Exclusivity Breeds Contempt
Inspired by John Cox's Review of The Third Man
To do good in the world requires only that the individual has a clear conscience and a pure heart.
However, many bad things may happen to that individual who stumbles forward into such a terrible world with such good intentions.
The enemy of good is always those outside forces which would compel, induce, coerce, or manipulate the individual to wrong action, usually on behalf of an ideology which claims exclusive rights to knowledge.
No such gatekeeper guards anything of real value, but only against the fear of losing some advantage.
It is understandable that we might look upon the vulnerable state of those whose intentions are pure as mere foolishness, yet in our critique of their unperturbable forthrightness, are we not really admitting to being, ourselves, the fools?
For the fool does not bring upon himself those misfortunes which others have wrought; and in so doing, they have damned themselves.
The fool remains a fool, yes, but a pure fool. He has not bred contempt through an appeal to exclusivity to protect a lie.
The fool wanders and throws seeds that will grow to bear fruit from which others might benefit… like the busy bee, he takes no notice of his work, bears no thought about the results.
He is doing what he is perfectly designed, evolved, or destined to do.
You hate the fool?
No. You hate your self, for unlike the fool, you will not be your self.
You deserve to win?
No, you always lose, because, unlike the fool, you play the game.
You are powerful?
No, you are weak. Unlike the fool, you rely on acquiring power rather than developing strength.
You would avoid Sorrow?
No. Unlike the fool, you fail to recognize that Sorrow is the highest strata and ultimate issue of Joy, and leads to Peace, if only you will embrace all phenomena, impartial to a goal you were never equipped to predict.
Ends and means never end—they’re just mean!
But the rats in the maze only know the walls they see, and that’s okay.
The fool doesn’t mind.
He wanders in.
He wanders out.
He sees that which they will never see.
He is a ghost who flits through the walls and gives away all the company secrets.
Sometimes he even opens a door and lets a few rats out.
Why? He neither knows nor cares.
After all, who can accost a ghost?
The eye at the end of history rolls laconically toward its appointed end, while on the peripheral, just out of sight, but never out of mind, the fool traipses or trots with the other old sots!
If only it were an ear it just might hear the merry chorus of nonsense words from a beating heart rather than see the hollow echo of an endless end from a beginningless start.
***** * *****
Rommentary:
This work was inspired by John Cox's review of The Third Man, and our ensuing discussion in the comments, which involved more of the usual fool's babbling on my part, and John's graciously giving his time to listen to the jingle of the cap n' bells!
The film was on my long list of unwatched classics, so it was nice to get a little synchronistic nudge to sit down on a Saturday when I happened to have spare moments to enjoy. It was well worth the time!
I highly recommend you watch this masterpiece before you read John's well-rounded and erudite essay, which you can find here:
About the Creator
C. Rommial Butler
C. Rommial Butler is a writer, musician and philosopher from Indianapolis, IN. His works can be found online through multiple streaming services and booksellers.
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The Fourth Way
There are three schools and a fourth way, the path of pure fools—as to whether this last is the beginning or end, who can say? Doesn’t it always begin again, my friend? But perhaps the fool is but an idiot savant! We often wonder, ourselves, as we wander and want. We may cuss and splutter when we fall in the gutter but when we do again stand we lend a helping hand to the poor soul beneath us rather than step on or over them and then call it justice! We know what the ideologues deny: we must persevere in the real world, in real time, not by believing a lie! The real fight is not with each other but with those who dissimulate to block out the light of truth and reason, in every season—for personal gain they commit this treason! But don’t they know the open secret—the first and final lesson of the fourth way? Energy never ends, and we only ever accrue it to give it away! So why live a lie if we’re all gonna die? But so many do… what about you? We can’t be too mad but it sure makes us sad that the lonely are only so because others are glad—to push them away and call it love, though it seems a crime that all they love is a good time, when there’s so many folks that need hugs and jokes and maybe even a kick in the ass! Not to be crass or mean but so they’ll come clean! A real friend is there through the ups and downs, whether it be a scare or a parade of clowns—we gotta see it to the end, where the energy changes and the light doth bend around seas and pastures and mountain ranges! We are stardust, not stars—we are the flesh that lives, b(e)aring scars like badges and burning bridges to build them again when the moment is right, and eternity gives us the insight to re-member that restriction is sin.
By C. Rommial Butler9 months ago in Poets
Comments (8)
Good story and very creative
As always, your writing gives us all food for thought. Good job.
"Ends and means never end—they’re just mean" Whoaaa that line, I had to read it like 3 times to get what it means. Pun intended, lol. Your piece has a lot of food for thought. Loved it!
When I was reading this I was reminded of our discussion and wondering if it triggered these wonderful reflections. Thanks for the shout out and for encouraging your readers to watch the movie. Well worth the time!
This is really good, Charles
I read some of your back and forth with John. Still not seen the film though. Stimulating as always, Rommi.
Oh to be a happy, contented fool, playing the game with an open mind. Guess I have a movie to watch. Great work. And I think many of us feel the authenticity of John
I love The Third Man. Excellent movie and great movie soundtrack. Great inspiration here!