Any state, any entity, any ideology that fails to recognize the worth, dignity, the rights of man—that state is obsolete.The state had the power to kill. Romney Wordsworth had no power whatsoever, yet he was able to bring the state to its knees with nothing more than an invitation and a locked door.
The power of the state itself was what allowed Romney Wordsworth's invitation and locked door to have such an effect. The state's power was a power which required a show in order to maintain and expand—the state had to show up in order to prove that it wasn't afraid of anything. The state had to show up in order to allow Romney Wordsworth to beg for his life, which the state expected he would. The state had to show that it had the power to deal with anyone who didn't fit its formula. The state thought it had all of the power. Romney Wordsworth knew that the state's claims of power were hollow, so he turned the state's power on itself and revealed it for what it was: just a show, albeit a show with deadly consequences.
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| Face the camera! |
It's amazing how things don't change—both for those who think they have the power, and for those who realize that claims of such power are empty. And it's not just power that is hollow, nor is it just the state that is lying to itself, is it? We all know someone who is constantly proclaiming how happy/blessed/robust they are feeling, how unique their children are, how amazing their business is going, how wonderful their spouse is, etc. Is it possible that these people are being honest, and that everything in their lives is as good as they claim? Sure—that's possible. But if your life is all that you say it is—if you're truly successful—why would you feel the need to share your resume every time you open your mouth?
If your only method of appearing to be powerful is to convince everyone of your power, then you might want to take a step back and look into the validity of your claims. Quiet power is power; everything else is just sales. There are wars taking place all over the world that are the result of some person or state trying to prove their power. What would happen if, instead of being a world led by powerful people bent on proving something, there was a world of people who were at peace and willing to lead themselves?
It's an oversimplification, for sure. But in a world where peace is recognized as power, no one would be treated as obsolete.
