Once upon a time, there was a just and peaceful society. Its
peace resided in the fact that the society was protected and cared for by many
guardians. The guardians were strong, courageous, and devoted to the well-being
of all its citizens. They also bore and nurtured most of its children.
Being a guardian was not always a pleasant job. It involved
risk and self-sacrifice. It was often wearying and strenuous, and not everyone
in the land was well-suited to the life of a guardian. Some were thin of build
or had a timid disposition, and so they feared guardianship. Others had the
athletic ability to become guardians, but the lifestyle did not appeal to them.
They simply did not want to be troubled by its risks and requirements of
sacrifice for the sake of others.
For many years, the people of this nation viewed their
guardians as heroes. Although not everyone aspired to guardianship, they
recognized that the well-being of their society depended on the guardians’
efforts. So, in an effort to support their current guardians, and to encourage the
young to become guardians, the rulers of the society honored the guardians with
public praise. They also gave the guardians certain legal privileges that
non-guardian citizens did not have.
In the course of time, many citizens became addicted to
personal pleasure. As a result, they began to lose respect for the life of guardianship.
Some even began to resent not being given the same social esteem or legal
privileges that the guardians had.
“It’s unfair!” They
cried to their rulers, and to anyone else who would listen. “We deserve to have
everything that the guardians do! We demand equality with the guardians!”
Initially, few paid much attention to the protesters, but
they pressed on with their complaints. Gradually, the protesters gained a
hearing in front of the whole nation.
The guardians began reasoning with them to address their concerns:
“You have no rational basis for demanding the social status
of guardians,” they said. “You have not publically committed your life to
protecting and caring for our nation. You are not the ones that work day and
night to keep our society safe. You do not bear and raise most of our nation’s
children. We accept the lifestyle you have chosen, but the fact of the matter
is that our society endures because of the work of the guardians.”
“Hateful bigots!”
The protesters screeched. “You are not treating us as equals! You are depriving
us of our human rights!”
“Wait a minute.” The guardians replied. “You already have
the same rights that we do. No one is preventing you from becoming a guardian. If
you were to choose the life of a guardian, would you not enjoy the social
esteem that we do? As it is, you do not want to do that because it is
undesirable to you.”
The protesters were unmoved, becoming ever more strident in
their tone and hostile in their accusations. To the shock and dismay of the
guardians, more and more non-guardian citizens began siding with the
protesters.
The guardians tried instead to reconcile and make a deal
with the protesters, but they were cut off:
“We will have none of your outdated, rigid, discriminatory
views in our society. People like you are not welcome in the public sphere any
more. All citizens deserve
to be treated like guardians, and that is that!”
Eventually, the angry crowd prevailed; even the rulers gave
in. Everyone was called a hero. Everyone was lavished with praise. All enjoyed
the same benefits, regardless of their contribution to the well-being of
society. The protestors rejoiced. After all, it felt good to be called a hero,
even though deep down they knew it wasn’t so.
As years went by, fewer and fewer people aspired to the life
guardianship. After all, being a guardian was not as pleasant as other ways of
living, and by now the entire citizenry had become addicted to pleasure. Whatever
they wanted but didn’t have, they demanded of their government. For a while, some
of the more noble-minded citizens tried the life of guardianship, but soon they
too gave it up. Eventually, everyone did as he or she pleased.
Without guardians, the once great society collapsed and disappeared
forever.
