I REMEMBER WATCHING a nature special on television a few years ago. A part of the show featured a yearling bison being attacked by a small group of wolves. Much smaller than even this very young bison, one of the wolves was stepped on and wounded in the attack, possibly fatally. But in the end, it was the young bison that lost the battle. The rest of the bison herd stood helplessly nearby, witnessing firsthand the brutality of their existence.
This scene was difficult to watch, not only because it brought to mind the unanswerable question of why nature can at times appear to be so cruel, but also because it became apparent that the herd was not really helpless at all.
Together and united, the herd could have easily charged the wolves and outmatched them; simply by virtue of their mass and brute strength. However, the group lacked the intelligence of the wolf pack – a species that utilizes the power gained by collaborative concerted effort – and therefore the bison suffered the loss of one of their own.
A few centuries ago, a group of about two hundred Spanish soldiers, led by Francisco Pizarro, conquered a nation of approximately ten million Inca natives. Immensely outnumbered, a handful of men exploited two of the major weaknesses of the Inca. One weakness was the failure of the natives to appreciate and harness the power they possessed in sheer numbers alone. The Spaniards also seized upon the Inca’s fear, awing the natives with their advanced weaponry.
Leo Tolstoy tells a story of a powerful Russian official who rounded up a group of village men, brought them to a barn and locked the door behind him. Emboldened by the power of his office, the official intimidated the men into submission, pitting one against the other. But then one of the villagers had the insight and courage to perceive the situation in a different light. Realizing the power of their great numbers, he convinced the others to unite together. It was the villagers who soon held the advantage in that locked barn.
People today are not really all that different from the bison, the Inca natives, or the Russian villagers when first brought into the barn. Immense populations are controlled by relatively few people; puppeteers who control their dolls by pulling strings of base emotion. These people exploit the fact that the masses are often oblivious to the great power of their numbers, and that they are also unaware that their emotions are being carefully manipulated.
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We are often played by the Hollywood producer who delivers his own fictitious version of reality, using a few beautiful people to define a new culture for millions of people, often leading our youth down paths of self-destruction.
We are often played by corporate executives who convince us that we will fit in better and improve our image if we buy their products.
We are often played by unscrupulous government leaders who attempt to exploit our fears, sometimes forgetting that we sign their paychecks, and that they are our public servants.
Many of these leaders favor increasing national wealth over protecting the environment for present and future global populations; diverting our attention away from the truth, which is that the Earth itself is humanity's primary source of wealth. Without sustainable vibrant ecosystems, there will be no wealth at all.
They may attempt to mesmerize us with their speeches, spinning hypnotic tales of power and economic dominance; divisive messages that set one country against and above all others.
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“The high destiny of the individual is to serve rather than to rule."
-Albert Einstein
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Do not let your attention be misdirected away from humanity’s most worthy dream; which is that of sustainable global happiness.
The power of the collective is much greater than the seductive and misleading narrative of a relatively few number of people in control. Unscrupulous leaders are far outnumbered by intelligent citizens of good character. We must continue to fiercely protect our planet and its creatures from harm, and honor the dignity and concerns of all world citizens, present and future.
Ultimately, it is citizens who wield the most clout – we hold the advantage in the locked barn. We have the power in numbers to not let a few people diminish our happiness by exploiting our base emotions. Those who wish to play us depend on our dollars and our ballots as the lifeblood for their very existence. They cannot survive unless we willingly hand them our money or give them our vote.
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