Power and powerlessness

Last evening I read an interesting piece from Vaclav Havel on power and powerlessness. He offers a glimpse into life in a totalitarian society. He talks about the greengrocer who is given a sign to place in his window, “Workers of the world, unite!” He speaks of how he could protest or just not do it, but then he loses his job, his child loses his entrance into college and on and on. It is a matter that the requests are subtle, easy, and they do not call to mind that the state has total control or that you are ceding that to the state. Protest then is a matter of choice and self-exile from friends and system and community, but toward truth. Protest takes effort and resolve. Protest may be costly. But what of the cost? Eventually we die anyway. Truth lives on. Spirit lives on. This is the only hope that life will get better.

:- Doug.

Published in: Conversations | on May 29th, 2007 | No Comments »

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