The Paradox Of Man

  Senex et Puer There was once a little fish who played out his peaceful existence in a tributary that fed a great river. He was always careful not to get too close to the mouth of the tributary for he'd heard the elders speak of the great river's hunger, and that it would draw little fish out into its powerful current. And those who were drawn out were never seen again... --- A dream The river through which my soul swims, and in which I dream, draws me in through a call. It overrides my will and I watch with helpless acceptance as I'm pulled out of my peaceful tributary in which nothing ever happens; out into the violent rapids, away from comfort, swept away... I'm dashed upon the rocks, cast this way and that. I struggle hopelessly against the fates. I resist. But resistance is futile; dangerous even.  In the cacophony of these raging rapids I hear the call again. That familiar call I've heard so often, and which I lament because I don't know how to respond to...

And the Spirit of the Depths spoke and said: Man no longer thinks; "it" thinks in him. And I saw a great world stage. And upon the stage I saw collective man staring into a black mirror. And looking back upon his collective face was acrimony, distrust, hatred, malignance, despair, greed, malice, shame and hopelessness. And I watched as collective man brought the sword of justice down upon his neck. And his blood burst forth from him in an enormous wave that drowned the world. And as the blood receded, in it's wake I saw individual man. He had blood on his hands and a look of horror and disbelief on his face. And his head opened and out of it escaped a thought that "it" had placed there.  And the Spirit of the Depths spoke and said: Of wolf and man. Hunter of himself, devoured by himself.  Commentary While we as individuals can't control getting swept up in the tide of the collective, that doesn't mean we necessarily need to fall prey to, and become unthi...