Friday, February 03, 2006

Let Freedom



And its implications send me screaming from here to there.
impose its tyranny.
overwhelm and terrify me.
It is an infinite plane. A sphere. Without form or intent.

Consider the following:
You are free to buy apples from any of four merchants in town.
Merchant 1 sells medium quality apples for $30 a basket, but you believe he hits his kids sometimes. You've seen them cringe from his raised arm.
Merchant 2 sells high quality apples for $40 a basket. His behavior as citizen and employer is beyond reproach, but he thinks you are beneath him and mocks you when you enter his stall in the market.
Merchant 3 sells medium quality apples for $20 a basket but treats his workers horrifically, making them work from sunup till sundown without a break. He fires them if they eat a single apple and is suspected of accusing his workers of malfeasance right before payday, and firing them without pay.
Merchant 4 sells low quality apples for $35 a basket. You know his wife is ill and that he has children to feed. Personally, you know him to be untrustworthy.

Consider instead the following:
Merchant 1 sells medium quality apples for $37 a basket. You've only seen him in town for parades. His store has a great selection and attentive service.
Merchant 2 sells medium quality apples for $35 a basket. You don't know him either, but he seems very friendly and sometimes throws in a free potato with your purchase. His store is on a side street, not the main square like Merchant 1.

Why not grow your own apples you ask? Because no one grows their own apples round here. Just isn't done. You could. No one's stopping you as such.

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