Icarus Transfigured

why does it seem that those most resistant to change tend to be the ones most unhappy with their lives? Can fear be that strong? Do we all have elements of Hamlet’s dilemma that we stick with those ills we have rather than face the unknown. Despite the words old Willie spoke with Hamlet’s voice I don’t believe that conscience rules in the situation as much as misguided attachment. We do seem to know our pain and fear losing it.
What of all the people involved in Occupying Wall Street? They seem to want change because they find themselves unhappy with the current status quo? Does that disprove my theory? Yet look at the demonstrations and the people you see marching. They may not like the current state of things but they don’t appear to be miserable. I see excitement over the idea of change and that they may be part of it. I see people secure in themselves and the idea that life can be better and the realization of the need for change but unhappy? Not so much
I look at the people in power. The media and banking moguls who seem to be following Ghandi’s pattern. “First they ignore us, then they laugh at us then they fight us then we win”. They seem to be the most unhappy not only with the idea of change but with the lives they live. They have more than they could ever need yet something inside of them screams “MORE”. No matter how much they have, they always want MORE.. Somehow that doesn’t seem happy to me.

What would happen if Icarus, instead of believing that his wings were melted by the sun, believed instead that he could fly anyway, would new wings, wings that had greater reality than the melted ones of wax appear in their place as Icarus took his place among the stars?
–G A Rosenberg

 

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Icarus Transfigured by G A Rosenberg