Time to Think

Last night I had the chance to celebrate a friend's birthday by visiting a nearby farm... it was wonderful to be out amidst the trees and fields. It's really not even much of a farm - it's more just being out in the open space with trees and meadows. The ten of us shared space around a small fire in the evening, then slept on the floor in the house.

I'd like to reflect on one of my buttons that was pushed last night... we were playing word games like "What's behind the green glass door?" While I enjoy mental puzzles as much as anyone... I came to realize how much "those in the know" take delight over those who aren't. The two or three people who know the game at the start say things like "there are swimmers and a pool but no divers" or "there are collars and sleeves but no shirts"... and this can go on for quite some time. Those who aren't in the know are to figure out the method to determining what is behind the green glass doors... and then begin contributing.

My realization of the delight of those in the know took me on a short thought journey. So often we talk about how concentrations of power - political, economic, or other forms of power - tend not to be a good thing because the power is easily abused, corrupted, etc. But when we are the one in the empowered elite, we tend not to see that concentrated power is a bad thing... we're often too busy taking delight in the power that we have.

With a game like "What's behind the green glass door?" -- the game is no longer so much fun for those in the know if/when everyone figures out how to determine what is behind the doors. In this case, knowing - or figuring out - the trick gives you power over others who don't know. Knowledge is power.

While the analogy of this game only goes so far -- it is, afterall, just a game -- I think it serves to illustrate the point that concentrated power can cause problems. Certainly there can be a discussion about whether knowledge is the same as other forms of power -- knowledge is theoretically infinite -- it's something that you can give, and in giving get more of... whereas with most things, at least in conventional wisdom, if you give it away you no longer have it (i.e. money, decision-making authority, etc.)

It's another reminder for me to be careful with the power that I wield -- in all of its forms. From the power of my vote to the power of my (diminishing!) bank account to the power of my thoughts... with power comes responsibility.

Ok - back to the farm. As I biked home shortly after sunrise this morning, the warmth of the rays and the songs of the birds following an evening with friends... well, it's a great way to remember what is important in life... and it helps me to realize how much I miss the time I spent in the timber as a kid.


PS. The trick to the grEEn glaSS dOOr game is that everything that is behind the doors has a double letter in it... so "abuse" and "power" are not behind the doors, but "happiness" is doubly so.