Tuesday 4 February 2003

Pic of the day: Random pretty winter picture from the Chaos Node area.

Don't get even - get odd!

Several times this winter, the bus drove away right before my face. The place where I get on the bus is its end station, where it turns and waits. I believed that I was just on time; it may be that I have been a few seconds late. Still, it is kind of rude to just drive away when you easily could wait a few seconds. Particularly since they are not always in such a hurry to drive if I am early.

As I walked to the bus today (which I caught, incidentally) I reflected on this behavior, which I did not sympathize with. And then one of the thoughts in my mind tried to explain it to me: It was about restoring balance, said the thought. To restore to themselves a feeling of power after various events in their life had left them in doubt of their power. They still have the power to drive away from customers, and I guess that feels good. Kind of validating that they are in control. I sometimes even see bus drivers drive away from customers even though other passengers cry out for them to stop. I guess they do have some measure of power.

I think there is something to this: People try to get even; and if they can't get even with the person that pressed them down, then they substitute someone else. If the two have some sort of connection, so much the better. For instance if one customer is rude to you, then you can be rude to another customer, and then you will get even, in a way.

It is entirely possible that similar things happen in global politics. As one of my thoughts said to me later today: Those who are secure in their power, wield it lightly. Those who doubt their power, wield it harshly. But then again these thoughts are usually engaged in creating fiction, so you shouldn't bet your eternal life on them being right.