- Anything Else -

Power

Posted by: Kevin Dempsey ( Canada ) on November 27, 1999 at 21:03:34:

In Reply to: There is nothing to be learned from a camera posted by Hunter and Proud on November 27, 1999 at 13:12:26:

"Son, put your camera away and forget your trip to Europe. Here's a nuclear warhead. Now, I want you to be careful. It's a powerful weapon, it's not a toy."

"Why did you give it to me if it is dangerous dad?"

"Oh, it's not dangerous if I teach you to use it properly. Well, not dangerous except for those you use it on, but it's okay, because they won't suffer. It'll be instantaneous. That's what makes it okay. It doesn't matter that some beings who were once alive will not be alive. Nevermind that your camera would have left them intact, happy, and there for others to enjoy and for them to enjoy themselves."

"But why, Dad? Why should I have the nuke?"

"Well, son, it's a MAN thing. You've got to feel Power. You must know Responsibility. You must have the ability to Conquer. You see, if I give you this dangerous weapon and tell you whom to point it at and how to point it, then you know Responsibility."

"How?"

"Well, you um... you know you can kill Anyone, but you also know you should only kill some of them. That's the responsibility of Power."

"But Dad, why is it good to be able to kill someone? Why is that a good thing? You and Mom always used to tell me not to hurt anybody, and that's what they teach us in school. Wouldn't it just be better with no guns? I mean, Dad, we have the Power to kill Anybody, right?"

"Um... right."

"And we know we shouldn't really kill anybody, right?"

"Um... right."

"And we can make the coice to get rid of all our guns and bombs, right?"

"...rrrriiight..."

"So isn't THAT responsibility?"

"Um... forget the nuke... here's a gun... now son, let me tell you about power..."


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