The Struggle To Control Civilization

Pragmatists and Idealists At War

This story is so fitting for today’s world. It’s been told for decades in various forms, if not centuries. It was included in an episode of The Closer, Season 2, Episode 15 : Serving The King.

Asst. Chief Brenda Lee Johnson explains that she heard this story while working at the CIA. Part of a Lecture for Agents.

The Struggle To Control Civilization
We’re always fighting the same fight. Using the Dark Ages as an example.

On the One side there’s the Pragmatic King, who was greedy and power hungry. And basically took advantage of people when ever he could. On the other side you had the idealistic Church, forcing everyone to follow the same rules, believe the same things and all that.

Neither the King or the Church were ever completely right or wrong. Both sides ended up doing terrible things to get what they wanted. But the point of the story was this…

That this struggle from the Dark Ages has been going on forever. The Church and the King might take on different forms and philosophies, but they would always fight each other. Pragmatists and Idealists. At most times you’re better off standing on the sidelines and letting them duke it out.

But every once in a while, one side or the other decides it must be better to just blow up the whole world just to get it’s own way. And when that happens, you can’t stand on the sidelines anymore. You have to pick a team.

The problem is, neither The King nor the Church are truly fighting for the People. When that happens, the People need to fight for themselves against the selfish interests and false conspiracies of the King and the Church. We need to remember how to implement Critical Thinking. Work through what you’re told, ask does it make sense? Is this outcome legitimate or just hyperbolic fear mongering.

Today We The People cannot stand on the sidelines and watch hate and ignorance divide the world into groups of oppression, cruelty and failing leadership. The team fighting for the People are struggling with the desire for power and can’t agree on a path forward. Fighting amonst themselves undermines their attempts to do the right thing. Both teams are putting power and money before the basic needs of the People.

Their greatest weapon is pitting the people against each other. Forcing misinformation and distrust to divide everyone. And sadly it’s working. By using hate, they keep us from talking, from listening, from accepting each other as individuals with different ideas, philosophies and value. No we will not always agree, but we don’t have to. We just have to respect each other, stop blaming each other for our ills in life and work together.