An ax to grind

They make a point of sending anyone that came from the suburbs back to their towns should the need present itself. On one hand it's just good use of resources: these people know the lay of the land, they know the people. Sort of. And that's the other hand. A lot of them left as outcasts, disappeared for years, then all of a sudden, they roll back into town in trucks with hundreds of guerillas. Armed guys roll into your town anytime, and it's something to worry about. But here there's more, and I won't say the added effect isn't being exploited. These are people that you know left for a reason. These are people that, according to the papers and TV, hate your way of life. These are people that you don't understand. These are people that are now completely in control.

A glimpse at the dynamics.

The human brain allows reasoning, but it does not guaruntee that reasoning will necessarily guide one's actual behavior. It takes a great deal of will or something particularly dramatic to override deeply ingrained behavioral patterns that result from an entire lifetime of conditioning.

This is why people without will power don't learn from their mistakes.

For these people it is always something particularly dramatic that draws them into social unrest, and more often than not it's something that is in some shape or form a direct affront to their deeply ingrained behavioral patterns. And in droves they will settle down and return to their normal routines once the crises that stirred them is resolved.

And this is why people with will power are so dangerous.

For these people a line of reasoning alone is enough to draw them into social unrest, and once they've committed to the reasoning, rarely can they be quieted. Moreover, a line of reasoning can spread like wildfire, and no amount of negotiating or violence can break the will of the torchbearers.

Nothing new, I know, but as I said earlier, time doesn't change things as much as you'd think or hope it would.

A rare moment off feet.

In the beginning... and for all time

Overall, time doesn't change things nearly as much as you'd think or hope it would. Peasants are peasants whether they have microwaves or not. The ruling class is the ruling class whether they're kings or capitalists. And revolution is revolution whether it succeeds or fails. What matters to you is where you are in the whole lot. How and why it matters to you is your call. I always wanted to be on the right side, and always hoped i would be on the winning side. At some point, you come to the realization that there are no sides. Then you are in anarchy. Whether this elates or horrifies you determines whether you choose to spread anarchy or combat it with every fiber of your being. Then, suddenly, there are sides again.