Through the looking glass
Last week, I saw a photo of an “Earthset”: the Earth disappearing behind the moon. The image moved me. It touched me with its beauty, but at the same time, it saddened me because of the symbolism of the image. Which emotion hits the hardest mostly depends on how I am feeling. In a good mood, I see a beautiful, little world in the vast expanse of space where we get to live together. But if I'm feeling down, I primarily see the wrong turn we've taken as humanity.
So it all depends on your perspective. How are you feeling, where are you at in the grand scheme of things, that sort of thing. And that, in turn, reminded me of a story I once read in class: "Genesis and Catastrophe" by Roald Dahl. It is about a family at the beginning of the last century. A husband and wife have just had a child, and it’s not doing well at all. The doctor is with the baby, and the husband and wife are in the living room talking about how terrible it would be if their child died. They have already lost children right after birth, and this blow would be one too many. The story is incredibly well written. You truly feel the woman's despair and the man's suppressed anger. You really hope that this child survives. You get the distinct impression that, if this turns out well, there is still hope for the world! Then the doctor comes in with fantastic news. "He's doing well, he's going to make a full recovery!" At this point, all kids in the classroom look happy, but that only lasts until they read the last sentence of the story. "Congratulations. You have a healthy son, Mr. and Mrs. Hitler."
Everything is perspective.
In Africa, a gazelle walks unsuspectingly across the plains. It is hot, it is dry, and there is little left to eat. She is lucky. Last night, she came across a hidden pool where grass was still growing, and her belly is full. Languidly, she walks through the midday sun, off her guard for just a few seconds. She hears nothing but feels the teeth that grab her and throw her to the ground. Moments later, she feels the claws with which the lioness rips open her belly.
In Africa, a lioness creeps carefully across the plains. She has four cubs, and hasn't been able to catch decent prey in days. Her children are hungry, and she is desperate. Suddenly, she sees a gazelle walk by unsuspectingly. The wind is right, fortunately, and before the gazelle knows what has hit her, she is already upon her. She bites down hard and throws her prey to the ground. With her powerful claws, she rips the belly open. In the distance, she can already hear her cubs approaching, drawn by the smell of food.
Everything is perspective.
A refugee arrives at the border after a terrible journey. It is evening, and he has been watching the guardhouse for hours waiting for the guards to be relieved. He was told that is the best moment to attempt a crossing. The borderguards at the end of their shifts are no longer as alert, and the new ones aren't fully focused yet. When he hears talking and sees shadows moving telling him it's now or never, he takes his chance. He has left the war that cost him his family behind, in the hope of becoming human again; this is the final step he needs to take to secure a better future. He sneaks up to the barbed wire and carefully snips the bottom wire. Fortunately, there is no sound, and there is just enough room to crawl through. He slides under the dreadfully sharp barbs and stands up, only to look into a rifle aimed at him and the face of a cruelly smiling border guard.
A border guard begins his shift at the border post he is responsible for. He doesn't have the easiest profession, and the responsibility weighs heavily on him. More and more refugees are coming to his country, and they can’t take in any more, in more than one way. Any more will make things harder for everyone. People have had enough, and the refugees who are already there are treated with contempt. The situation is becoming untenable. No matter how difficult and personally tragic their stories are, they have to find other countries to go to. Stopping everyone is impossible, but people trying to enter the country illegally must be apprehended and sent back. He steps out of his car and talks to his colleagues. He is alert, because he knows the word among refugees is that this is the best moment. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees a shadow by the fence. Under the cover of the gathering darkness, he walks softly toward the spot where he saw something. He's right on time! Before the man is completely under the fence, he already has him at gunpoint...
Everything is perspective.
A politician is a councilmember for a small local party. For years, he has been fighting a losing battle against a dishonest alderman. Toward the end of the administrative term, he believes he has enough evidence to figuratively hang the alderman, and he cautiously starts the process of exposing the man. An integrity investigation is considered, votes of no confidence or censure are prepared, and allies are sought and found to rid politics of a dishonest man. The man is proud of himself. He is a straight shooter, he stands for what is right, he is making politics fairer and more reliable...
A politician is a councilmember for a small local party. For years, he has been fighting a losing battle against a dishonest alderman. Toward the end of the administrative term, he believes he has enough evidence to figuratively hang the alderman, and he cautiously starts the process of exposing the man. An integrity investigation is considered, votes of no confidence or censure are prepared, and allies are sought and found to rid politics of a dishonest man. The man is proud of himself. He is a straight shooter, he stands for what is right, he is making politics fairer and more reliable... But then both his party and the alderman's party win big in the elections, and the man and his party are offered a spot in the new coalition. Even though he was determined to nail the dishonest alderman to the cross, he now decides that there are more important things in life than mere principles. He aches to finally take his seat at the center of power. Only there can he make a difference, only there can he achieve more than from the sidelines. If that means has to work with a dishonest man... Ah well, isn’t that what the game called politics is all about?
Everything is perspective.
If you stand on Earth, you see the moon set; if you stand on the moon, you see the earth set...
Everything is perspective.
Y es que en el mundo traidor
nada hay verdad ni mentira:
todo es según el color
del cristal con que se mira