Page 23 - Big Idea

The Big Idea – Act 1

Beneath the tidal flow of events
In which our choice is sink or swim,
Numberless causes may be conceived,
Some scary, some foolish, some clever.

Many of these are tales told children
About the beginning of the world;
Others act as solace for adults,
To compensate them for misfortune.

The ruler knowing these fantasies
Can easily direct his people;
A subtle use of superstition
Imparts an aura of omniscience.

Now, what sort of mischief might occur
Should our bumbling young philosopher
Convincingly concoct a new myth
About the way things ought to be seen?

Certain naive well-known individuals
Could seize upon those notions
And use them as justification
For attacking the establishment.

RIVAL 2: Ah, I know who you mean, boss; but they wouldn’t have a
chance against us!

RIVAL 1:

You object because of our great strength.
True, we stay at the top of the heap
Largely because we have the muscle
To defeat those who would topple us.

To answer this objection I must
Reveal the secret of our power:
It rests not simply on force or threat,
But upon an unexamined concept.

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