I am confused G, as I so often am... why be on a path commenting on its viability as a path, and then simply step off of it because of the direction it takes? What direction do you take in terms of progression, if you are theredafter never going anywhere?
You and many others are on a road.
You notice that the road is leading to the edge of a cliff and immediately take an off-ramp to a road that doesn't lead to a cliff, or at least not to one that you can see yet. A few others also exit the doomed road but most continue along it.
Do you move back onto the road leading to certain doom just to be with the larger group or do you wave to those nearest to you in an attempt to ensure they're aware of the danger but remain on the safe road yourself?
Rejoining the crowd hurtling toward oblivion gains nothing for anybody.
Remaining on the safe road and alerting as many as possible still on the deadly road could save lives, including your own. If your warnings and those of the others who realized the advisability of changing course spread fast enough the whole tragedy may even be averted.
Driving over the cliff just because lots of others are doing it is suicide and foolish.
Sometimes ol'duffers like us surrender to the cynicism that made us, but progression along said path demands direction and sustainability.
I can only choose my own road.
It's not in my power nor should it be to choose a road for others.
How can it be cynicism to alter course when the original path is obviously suicidal? No my friend, that is the epitome of hopefulness. That is striving not only for a better destination but for a life beyond that destination, for all of us.
I can't force anyone else to see or to care.
That's not in my purview just as it's in no one else's to force me onto a path not of my choosing.
The cynical say: "It's inevitable" or "There's nothing I can do"
I say: "That road leads to ruin. Follow it if you must but I will not."
We either progress as a societal community, or regress. Regression among human endeavour is the reason totalitarianism still exists. To think one person has an answer, for all of your woes.
Driving over a cliff isn't progress.
It's the end of progress and everything else too.
One person does have all the answers for me and that person is also me.
Only I can choose the road I follow and I follow the one that isn't leading to a cliff.
Everyone else has to choose for themselves.
Is it unfair that the many who insist on committing suicide may well drag everyone else down with them? Well, yeah, I guess. But the alternative, removing their ability to choose, is no better than enslavement which is just another more insidious cliff.
One of the joys and perils of being a member of a society is the shared destiny. It can result in exultation or lamentation, longevity or brevity. In that we're all just along for the ride but that doesn't mean we have to be passive or quietly compliant when the ride is heading straight for a cliff.
If it's all going to end it'll be after I shouted "turn you fools!" and leapt from the misguided vehicle and not with me huddled on the floorboard pretending not to notice our imminent demise.
There is however a difference between falling, and just giving up.
Exactly. I can't stop this society from driving over a cliff but I bloody well can choose not to get out and push it along even faster.
