“Someday, after mastering the winds, the waves, the tides and gravity, we shall harness for God the energies of love, and then, for a second time in the history of the world, man will have discovered fire.” ~ Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
It’s a great paradox, is it not? We have the capacity and desire to send telescopes into deep space. The James Webb telescope captures miracle images, exploring the origins of the universe while also searching for other inhabited planets. At the same moment, we have the capacity to pour so much carbon into our atmosphere that we endanger life on our own planet.
Humanity.
Just so, we are capable of curing diseases that have plagued humankind for eons while also ignoring the gains of medical science and allowing deadly viruses to run rampant throughout our community.
Reality.
I suppose the reality-disparity depends upon which story we choose to embrace since we are, after all, a storytelling mammal. The daily flood of “information” contains wildly conflicting points of view, conspiracy theories, propaganda, AI videos and images…It’s enough to make a story-brain want to retreat to a simpler time of firelight and paintings in a cave.
Progress.
Out of the fire light of the cave came stories of our beginning. We emerged into the light from all manner of darkness. We’ve since storied ourselves with an abundance of spiritual teachers who deliver surprisingly similar messages though their respective followers can’t seem to get along. Love is the message though it seems who delivers the message is a point of contention.
Power.
We are certainly capable of telling stories of division and threat. We are also capable of telling stories of service and sacrifice. And what is the point of progress if not to improve lives? All lives. We serially confuse two concepts that appear to be related but are actually opposites: Power and Control.
Power is a group sport. It is relational and created between people. Power is given. It is shared. Powerful people empower others.
Control is the opposite. It is the dream of the individual. Control is taken from the many. It is hoarded. Controllers disempower others.
Democracy is progress. It is based on a fundamental belief in empowering people. Government of, by and for the people.
Authoritarianism is a throwback. Feudal. It is deeply-rooted in the need to control. Control rests with one person or a small elite. Government of concentrated control demanding blind obedience from a powerless people.
What is the point of progress? Power or control? I suppose it depends upon which story we choose. Adherents of power-stories send telescopes into deep space for the betterment of humankind. Adherents of control-stories pour carbon into the atmosphere for personal gain.
Power created together leads to expansive love, inclusion. Control generates reductive hate, exclusion.
Which story will win the day? It’s a choice. It’s a great paradox, is it not?
read Kerri’s blogpost about DIVERGENT PATHS
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Filed under: Flawed Wednesday, Identity, Metaphor, Uncategorized | Tagged: artistry, autocracy, community, control, david robinson, davidrobinsoncreative.com, democracy, division, humanity, Kerri Sherwood, kerri sherwood itunes, kerrianddavid.com, kerrisherwood.com, love, paradox, power, story, studio melange, the melange | 1 Comment »
