About The Crown

Post 267:

            Some thinkers believe that it is wholly human and thus inevitable to lust for power. Lust might be too strong a word, but on average, let us say that there is a longing.

            It’s not some nefarious thing, necessarily. To control the chaos that swirls about and rages through time can be a worthy aim and even noble.

            But it’s all fun and games until control and power is achieved. Heavy lies the crown and the like. It’s important to understand that control is not an end in itself.

            What does this mean?

            Happiness, for instance, is an end unto itself. People want to be happy to be happy, if that makes sense. Power and influence are different. People want these things so they can have something else. You can’t bask in power the way you might in happiness. It just gets old. Influence requires more influence. It’s a black hole.

            I’m reminded of old King Creon in the Greek play Antigone. Great little tight story about some serious shiz. People back in the day went dark and deep.

            There are some glorious lines in this baby. The king and his son are having a disputation about the nature of power, and the son sums it all up about as well as can be done.

            Old Creon is saying that he’s the man and that’s it. The control is his, so whatever he says goes and that’s final. He’s tricked himself into believing the thing one can’t believe: that the crown is its own end.

            Here’s the back and forth, just two lines.

            Creon: Am I to rule this land for others—or myself?

            Haemon (son): It is no city at all, owned by one man alone.

            This is about all that needs to be said. The dude is hoarding his will over the people, but all it leaves him with is the power to hoard. No people. Just a feeling that they should be his people. He’s out of whack, this hombre. He needs to chill and let his boy put him in his place. Creon could help himself out and alleviate his freaking stress levels if he’d just own the fact that we can’t own everything.

            Don’t play the petulant. I’ve seen the play. You end up looking like an asshole.

            Cheers. See you after.