Originally posted by DangerDeath
How to make someone think without wishing to impose your will and establish control?
with love !
(real, ie unselfish)
but here is a little fable to bounce on the idea that the concept of private property is at the root of th fear and exploitation of masses:
"
A divided world
Once upon a time, some adventurers got into a boat and sailed into the deep. For days on end they forged ahead into those perilous seas with the hope of discovering some land, some day, some how.
As luck would have it, at last, they sighted a small island lost in the high seas. They approached the island and looked. It was a virgin island, beautiful beyond compare!
They set foot on that little paradise and they decided to stay there. They built a small cosy cottage for themselves and started a new life there.
The soil was generous, they could enjoy for the asking of the most nourishing and tasty fruits. They were very happy.
One day, a ship loaded with tourists passed by the island. One of the tourists spotted the little cosy cottage and in wonder exclaimed: “look, there is a little house on the shore! There must be people staying in this island. Let us visit them.”
Many tourists went ashore. They were enthralled at the beauty and charm of that island. Some of them made up their mind to return and settle there!
The news of the existence of that island very soon spread wide and far. So, in the course of time, many people came and settle on that little paradise.
...
Some time later, one of the islanders seeing the crowds come to settle on the island cried in alarm: “at the rate people come to our island to stay, very soon there will not be place for all to live. Better let us be wise.”
The wise islander and his friends, at night, and in a hurry began erecting fences over the most fertile parts of the island. Then, they fixed sign posts and labels with words unheard of before, such as:
“NO ENTRY”, “PRIVATE PROPERTY”, “TRESPASSERS WILL BE PROSECUTED”.
A few days later, you could see locks and iron gates appearing all over the fences.
Very soon, the richest and most fertile part of the land was completely fenced and barb-wired. The minority of the “wise” took possession of it all. On the contrary, the larger majority of the “unwise” were pushed and forced to stay on the rocks and on the barren outskirts of the island. They were poor, destitute and homeless.
The minority of the wise on the contrary within the fences, lived in palatial mansions rolling in the lap of luxury.
When the poor looked through the gaps in the fences they saw plenty of food being thrown into the dustbins and garbage pits. In desperation they spoke to those inside the fences: “give us some food. We are starving outside here!”
Those inside replied: “If you want food, you will have to work for us.” Those outside, starving as they did, had no other alternative but to work for the insiders. In return for their work, they got some crumbs of food thrown to them over the fences – not much though – just enough to survive.
Bit by bit, the patience of the poor wore out, and they tried to pull down the fences. The fences were strong; they did not succeed. Then they tried to come together, unite and organise themselves to break down the fences and get inside the island.
When the “wise” had a hint of what was happening they summoned the stronger and most influential leaders of the poor and cajoled them with words such as:
“Please, join us, come inside our fences, we shall give you as much food as you like, we shall give you many privileges and luxuries; in return you will have to defend our fences and protect our interests against the onslaughts of the outsiders. You will become our army, our police and our guards.” And many of them joined the ranks of the insiders.
The army was born.
Then the leaders of the “wise” called those outside the fence who were cleverer and more intelligent and won them over with words like this: “if you join us, we shall give you all facilities to study and do research. We shall teach you all we know, we shall build for you schools and colleges. In return, you will have to teach those outside to listen to us and to live in peace and harmony and to respect the law and order of the island – of the “wise”.” And many of them joined the ranks of the insiders. They became their “philosophers and thinkers”, their “intelligentsia” and so,
capitalist ideology and culture was born!
Then again the leaders of the “wise” called inside the most pious, religious minded and devoted members of the outside and brainwashed them thus: “Join us, we shall build for you beautiful seminaries and churches and faculties of theology. You will be able to preach to the outsiders meekness, forgiveness, resignation to the will of god and obedience to legal authority.” And many of the outsiders agreed – rather they were bluffed into - and joined the ranks of the insiders. They became the religious leaders, the preachers, the interpreters of God’s will. And so
religious ideologies and religious structure were born.
And so oppression and exploitation went on for long, long years.
Finally, some of the insiders became aware that they had been unjust to their weaker brothers and sisters outside the fences.
Some of the strong realised that the weak, by becoming united and working together, could one day overcome their weapons and bring down the fences.
Some of the “intelligentsia” discovered that outside the fences one could find values not found in their learnt books and universities, values such as solidarity, unity, brotherhood and sharing.
Some of the religious minded people remembered that Christ, the son of god – was born outside the fence, lived outside and died outside the city!
Those insiders who had realised all these things tried to come out of the fences to work for, and with the poor. Yet, they had to face enormous difficulties: the large majority of
the insiders considered them traitors and renegades; besides a large portion of the outsiders were totally indifferent to their well meant efforts, there were mountains of prejudices.
In spite of all the efforts of those generous people, things went on as they were and people outside the fences went on dying of want, hunger and exploitation.
"
copied from a book called fable for modern man (sorry no more details avai
