Good Morning, let’s dive in.
The world, all the systems in the world, from work to religion has a hierarchy. The higher you climb the less human you become. The higher you climb, the more people care about what you do. The more they care, the more you have to care what they think. What they think of you- what they deem right- is what keeps you in your position.
The primacy of a hierarchy in human society is to help move us along. They shape our social contracts and how we get along. The moral high ground is the bedrock of trust. When a person acts and comes off like a saint, we trust them. They have built an image of themselves in our minds. That image is what we use to determine whether or not they are trustworthy.
But when you are not climbing a ladder. When you don’t need others to think highly of you. When you don’t care- you can be authentic. You can be a good person and at times a funny person. You can be a human being flawed and growing. When you climb the ladder, you have to become perfect. You have to watch what you say. When you are at the bottom of the ladder, you have all the power. You could tip the ladder over, shake the ladder, walk away from the ladder.
Those on the ladder may have a higher view, but they have less control of what those on the ground actually do.
But they put systems in place for that. At one time it was being excommunicated or shunned. The common folk had to watch themselves and strive to be like those on the ladder. We aren’t too far from that today. The difference is we at the bottom are self governing. We CANCEL people when they act out of line. Some people hate it. They hate it because they can’t control it. They hate it because it is the will of a community to cancel someone or not. It isn’t up to those on the ladder. Cancel culture is no different than excommunication. Repentance is the requirement for acceptance, but one may never reach their former position.
There are many ladders. Many tribes. Many, many, people who build their own platforms.
And then there are people like us.
Writers, artist, rebels, and risk takers. Free thinkers do not look to the crowd to make sure they’re safe to climb. We do not climb a ladder, but a rock face mountain. Our ascent is made by pulling ourselves up. We shout to the people below, “This view is terrifically horrifying, you should see how small we really are.” And we keep climbing. We see humanity as individuals and a group. We lose sight of a way down, and all we know is it is better to jump than fall. Our aim was never to sit on top of a ladder. Ours was to see like the gods. Ours was to fly. Ours isn’t a climb to be the boss. Ours is the climb to be authentic. The mountain is what we cling to, it is our work. We don’t need others for it. We could be a recluse and still climb the mountain to see.
I am out of time.
Later Gator 🐊
Nino.
Nino Olson 