How The World Is Run

[poliphilo]

It happened again. They put the ballot papers on the fire and the smoke coming out the chimney was white. Everybody in the square was jumping up and down, weeping and clapping their hands- we have a new Pope! And then the smoke turned black. Sorry, folks, no Pope today.

Quaint.

But communicating by smoke signals isn't the half of it. We're choosing a man to fill one of the most powerful posts in the world and the electorate consists of a handful of (supposedly) celibate old gents in their seventies.

Why aren't we laughing?

This is the 21st centry, not the 14th.

But I guess you and I don't get to vote for the chairman of Microsoft either.

Comments

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

We have a need for ritual, certainly. But that doesn't mean it's necessarily good for us.

Ritual can be used to befuddle and obfuscate- to stop us from asking questions- to pull the wool over our eyes.

Tyrannies and autocracies are good at ritual.

Yes, it's very pretty and it feeds the soul, but, but.....

[arielstarshadow.livejournal.com]

Ahhh, but along the same lines, it doesn't necessarily mean it's bad for us. But, I might point out some word semantics: if we have a "need" for something, that would seem to indicate it is, in fact, good for us. Along the lines of a need for air, water, food, etc. As opposed to a desire for something, which may or may not be good for us.

People often use the word "need" when what they really mean is "want": I need chocolate, I need another pair of shoes.

Are rituals a need or a want for humanity?

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Hmm, good question.

All the signs are that human beings have been practising rituals since the very beginning.

I suspect our craving for them is something stronger than a want, but less absolute than a need.