First off, a bit of background. The frog in hot water boils down to this (pun
totally intended): if you put a frog in boiling water, it will
jump out. Because the frog is cold
blooded, the difference in the internal temperature and external temperature is
so disparate that the frog knows something is wrong and jumps out. However, if you put a frog in room
temperature water (or cold water) and then slowly heat the water, the frog will
eventually cook itself to death.
Basically the frog slowly raises the internal temperature to match the
outside until it gets to the point that the outside temperature causes mortal
damage to the frog. Hope you like frog
legs.
Anywho – I know that most people are familiar with that
image, but I wanted to illustrate it. In
pop culture references, we use this often for individuals that slowly start
sliding into dangerous behavior and addictions.
I usually hear it applied to a single person and it’s a good analogy.
But I am thinking of humanity as the frog and the world as
the water. Well, basically, western
society. Maybe just American
society. I don’t know, I can only really
speak about what I have seen and extrapolate.
Consider how far we have come in the last century and a
half. For the US, that is right after
the Civil War. Back then, most folks had
to work hard, morning to night, just to survive. Vacations and holidays were not nearly as
prevalent as they are today, and the idea of saving for retirement was not even
on their radar. Because radar wasn’t
invented.
Think about conveniences invented since then: refrigerators, cars, and better housing. Think of the infrastructure in roads, power
plants, airports, and seaports. Machines
have helped us to do more work in less time.
Not only that, but it’s much cheaper too. As a society, we’ve developed surplus in our
bank accounts and institutions that wasn’t around back in the late 1800s. We have more mental stimulation through
fantastic machines than they ever thought was possible. We are flush with material wealth that is far
beyond the comprehension of the third world.
I think that technology is fantastic and can make our lives
better. But our natural human tendency
towards evil takes these great tools and rather furthers evil in the world. Television in itself is not evil. But our tendency to put on more and more
salacious shows to get ratings is. There
are so many flashing lights and loud noises, that we have been reduced in our
capacity to reason beyond sensory stimulation.
Even our ability to socialize is limited in depth to text or video
through our machines.
The world, through our own doing, heats up and we the frog
are becoming mortally damaged by trying to keep up.
Again, technology is not the problem. In fact, I think that with good discipline,
all of the technology that is available can complement a good, healthy, and
holy life. Just because pornography
enjoys (pun not intended…ugh!) a
large portion of the internet, the internet should not be shut down.
Technology has nothing to do with it. Kingdoms and Empires have risen and fallen
over history numerous times. Consider
them as frog cadavers floating in once boiling water. Take the Roman Empire. No one at the time thought that Rome would
fall. It was huge and wealthy, not
unlike the west or specifically the United States. But in the end it did. Increased material wealth leads to
complacency, idleness, which then gives plenty of opportunity for our hands to
do evil. We indulge in pleasures and
sensory stimulation to pass the time with little thought to the needs of many
who do not have enough to survive.
What would happen instead, if we gave that wealth away so
that someone could get what they need to survive? That would take away a huge temptation for us
to self-indulge and help someone else survive.
This voluntary poverty by those who are blessed materially, would be a
tremendous boon to just overall wellbeing in the world and keep the “heat” down
on the water that we are swimming in.
Could this solve the world’s problems?
Maybe, but I’m not optimistic.
Anything to do with voluntary poverty has to be that – voluntary. Only when we do it because we want to choose
this, do we fully achieve charity.
Involuntary poverty is basically socialism which has been shown not to
work. Why? Because the people with wealth love their
wealth and the people who receive the wealth just feel entitled to it, rather
than grateful for the sacrifice that was made.
The idea of socialism is based on a truth: we need to share. But the vehicle was hijacked by people with
less than pure intentions.
Oh good gravy, I have made a mess of this post. Hopefully I left something in there to think
about. For me….mmmmm….frog legs…
God bless,
Sven
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