"The curious thing is that most of these sheep have never been shocked by the fence. Most of them were born after we took the wire away. It has become a tradition among our sheep never to approach string. The lambs acquire it from their elders, whose judgment they never question."
I wonder how many of us live our lives like the sheep? Afraid of a shock that doesn't exist? Safely guarded by a fear that protects us from too much freedom? In fear of "Bishop" the guard dog? Perhaps we see the pasture as a place of rest and safety? The flock representing those on the journey with us, their company enriching our lives rather than dictating it? I don't purport to have answers, I just found this passage curious and suggestive of self-examination in the context of society as well as our individual worldviews.
Holly
what things do we do just because that's the way the generation before us did it? which of those behaviors have merit?
ReplyDeleteIt's so interesting how as I grow older, have my own experiences, and form my own opinions; some of the things that I highly feared lose their potency. I laugh at myself and my naivety. What's even stranger is to go home and realize that loved ones are still held captive by those fears which I have conquered.
ReplyDeleteI am absolutely a sheep... I start to think I've somehow avoided the pasture and have "shaken things up a bit" (i.e. moving across the country), then I meet someone who truly has (i.e. missionaries, peace-corp volunteers, etc.) and I'm humbled and reminded of the fact that I fit perfectly into society's standards/rules, spoken and unspoken.
ReplyDeleteHow liberating would it be to truly be outside of it all, beyond our tiny pasture? Is it possible? Jeff, you said that we may be afraid of a shock that doesn't actually exist...how do we find out if a particular shock exists without placing ourselves in harm's way, for better or worse... these things are easier for trivial decisions (i.e. deciding not to live beyond our means as American culture is famous for, by destroying and paying off credit cards, etc.) but easier said than done for conceptual, potentially eternally damaging things (i.e. being honest with yourself that your religion doesn't quite seem to answer those essential questions and deciding to seek out other religions/gods/answers.) The latter is one of considerable deliberation for myself, but to discover if the shock exists, to really step out of the flock and risk the consequences (albeit, committed in the mind already), the consequences could potentially be eternally devastating or, oddly enough, non-existent.
I dunno!