SCARY, SCARY, SCARY

     Last nite I watched one of the most frightening shows ever. It was the second episode of the three episode childhood's End and I recommend it to all thinking beings. No, no monsters, no zombies, for the monsters? the causative factors of our own danger is us, people. So it has been and it seems so it will always be until we reach the end of the trail and I do not believe that the trail is one of Roy Roger's happy trails!
     Essentially, we have a humanity that was struggling, just as we are now on earth, with the usual list of issues, from disease, poverty, thoughtless people, slums, but also the traits of what make us human - curiosity, hope, courage, creative thoughts, the arts, love and family. So why is it so frightening? Because it is so realistic in the motivations and actions of the humans. And in the possibilities of what might happen in a similar situation.
     Essentially, it appears that help has arrived in the form of an unseen but heard savior, the Overseer of Earth and he and his unseen minions then eliminate all evils from earth, at least from the segment of those who are willing to give up their independence, their curiosity, their human strivings, scientific knowledge and who accept that they are not ready for the advances they were making. It is the parent telling the child that something is not good for them, they are not old enough or wise enough or mature enough, only these children are adults. They are US.
     But there are those who prefer to remain in the cities, to keep striving, to accept the ills and woes of humanity even as they accept the positives - the arts, love, family, independence and the ability and desire to strive, to be free, to turn aside from the "benevolent" dictators.
     All seems well until the undercurrents that were always there come to the surface. The people demand to finally see the face of the Overseer and out comes - the Devil, Satan - in all his glory, hooves, horns, tail and all. The people are so brainwashed already that they accept this personification and in the meanwhile faith is taken from people for how can they believe when all is topsy - turvy and all they thought they had known is now twisted.
     Children become affected, the Overseer seems to have developed some nasty traits and habits, his voice is harsher and yet, and yet, for the safety, for what he has supposedly given earth - people still want to believe. And then he mentions that we have prepared the earth for our successors! And that he himself has a master. Huh! Who? What? And then the ingathering of all the species of the world aside from humans seems truly ominous, for this is no zoo and there is no real zoo for them. So what? What is the true meaning.? And in the meanwhile, bad things happen to good people and good people are truly confused, lost, their lives as the Eloi of the Overseer  not so good any more.    The Overseer can be shot, can be killed - and then a human saves him and the Overseer says that he tried to spare them agony over the fate of the children by denying them children. Is he allowed to make that choice? Are humans truly incapable of making their own life decisions? Are we to give up all for a false illusion of safety and security, for freedom from making decisions? And yet, and yet, in this show we do. As we have done in life.
     Frightening in a show, but it is only TV, right? There has been no appearance of a true Satan? Or is that really true? This is an allegory, an extended metaphor, and the application as an overlay to our world is right there, frighteningly so. How many of us around the world have ceded our freedom, our independence, our right to make our own decisions, our own mistakes, achieve our own triumphs? And why? Because we wished to feel safe and secure? Because it is easier to be led than to lead? Because it is easier to accept than to challenge? Because it is easier to just go along rather than be the odd man out and struggle for the truth, for the right?
      Take a look around. Poland has rumblings. Hungary has gone way to the right. Russia is right back in its dictator mold. The Ukraine is fighting again despite a truce and do we root for them and their independence and overlook their past which has frighteningly returned in their politics? So we accept that some people have embraced the devil in the form of Iran for the sake of making many bucks? Do we worry about the Kurds who have been robbed of their own country for so long already? And what about the hatred that rends the fabric of the European countries and of the hordes of migrants roaming around, a modern migration which what? And what about the entire continent of Africa and even Asia which are being torn apart by wars?What will it lead to? What will we read about it in the future? In fact, will there be a future and if so, what kind - that of the Overseer because we are tired, so tired of the war, of the hatred, of the ills and woes of humankind or will there be a future where the triumphs and tragedies will still be of our making even as we inch forward.
     One of the most frightening songs that people think is so great and sing it at marches and gatherings is "Imagine". Truly? Do we wish for no countries and no religion? Do we wish to live only for today? Wasn't that tried already in ancient Greece? Do we give up all morals and strictures and just let it all hang loose? I do not want that and have been raised to believe that to strive is part and parcel of being human and thank G-d my children have let that become part of their very being as they all three work so hard to help others and the older grandchildren seem to be developing that way as well.
     And this is not only a trouble for the world and for the country at large. Even as we watch the nastiness developing in the national races and the viciousness about the Supreme Court nomination and the threats that go back and forth, the refusal of sides to talk even as they stake out more and more extreme positions and make remarks they will rue, even as that happens - we here in the Village do the same thing. We have accepted, many of us, the easy way out. Let someone else make the decisions. Who cares, as long as I have my pools, my courts and my shows. Who cares for I am retired and too tired to make important decisions any more. Let the burden devolve on someone else. Oh, lookee here. Here is someone who says he knows it all because everything is on the computer and he is a "master" of the computer. So this Overseer and his minions take over and refuse to let go even as all deteriorates around them and around us. and for the most part, most of us ignored the situation and few were the Paul Reveres who went riding thru the Village calling out the warning and the plea, "to arms".
    Yet the situation is changing, rapidly. The residents have heard the call and even as the Overseer and his minions try desperately to convince the proletariat that all is for their benefit, there are voices being heard and these voices will continue no matter the result of the election, for win or lose, we win. We will continue to harry the wrong decision makers and their incompetent decisions We will keep after those in office, no matter who they are, reminding them that "the whole world is watching". Humans strive for improvement and progress. Humans do not cede independence simply because it is easier. Yes, we have done that in tragic times in the world and we have done that here in the Village  for far too long and so now the time has arrived. On Friday, March 4 do the right thing no matter what you have been promised. Vote for the best of us here in the Village and not the overseer in whatever shape it has manifested itself.
     As for me - I am trying to decide if I want to watch the last two hour episode for fear of what it what say about us, about humanity and our future. Hard coming from a teaching background for every movie, every book has a story to tell, a deeper meaning and the sad thing is that these meanings are so true and have been since the first tale was told and the themes remain the same be it from the Iliad and Odyssey to Iain Pear's new book, Arcadia. When will we ever learn, the song asks? who knows, but we must try. We must. We must.