Tonight we are continuing in the series "The
Politics of a Burning Building". For the full context of this series,
please check out -
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The Burning Building -
Imagine
that you are in a burning building along with a thousand other people, and
there is only one exit. Above this exit is a sign that says
"Survival". This exit to "Survival" is only big enough to
fit two regularly sized people at a time, or one large person at a time, or one
person with a disability that requires that they use a wheelchair or be
assisted by others in order to pass.
You
realize that there is limited time before the structure collapses above you and
the fires engulf the entire building. If everyone finds a way to cooperate and
calmly proceed through the exit to "Survival", moving at a reasonable
pace and ensuring that people who require assistance are helped along the way
so that they do not become blockages for the rest - it is likely that everyone
will make it out safely to "Survival" with some time and effort.
If
the people do not cooperate in consideration of each other's common need to get
to "Survival" and adapting as a group to meet that need, then there
will be chaos, disorder, and panic. Energy will be wasted trying to find or
force a path to "Survival" and this will ensure casualties, as well
as risking the fires spreading more quickly during the commotion. But those who
are first to act on instinct and can fight best, will get through
"Survival" first and ensure they are not left behind in the chaos.
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So far we
have taken a look at several groups of people within our story of the burning
building, and in each case we have considered how moving within consideration
of all others and proceeding as a cooperative group is always the most
practical and effective solution no matter which group a person might initially
belong to.
There is
however, one last group for whom this does not seem to be the case - where for
this particular group, moving along cooperatively with all others will actually
set them back due to being in a position where they can actually BENEFIT from
the desperation of the rest of the group.
This group
will be referred to as "The Fortunate Deciders" for our purposes.
Here is a recap -
"The Fortunate Deciders - These are the people who are closest to the exit, and are in a position to either stay and ensure that the passage remains unblocked and assist those who require assistance and work toward a calm evacuation of all to 'Survival', or choose to only assist those who will give them favors in return once they have reached 'Survival'." - Day 19 - The Politics of a Burning Building: Introduction
Here, it is
helpful to imagine the sign above the exit door that reads
"Survival", and adding the words "Money/Time", and to
consider that those who are closest to having easy access and control of
"Money/Time/Survival", or more specifically those who have the
ability to influence and control how much access others have to "Money/Time/Survival",
are the fortunate deciders of the group in that they are fortunate for the
positions that they have, and they are deciders because they are the only group
who have the ability to CHOOSE how wide or narrow the access points to
"Money/Time/Survival" might be, and can either use this to their own
advantage or they can maximize the access for all.
Unfortunately,
most in this position choose to use it for their own advantage instead of
utilizing their position as a point of support for those struggling to reach
the exit.
What must be
understood here, is that these fortunate deciders are not inherently evil or
bad - they are simply disconnected from the actual reality that the majority
are facing, and in their positions of privilege they have no actual context for
understanding or being able to really relate to the desperation or panic of
those in the "Middle" who seem so eager and willing to compete with
each other just for a chance to get to "Money/Time/Survival", let
alone those who find themselves furthest away from the exit, who are behind
even those in the "Middle", who may have already given up any hope
that they may actually reach "Money/Time/Survival" and would settle
for a spot in the "Middle" where there is at least some chance of
getting through, and there is less desperation and fear.
While the
great majority of people facing this crisis understand the urgency and what is
at stake if they do not make it to "Money/Time/Survival" - the
Fortunate Deciders see only opportunity for self-benefit. For those fortunate
few, there is in fact no emergency at all, and will find that the more
desperate and more hopeless people become, the more willing they are to do
anything... ANYTHING... to get closer to "Money/Time/Survival", even
if it means turning against each other for the opportunity to please and get
closer to those who have control and access to "Money/Time/Survival".
Those who
have followed the previous posts in this series by now can piece together a
bigger picture of what our world is going through as we now bring in this final
piece.
It must be
understood here, that it is pointless to become angry with or try to fight
those who have control of and access to money and the means for survival within
the current system. It is equally pointless to blame them for not understanding
how they are abusing their position and to believe that it is somehow
"justified" to exact a kind of revenge upon them or to violently seek
to overtake them - because it is IMPOSSIBLE that they actually understand or
have the capacity to comprehend the need and desperation of the majority for
survival. One cannot expect that they be able to relate to the desperate
majority who must fight and compete with each other for the limited and
restricted access to survival when for these fortunate few, survival was NEVER
in doubt and never had to be fought for.
Here is the
very secret that keeps so many of the majority in panic and fear instead of
working together and cooperating towards the common goal. As long as the
fortunate few remain completely disconnected from the suffering and panic and
desperation of the majority, are not held accountable for the responsibility
they have due to their position, and are allowed to manipulate and dictate the
access to "Money/Time/Survival" according to their own value systems
and self-interest and having no personal stake in whether or not the majority
actually makes it through - the more likely it is that people become more
desperate and less likely to cooperate as it becomes more and more difficult
for even a few to reach "Money/Time/Survival", let alone the
majority.
What is
missed by the fortunate few - the Fortunate Deciders - is that simply being
closest to and having the most influence over who gains entry through
"Money/Time/Survival", does NOT grant them immunity to fire or the
unified actions of the majority - especially when the majority becomes aware of
the manipulation and deception going on by those who sought personal profit and
entertainment at the expense of a majority that fought for survival. Many who
have greatly compromised their integrity in order to become better fighters and
survivors - many who have committed harm against their neighbors in competing
for a chance to break free and earn their way to
"Money/Time/Survival" will not be amused to find that their struggle
was an artificial one that was completely unnecessary - because all that the
fortunate deciders had to do was to let go of their own attachment and
obsessive control and manipulation of "Money/Time/Survival" which
would have spared the great majority of having to experience fear, desperation,
greed, violence, competition, and compromise.
This is not
to say that all Fortunate Deciders are simply hard-wired to be inconsiderate
and unable to make choices based on what is best for all - certainly this is
not the case and in fact there are few Fortunate Deciders in the building who
do see that it is possible for all to have access to "Money/Time/Survival"
and that the panic and conflict being caused is an artificial one that benefits
those who prey upon the desperate, and want to put a stop to the abuse - but
are currently outnumbered and require that the majority come to a decision - a
decision to instead of competing with each other and wasting valuable energy
trying to fight each other for a small, narrow chance to reach
"Money/Time/Survival", instead work together and EMPOWER and
reinforce those who stand in the position of the Fortunate Deciders, that they
can influence and get through to their fellow fortunate ones the actual threat
of the crisis, to explain to them in their own words and understanding, why and
how it is in everyone's interest to remove the blockages that impede access to
"Money/Time/Survival" because if this is not done, and the damage
becomes too severe, and the people become too desperate - there will come such
a point when "Money/Time/Survival" becomes closed to all - even the
fortunate ones who failed to see and realize in time that they were not in fact
immune to the crisis they are manipulating.
Here, one
final piece must be shared. It is easy to identify with the various members of
the crowd that have been introduced in this series - but this series was not
written for them. This series was written for the only people who have
real access to change. This series was written for you and I, the FORTUNATE DECIDERS and REAL Politicians who
have the access and the proximity to the world system - to the
infrastructures of money, who have the ability to utilize and choose how we
spend our time, and have the most easy access to survival in this world. You
and I, fellow REAL Politicians who benefit from the imposed poverty of billions
who struggle to reach the level of survival that we, through the system we have
allowed, would deny to others in order to keep them desperate and willing to do
any work or go through any turmoil to have what we so easily took for granted,
having not lived the struggle that they live each day.
This is the
task of the Real Politician - to see the interrelatedness of all relationships
in this world - to judge none but instead dare to connect and engage all and
bring everyone to an equal understanding, awareness, and ability - to stop
being politicians and leaders of countries but politicians and leaders of LIFE
- to educate those who have not been able to see, to empower those who have
seen, and to awaken those who refuse to see - that whether one is lost in the
system, fighting for survival, trying to keep order in a chaotic world,
struggling with poverty, or given positions of privilege and responsibility -
all have an equal destination, and all must pass together.
