Choosing Wisely

The world today is distinguished by choices. We no longer live in a world in which there are “no choices,” even as much as some still persist in campaigning that way -- that you MUST vote for them and their party or all your present rights will be revoked. That is sheer demagoguery --thinking one is still one of the few persons who have never heard of the Constitution of the country that guarantees these rights to all -- and not just because one votes the “right” way in the election.

This is still common in union elections -- which are largely the right many exercise to give up all their rights to another; there’s no law stopping that -- in private associations. That is the nature of collective bargaining -- in which all the members of that trade association, agree to no longer speak for themselves -- as individuals, but to vote to have one person speaking exclusively for all their members. So he becomes a dictator of sorts -- once he is elected.

That is covered under the right of assembly, and to voluntarily associate and abide by the rules of one’s own choosing. So the complaint many have in these occupations, or associations (religion included), is that they no longer are free to represent and speak for themselves - -as the highest authority in their world. That has been given to another -- albeit often under duress, deception and manipulation -- which are the rules one agrees to accept as a requirement for membership into that “exclusive” association.

However, what many don’t realize and exercise, is that they are free to leave at any time they choose do so -- but many have lost this capacity to choose anymore, other than to merely agree to go along submissively, even if reluctantly and complainingly. The inviolable rule is that even if they lie or commit any other crimes, by choosing to stick together, they can never be found out or undermined. But everyone must agree to stick together -- as the highest rule above all else. That is the categorical imperative , or the highest rule -- beyond life itself. Theoretically, if the president were to ask that one surrender their lives to prove one’s solidarity, one would do it knowing that the leader would not demand it unless it was for the good of all.

That was the way life was through much of the Medieval Ages, or Dark Ages, ruled by the power and struggle of these factions (guilds) against every other. Living in modern times, it’s often difficult to understand how one group could continue these traditions of reflexively retaliating against any other and nurturing these animosities, until the next excuse to express them as overtly, violently and viciously as possible.

The fullest expression of contemporary civilization, is that people of varying stages of evolution of consciousness exist side by side, seemingly in agreement on expected behavior from one another, and most importantly, themselves. It is this highest standard of expectation for oneself, that is the mark of the great leader of any era. In these times though, many will dedicate their entire lives and occupation to undermining that clarity for themselves and everyone else.

They still carry and nurture the seeds of the old way of being -- that life cannot work for oneself or anyone else, and that the objective of all one’s striving, is to see that nobody reaches the promised land of peace, happiness and fulfillment -- because that would be too easy and logical.