Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Story of the day - Tragedy is awareness in the excess of power

Alicia said to Greg half way between anger and tears, "I don't know what's wrong with me! My people never win in elections. I fight for stuff all the time, and lose. I argue with people and they just don't get it. What in God's green earth is wrong with people??? Or is it me? Tell me if you think I'm nuts!

Greg started laughing, "Lice, it's not you, believe me. You are too good a person and if you have a fault, it's that you care too much."

"Yeah, how can you not care about doing the right things. So many times I feel it's not fair! Things shouldn't be this way! Somebody should do something.' I guess I've been this way since I was a little girl. You know what my mother used to say? She'd say to me kind of sternly, 'Alicia you have no right to complain unless you can do it better.'"

"How did that work out for you?" Greg asked.

"I've walked around my whole life muttering to myself, I know I could do it better. I know I could do it better. Maybe it's all my mother's fault for putting that thought in my head," Alicia said now laughing herself.

"Your mother was a very good woman and she raised a wonderful daughter," said Greg.

"Oh yeah?" said Alicia. "Then how come I'm so screwed up?"

"You're not screwed up," said Greg. "You're counter cultural. You're way ahead of your time. You're the sane one living in an insane world. You have to learn how not to take it so seriously, because it's all nonsense. You know that,"

"Not take it seriously, you say? How do you do that?" asked Alicia.

"Like Jesus said, 'Be in the world but not of the world,'" said Greg.

"I'm suppose to live a double life?" asked Alicia.

"Karl Jaspers said that tragedy is awareness in the excess of power, by which I think he meant, to know something and not to be able to do anything about it puts a person in a position of anger, discouragement, helplessness, sorrow and grief, and fear. You know, it's a real tragedy, the stuff tragedy is made of. The person might be better off not knowing because they can't do anything about it anyway. That's why they say 'ignorance is bliss.'" said Greg.

"I'd be better off if I was stupid, ignorant. Is that what you're saying?" asked Alicia.

"No, I didn't say that. What I said is that you would be more blissful because you wouldn't know so it wouldn't bother you. The question is whether you'd rather be in ignorant bliss or know the truth?" said Greg.

"How well do you know me?" said Alicia laughing.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know you pretty well I think. That's why I love you. You're fine, just tired. You can't win em all as they say," said Greg.

"I don't seem to win any," said Alicia feigning a pout.

"You won me," said Greg.

"And what a blessing," said Alicia as she hugged him and gave him a big kiss.

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