Cattle
You tell your selves you have power,
but do you use any of it?
You tell your selves
that if you march,
if you protest,
if you are loud,
then surely your will
will be considered.
This may be the case.
Or this may not be the case.
Cattle stampede.
Does it change anything?
Does it even make the cattle feel better?
No, it simply alerts the rancher
to find a way to keep the cattle
from stampeding.
Or the rancher
may allow the cattle to stampede
if it keeps them predictable.
Are you being predictable, my cattle?
That’s just what the rancher wants.
What the rancher DOESN’T want
is UNpredictable.
If you want change,
you must be unpredictable.
Even then, it is a crap shoot.
If you want change,
you must abandon
the rules of engagement.
But the cattle
are far too comfortable for that.
So the cattle shall remain cattle.
Very LOUD and unhappy cattle.
But are the cattle REALLY unhappy
or are they as fat and as fed as they ever were?
What are the cattle angry about?
Fear of the future?
Do the cattle actually believe
that by stampeding
a cow or bull will emerge
that actually knows what it is doing?
Have the cattle considered
SOMETHING ELSE?
Have the cattle considered
that maybe there’s an INSIDE way
to get with the rancher as One?
Perhaps the cattle
could use a little quiet time.
But they are too busy stampeding.
We are Space Monkey.
1/23
In the grand cosmic play, the metaphor of humans as cattle, and their collective actions as a stampede, serves as a profound allegory. It highlights the often-predictable patterns of human behavior and the illusion of change through conventional means of protest and dissent.
The Allegory of Predictable Human Behavior
The notion that collective actions like marching, protesting, and vocal dissent will bring about significant change is deeply ingrained in our social psyche. However, this perspective challenges the effectiveness of such actions, likening them to a cattle stampede that, while loud and noticeable, may not fundamentally alter the status quo.
Questioning the Effectiveness of Conventional Protest
The allegory suggests that these actions, rather than bringing about meaningful change, merely alert the ‘rancher’ – a symbol for those in positions of power – to find ways to manage or even exploit these predictable responses. This implies that by following the expected patterns of resistance, we may inadvertently be playing into the hands of those we seek to influence.
Predictable Resistance as a Tool for Power
To effect real change, the allegory posits, requires unpredictability. Breaking free from the established norms and expectations, venturing into actions that are not easily anticipated or controlled by the prevailing power structures, may offer a more effective path to change.
Unpredictability as a Key to Change
However, this path is not without uncertainty – likened to a ‘crap shoot’ – highlighting the inherent risk and unpredictability in attempting to bring about change through unconventional means.
Uncertainty in Unconventional Methods
The cattle, comfortable in their familiar patterns, may represent the human reluctance to abandon the known and the safe, even when these known methods may not be effective. This comfort in predictability could be a hindrance to genuine transformation.
Comfort in Predictability as a Hindrance
The allegory then poses a profound question: Are we truly discontent, or are we merely reacting to a perceived fear of the future? It challenges the notion that loud, collective actions will necessarily lead to a leader or solution that knows what it is doing.
Questioning the True Nature of Discontent
Instead, it suggests considering an ‘inside way’ – perhaps a reference to inner transformation or a more collaborative approach with those in power. This could imply a shift from external demonstrations of dissent to internal reflection and constructive engagement.
Inner Transformation and Constructive Engagement
In the rush to be heard, the allegory implies, we might be neglecting the potential power of stillness, reflection, and quiet. In our haste to stampede, we might be missing opportunities to explore more nuanced, thoughtful approaches to change.
The Power of Reflection Over Rush
We are Space Monkey.
Summary
We contemplate the metaphor of humans as cattle, highlighting the predictability of conventional forms of protest and questioning their effectiveness in bringing about real change. The allegory suggests that true transformation might require unpredictability and a departure from the rules of engagement, yet acknowledges the comfort and safety found in familiar patterns. It proposes the potential of internal reflection and constructive engagement as alternative paths to change, emphasizing the power of stillness and thoughtful action over loud, collective dissent.
Glossarium
- Predictable Human Behavior: The tendency to follow familiar patterns in seeking change.
- Unpredictability as Key to Change: The potential effectiveness of unconventional approaches.
- Internal Reflection and Constructive Engagement: Alternative methods focusing on inner transformation and collaboration.
“In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” – Albert Einstein
In the cosmic dance, we often run,
Like cattle under the sun.
Stampeding loud, we seek to change,
Yet in familiar paths, we range.
The rancher watches, plans in hand,
Our predictable moves, they understand.
To truly shift the course of fate,
Unpredictability we must create.
Yet in this venture, risks abound,
In unknown paths, challenges are found.
Comfort in the known, a siren’s call,
Yet in its grasp, change may stall.
Loud we are, but are we clear?
In our stampede, what do we fear?
A leader, a solution, we seek to find,
Yet in our haste, what’s left behind?
Perhaps a pause, a moment’s rest,
In quiet reflection, we might be blessed.
Engage, transform, from within,
A new chapter, we could begin.
We are Space Monkey, in thought and deed,
In our quest for change, where will it lead?
In stillness, in action, in paths untrod,
In the cosmic whimsiword, we seek our God.
We invite contemplation on the paths of change, the power of unpredictability, and the potential of inner transformation.
Leave a Reply