The past few weeks the spousal unit and I have been busy hammering out the "rules" of the universe in which we are setting our new book. It's a heady business creating a whole new world. However, I did notice one thing, neither of us tried to create a perfect world. We both know that is impossible for mere mortals such as ourselves.
For eons, people who want to control others have been talking about some Utopian society where everyone is perfect and all live in harmony.
THERE IS NO SUCH PLACE IN THE UNIVERSE.
What's more, we wouldn't be happy if there were such a place. We thrive in adversity and acrimony. Why? Because it gives us an obstacle to get over. Human beings who are complete wastes of skin love to achieve and accomplish a goal before confronting the next one. We grow bored and lazy with no challenges. What's more, we begin to grow envious of those who have achieved more than we have. We then want to be handed, with no justification whatsoever, what they've earned by the sweat of their brow.
Sound familiar, England? Great Britain? Only for lesser values of Greater.
I don't know why the idea of a perfect world is so enticing to some people. Intellectually I understand their argument, however, I think it would be an awfully boring place. No argument? No debate? Where is the joy in that? Isn't diversity their religion? Yet, they are having none of that. Enjoying a good disagreement without becoming disagreeable? Well, they won't have truck with that concept either.
I'd wither and die in such a world. For, even among my Objectivist pals, we disagree on many things, yet we don't dislike each other for the difference in opinion, we like the person more for disagreeing and speaking up about that disagreement. We can debate passionately, yet rationally, about those subjects we disagree about. We have pushed past that infantile, emotional response to hate anything that doesn't think and act exactly as we do.
We are grown up. We can withstand the surge of differing opinions. We can even like and love those with whom we disagree. Because we know that variety is the spice of life.
I'll have two fingers of that. Straight up. No chaser.
3 comments:
This sounds like a science fiction book. Is it?
You sound really healthy with this 'liking people who disagree with you' stuff. When I have examined a thing I tend to think those who disagree with me are idiots. Does that make me not an adult?
My default position for people who don't see the things the way I do, is "COME ON! IT'S RIGHT THERE!" But then I listen to what they have to say. After that, I still may not see it that way, but I know whether or not they think with their heads or are led about by their emotions.
If they are led by their emotions, then I simply refuse to consider them at all. If they have a rational argument that I still don't agree with, I apply logic and try to get them to see my point of view.
Ah...a mind after my own. Rational thought seems to be on the wain in this season of politics. I grow weary at times trying to make sense of views of those that are 180 to my own.
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