Hypothetically speaking, if there were an exclusive group of old, evil men in a long, narrow room on the top floor of a very tall building, in a very hip and modern city, who meet regularly for the purpose of concocting plans to take over the world (what else do old, evil guys with too much money and no leftover libido do but try and take over the world?), one of things I think they would conclude with is this:
“In order to take over the world, we must first make people think they are powerless and worthless so they are more likely to listen to our manipulative and terrible ideas.”
(This may be why most reality television shows portray mindless and bored morons whose sole mission in life is to get drunk and sleep with whoever is in their vicinity. It is a form of the if-you-tell-them-something-enough-times-they –will-believe-it strategy, which in this case is to get you to believe that you are just a mindless animal who runs about like a jackrabbit, only thinking of satisfying one of humanity's most basic instincts, without the slightest of reasoning abilities.)
I‘d like to talk about the tangible value of the common person. When I talk of the value of people, I usually talk about innate spiritual worth given to us by our Creator. But few people I know actually believe that. So I’ll mention the obvious things. Ho Yanxi, a military strategist during the Sung Dynasty of China, said, ”The people are the basis of a country, food is the heaven of the people. Those who rule over others should respect this and be sparing.”
For me, the essence of the previous quote is that the people- that would be us- are the basis of a country. I realize this is supposed to be obvious, but I am convinced some of us have forgotten. It seems we think the people we pay to represent us are the basis of this country.
Allow me to remind you--common man who thinks so low of himself--how valuable you are.
That building that the hypothetical diabolical conspirators are hypothetically gathering in was built by whom? Certainly not their wrinkly, metaphorically-dirty hands. The common man built ALL the skyscrapers. In fact, the common man built every structure that protects every single human being from the elements of the weather.
Who designed and craftily put together the thousand-dollar suits ol’ Wrinkles wears? You did! Wrinkles and his cohorts are far too important and busy to design and sew clothes. And the lobster they eat while undermining the common man’s potential and intelligence? Who caught it, boiled it, seasoned it, and served it to them on a silver platter? Who built the broom they flew in on? Who assembled and keeps their limos intact?
I think you get the point.
You see friends, just as humanity in general lies on a foundation of different and uneven biological factors (see last blog, “A Common Sense Manifesto”), humanity also lies and relies on the common man. The local teacher, the farmer, the mechanic, the assembly line worker, the warehouse distributor, the road-paver, the construction worker, the cutlery maker, the cashier; those contributions are gears and levers used by every single human being of every class-status.
Without the common man, there would no capitol building where legislators can decide they will have different insurance coverage from that of the people. Heck, without your employing them, they wouldn’t even exist… because you pay them! Their job existence is fully dependant on you.
I prefer order and law, a civilized existence where I don’t have to shoot everyone who steals from me so others won’t take advantage. That is why the people have agreed on a Republic. That’s precisely what the intro to The Constitution of the United States of America says:
We the People of the United States, [in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity], do ordain and establish this Constitution of the United States of America. In other words: ”We gave you jobs to do because we want peace, prosperity, and order. You work for us… to ensure a more peaceful and civil existence.”
We are dangerous. We are a force bigger and badder than any State army ever put together (I’ll ignore the fact that any army is made by the common man). Within our ranks, we have the ability and talent to do anything. We can change the world. We’ve done it several times before.
Everyone knows this. Except you.
The fact that campaigns spend into the hundreds of millions of dollars to convince you to pick one guy over the other guy should give you some insight into how important you are.
Remember the dueling banjos scene in Deliverance? Before the character Drew Ballinger started playing guitar with the awkward-looking young local on the banjo, one of Drew’s city friends--Ned Beatty’s character--made a remark about how pathetic the genetically-inferior, banjo-playing local is. But it turned out the local youth was a hell of a banjo player. He played that sucker at lightning speed and with the utmost accuracy. All the city slickers were shocked at the youth’s banjo-playing skills.
I think we the people are both Ned Beatty’s character and the local banjo-rippin’ youth in one. We see ourselves as inferior players, an inferior breed. We think that if we lack an Ivy League education or noble parents, we are inherently inferior to those who have those things. Meanwhile, we’re not aware of the treasure that lies inside of us.
There was a son of a Kentucky farmer who was born in a one-room cabin. His mother died when he was nine and the young boy had an accumulated one year’s amount of formal education throughout his entire life. Yet this boy grew up to be the 16th President of the United States. Abraham Lincoln is considered by many as the greatest President the United States has ever had.
I know I started out by emphasizing the common mans’ value, but I think I lied. There is no common man. Humans aren’t a sedan class of automobiles on an assembly line in Detroit. Lincoln was seen as a farmer’s boy with no shot at upper society… until he busted out the banjo.
Coco Chanel was the peasant daughter of an unwed laundrywoman and a street vender. She also happens to be the only fashion designer to appear on Time Magazine's list of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century. John Adams, William Wallace, Frederick Douglass, Bob Dylan, Thomas Edison; all people who should have been completely insignificant, but changed the world instead.
The point is not to persuade the reader that everyone should become Presidents, reformers, and inventors. The point is no matter how low someone would have you think you are, it is a lie. You have in you the capability to change the course of history.
If the American realizes the power she has, and unites, this world can become a very different world.
We are the basis of this country. Accept that. It is the truth. Cultivate your mind and actions according to the amazing treasure inside you that’s just aching to burst out.
Stop listening to the lies from the morons on TV and gossip magazines.
