy. You thought these up yourselves. Do they seem like
something we would condone?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">I think you would condone anything you could turn to your own
devices.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Ah-hah! You have it! I have taught you well I see. You are quite
right. It’s not so much what we make but what we can use. And there are lots of
things, lots of things that fall into that category. Because, of course, it
matters not the means but the skill to work it to your own ends. And, as I
said, politics is rich territory. As an institution, it breeds conflict,
nurtures subterfuge, praises ends over means. Why there’s often very little we
have to do to really take advantage of it. Especially in recent years. It’s
getting to the point where they don’t even hide it anymore. Why, it is common
practice for your candidates to change their tune depending on whose favor
they’re trying to curry. So commonplace as to be expected, tolerated and, in
some ways, even encouraged.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Rich territory, indeed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Yes. And yet, you would have me think that it is a place you and
your kind ought to tread? Ah, but of course, you’re trying to redeem it. But
are you? Can you? Is there redemption for politics?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">You’re saying there isn’t?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">I’m saying if you ever actually did or could, wouldn’t it cease to
be politics? Setting aside, for the moment, whether or not you should, let’s
address whether or not you are even trying to.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">I think some people are.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">And are their efforts meeting with success?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">I don’t know how we would measure that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Well, that does make it hard to figure whether or not you’re doing
anything constructive, doesn’t it?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">I suppose.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Well, let’s see if we can figure out some sort of rubric, then,
shall we? Let’s see. Perhaps, if more laws that followed your specific moral
stance could be passed, that would count, wouldn’t it?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">I suppose.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Or if your kind had more freedom to voice your beliefs in the public
forum, that would be a good sign, right?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">I suppose.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">If more people were elected who subscribed to your faith?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">I suppose.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Maybe, if the overall bent of the government was towards your
morality and away from some secular one; how about that?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">I suppose.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Ah, but how exactly is any of that different from a political party?
You want laws that follow your way of thinking, to have more people elected who
are a part of your group, to have more people hear your opinions, to have the
institutions of government under your control. Why, it seems that you’ve
reduced your truth to a political platform and your kind into little more than
a lobby group. What’s the difference? How exactly are you standing out from all
the other politicos with their heads up their-?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Ah, but you’re right! That’s it. The difference between you and them
is that they’re wrong and you’re right! So, it doesn’t matter if you use the
same methods because the agenda you’re pushing is the correct one. And, of
course, the ends always justify… the means.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Oh my. It seems we’ve wandered into a moral quandary.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Have I made a misstep? Tricked you in any way? Or have I just
uncovered the little lie that you all have been telling yourselves this whole
time? Now, what are we make of that?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Douglas Humphrieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285342563548933886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892857309746864832.post-43563003511938817742012-06-10T14:48:00.000-07:002012-06-10T14:48:26.041-07:00Puck on... Politics pt.3<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">And do you see now the error of your ways?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Educate me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Gladly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You, your kind,
your people have the truth, correct?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The unequivocal, irrevocable truth of the universe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Isn’t that what you believe?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Yes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">And this truth, it is timeless, correct?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Beyond the scope of individual ages, ever-present, constant,
ever-meaningful, continuously applicable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Yes?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">That’s what we believe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">And you don’t think it’s a bit contradictory, even hypocritical to
tie this truth to a system that is, by its very nature, as changeable and
timely and fickle as anything else?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You don’t think it represents a conflict of interests to have something
that claims to be older than time itself connected with something that changes
with the winds?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">You do begin to see my point, though, don’t you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You talk of civics, of responsibility,
we’ll get to that later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Explain
this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Explain what business the
meaning of life has with parties, with factions, with capricious platforms that
shift with opinion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Go on.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">I suppose, some would say, that the point is not to engage the
system but to change it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">But can you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your faith
speaks of new creations, of new heavens and new earths and new men to fill
them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Different men.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Men changed from the sloppy, sinful
things they are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But politics,
where’s the redeeming quality?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
is a system that is built, founded on man as he is, no better, because it does
see men as better, it does not expect men to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It can’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You
want to redeem it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would you redeem
backbiting and gossip and inconstancy?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Are these not politics?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Mudslinging and the breaking of vows?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because you must take it all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are not in a world of ideals, my boy; these are the
realities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">It is a beast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can
defeat it or accept it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But if you
wish to talk about redeeming it, you may as well talk about redeeming sin
itself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even I can see such things
are nonsense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can’t you?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">But forgive me my rough speech; I am only trying to educate you as
requested.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You were actually quite
accurate in your statement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s
the trick, you see.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The worst
thing you can do to truth, especially universal truth, is not to deny it but to
act like it is less than it is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Oh, wasn’t there some line, about “pearls before swine”?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">And don’t you wonder, where you learned that trick?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Douglas Humphrieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285342563548933886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892857309746864832.post-32589174777535381762012-06-04T19:59:00.000-07:002012-06-04T19:59:27.753-07:00Puck on... Politics pt. 2<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Are you saying we shouldn’t be involved in politics?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Are you saying that you should?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Well, I think we have an obligation, not just out of civic duty but
responsibility, to participate, to make our voices heard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Oh, you should watch your choice of words, child.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You may have to eat them later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But for now, let’s deal with a more
important word issue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are
talking about politics, not government.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">What’s the difference?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Oh my dear boy!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
fact that you’re convinced they’re synonymous shows just how far afield you
are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh, I’m sure, back in the
day, when the Greek was better understood, it really meant “the people”, that
it really was about them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But you
have to pay careful attention to words, because they do have a habit of
changing definitions on you without changing usage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Language, it’s such a fluid concept.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Government, or shall we democracy, is the mechanism, the science, as
it were.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, at bottom, it’s
really how the system ought to function, hypothetically, if all things were
equal and well maintained.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the
reality, how the machine actually functions, ah, that is where politics comes
in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why the change, you may
ask?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why shouldn’t they be the
same?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, one is theory, the
other is practice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Government
comes from a book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Politics comes
from the people involved.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Oh, perhaps I’ve misjudged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Maybe the word is closer to the original meaning, albeit twisted
slightly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After all, it is people,
isn’t it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s where the whole
thing goes to pot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s fine on
paper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, in practice, it
involves people, fickle little monsters that they are.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">In any case, that is what we are dealing with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can talk political science all you
would like, but in the end, the beast is politics, and it you must vanquish or
appease.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Douglas Humphrieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285342563548933886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892857309746864832.post-72041030930028544232012-05-27T19:31:00.004-07:002012-05-27T19:31:34.306-07:00Puck on... Politics pt. 1<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">I must admit I have wanted to discuss this topic with you for some
time, but something told me you weren’t quite ready for it.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Why?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">I didn’t think you were quite ready to accept what I had to
say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I dare say it might come as
something of a shock.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">I wouldn’t think you would care about what shocked me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">True, very true.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I
do so hate to repeat myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I
would prefer you were in a more, shall we say, “receptive” position.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More ready to accept what you really
ought to.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">What changed your mind?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">When are you ever “ready” for anything?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Nevertheless, we soldier on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I do hope you can keep up.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">I’ll try.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Good boy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now,
politics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That delicious little
topic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I doubt it surprises you to
find that I’m involved in that.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Not at all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Do I detect a hint of bitterness there?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nevermind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That
should come as no shock whatsoever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But we are not here to discuss how I and my kind act politically, but
how you do.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Me?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">You and your kind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Because that’s where the really thorn of the issue lies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh, we can talk about laws and parties
and scandal and corruption and its all well within my field, no argument
there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But what about you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are you so removed from all that?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Is this about governmental politics or church politics?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">All in good time, child. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s start with the obvious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You count yourselves very lucky to live where you do, in a
nation that allows you some semblance of participation, of citizenship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you lived in a monarchy we wouldn’t
be having this conversation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of
course, there would be a lot of other fun things to talk about, like beheadings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But no, democracy, (or republicanism I
suppose, but it’s all just words), that’s the name of the game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, we could talk about how little you
exercise this ability, but that’s really beside the point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a government by the people as
much as it is for it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You have
control.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the question is how
do you use that control?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not just
the citizenry a large, but your kind.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">It is very important how we conduct ourselves politically.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Yes, it is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only you’re
missing an important point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How
you conduct yourselves politically reflects heavily on you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The fact that you conduct yourselves
politically at all reflects even more.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Douglas Humphrieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285342563548933886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892857309746864832.post-86426396498051988822012-05-20T15:53:00.000-07:002012-05-20T15:53:07.461-07:00Puck on... Trust<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">You tell the truth?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Does that surprise you?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Yes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">That’s to be expected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I can’t say it shouldn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Indeed, you are correct, lies are my native tongue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I’m a polyglot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, lies are my language, but I think
you’ll find I speak truth quite fluently.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">But can you be trusted?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Oh my boy, you can trust everything I say.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">That doesn’t mean I should.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">You’re getting better at this. I’ll have to step up my game.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Still, I think you’ll find much of what I have to say of value.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After all, consider my existence. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have seen time and space rolled out
like a curtain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have watched
your world spin through the black reaches since time immemorial.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have seen your race since it’s
infancy, witnessed history unfold for countless ages.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have watched the births, lives and deaths of so many men
you could not imagine the number.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Solomon said, “there is nothing new under the sun.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And how long did he live?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What could his experiences be compared to mine?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">So, admittedly, I might not be the most decent of sources, but can
you really pass up the opportunity?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That is why you’re here, after all, isn’t it?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">I suppose it is.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">So, are you willing to take the chance?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">I guess I am.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Splendid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I must
reiterate, how much I have personally enjoyed our conversations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And just as a show of good “faith”, why
don’t I enlighten you on a subject most pertinent and educational.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">All right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What is it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Politics.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Douglas Humphrieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285342563548933886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892857309746864832.post-28845783730501939462012-05-13T15:41:00.000-07:002012-05-13T15:41:13.503-07:00Puck on... Options<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">What?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Who told you there were only two options?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">What do you mean?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of
course there are only two, you can only accept or reject it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Says who?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Says…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Accept or reject?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How
terribly one-dimensional.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why
should you be limited to wholesale acceptance or rejection?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can reject partially, accept under
certain circumstances, refute all except the smallest piece of truth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are any number of options besides
the extremities.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">So, where would you have gotten the idea that acceptance or
rejection was it?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">You.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Careful where you take your cues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or have you forgotten what I am?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Funny, all this time and you still haven’t answered that question.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">What question?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Whether or not anything I say can be trusted.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Can it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">What makes you think I can tell you?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">I don’t suppose you can.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After all, lies are supposed to be your native tongue, right?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Oh, yes. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is what
they say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I can’t say it’s
altogether inaccurate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lies are,
in a way, our language.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It makes
us very dangerous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately,
for you, what I have to say makes me much more dangerous even that that.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Why?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Because I tell the truth.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Douglas Humphrieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285342563548933886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892857309746864832.post-27633719663768589272012-05-06T19:26:00.003-07:002012-05-06T19:26:49.247-07:00Puck on... Ignorance<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">I don’t know.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">You don’t know?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">No.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hear what your saying, but… I just
don’t know.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Well, you have certainly have taken embracing your ignorance to
heart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh, but I fear I’ve broken
you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You were so adamant about
your position, it made for wonderful debate, but it’s no fun to be agreed with
all the time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On second thought,
it’s quite enjoyable, but still.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">I didn’t say I agreed with you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just don’t know.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Is there a difference?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">There has to be.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Says who?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Someone once
said, my boy, “if you’re not a part of the solution, you’re a part of the
problem.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just because you don’t
agree with me out loud, doesn’t mean you aren’t actually doing it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can accept what I say or reject it,
but to say you simply don’t know, to put off answering as if that were enough,
does not put you on the side of good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It does not even put you on a side different from me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is no “pass”, there is no “ask me
later.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">To answer is to choose, to not answer is to let someone else choose
for you.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">So, what’ll it be?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">I don’t know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe
you’re right.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Oh, my boy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My dear
boy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You are making it too
easy!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My, my, will I have to give
everything to you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here, let me
help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This whole time we’ve been
talking, we’ve been dancing around a central issue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How do you know what I’m saying is right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I may be lying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am a liar after all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But then again, I may be telling the
truth.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">I understand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">So, at the bottom of it all, you have two choices: you can accept
what I say or reject it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I make
a statement, you can agree with it or throw it out.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">That makes sense.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">But there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Right
there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There you go again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t you see?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t you even realize what is going
on?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">What?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">My dear boy, who told you there were only two options?</span></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Douglas Humphrieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285342563548933886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892857309746864832.post-76664034860130429412012-04-29T13:17:00.000-07:002012-04-29T13:17:43.552-07:00Puck on... Acceptance<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">You own us?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Does that surprise you?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Yes, actually.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">You think I’m lying.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">I can’t say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">That you wish it wasn’t true, but you suspect it might be.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Something like that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Well, can it be we found a truth you are not willing to accept?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m curious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Will you try to argue out of this one?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Try to find some hole in my reasoning
such that I must not be correct.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Because I must not be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That
would be, just, unthinkable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To
not own yourself is one thing, to find that you are actually under the
ownership of someone like me, something like me, that’s something else
entirely.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">It does bring up an interesting point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ve been talking, or I have at least, about how people do
not like to accept truth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You, of
course, while recognizing the factuality of that statement, have been the
champion of the opposite vein: that people ought to accept truth, no matter
what.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And yet, here we are, at the
testing point for that belief.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">What will you do?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Accept the truth of my statement?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Reject it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Try to debate
whether or not it’s truth at all?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Perhaps you’ll do me proud and debate the very concept of
ownership.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh, that would be fun.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">You must forgive… Sorry, had something in my throat there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I was saying, you must pardon my
teasing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You actually have
uncovered the real truth behind my original assertion.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">People don’t want truth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Truth is cumbersome.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Truth
is difficult.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Truth is unseemly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It asks things of you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, people don’t want truth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does it immediately follow
then that they want lies?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, of
course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People want lies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But why, you might say?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because they reject truth.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">People want lies because people don’t want truth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And if you reject truth, what other
options are there?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are only
two sides to the coin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are a
limited number of choices in a true-or-false statement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You may prefer multiple choice, but
that is not what you are given.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">And make no mistake: this is a test.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it is pass/fail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So, what’s you’re answer?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Douglas Humphrieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285342563548933886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892857309746864832.post-19653982777996703382012-04-23T17:22:00.000-07:002012-04-23T17:22:12.458-07:00Puck on... Ownership<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">But let’s step back for a moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since you’ve brokered the subject of salvation, I don’t want to leave it until we’ve fully discussed it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">You said that people had the right to give up their life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To surrender it, if you will.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But in order to do that, wouldn’t it require that you owned yourself?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I mean, it’s quite meaningless, outright theft in fact, to give away something you don’t own, without permission.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, if you have the right to give up your life, wouldn’t that mean you owned your life?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">I suppose.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Then that begs the question: do people really own themselves?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">I think I see where you’re going with this.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Do you now?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then by all means, lead the way.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">You’re trying to argue that people don’t have the right to give up their lives because they don’t own them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Oh my.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, I really shouldn’t try slipping anything by you with some well-crafted logical ploy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You are far too quick.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, the question is: am I?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">I don’t know.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Embrace the ignorance, boy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Doesn’t it feel good?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like throwing off a heavy burden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I digress.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Am I right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do people really not own themselves?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we discussed before, as regards your rights, namely that you have none, people come into this world against their will.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though, I guess not so much against as completely to the absence of their will.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s one thing, after all, to go against opinion, it’s another to not ask for one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, in any case, you come naked, and you leave the same.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can’t control your entrance, does it not follow that you can’t control your exit, either?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">But you said-<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">I said to accept death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Acceptance isn’t the same as control.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Quite the opposite.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Acceptance typically means you recognize you have no control.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">So what does this all mean for your supposition?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is it really true that you can lay down your life?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What say you?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Somehow, I think the answer is more complicated.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Really?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were making salvation sound so easy before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wonder what happened?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">I don’t guess we own ourselves.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">No, you don’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We do.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div><!--EndFragment-->Douglas Humphrieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13285342563548933886noreply@blogger.com0