Prelude to the Conclude

Let it not be said that ignorance breeds without harvest but let it be said that it breeds from an environment; a stew ripe with the necessary ingredients. It breeds in a cycle that will not conclude with the wave of a wand or the deposit of a dollar. Maybe an idea, yes an idea can break the cycle. At first it is not always recognized; often it is met with force. The idea encompasses the rage of many in society’s womb and forces the originator out of favor.  The bottle sometimes drives the originated to the grave or gives the originated a grieving soul reeked with debt. A sad price to pay for an idea; an idea that will only be recognized in whole after the death of the originator.  Only at the beginning will a small fraction of people see him or her as a prophet or a martyr.

            Does that martyr think it’s worth it? When their sitting there in a pool of their own filth; a run down one bedroom apartment; getting enough scratch off an editorial on the local 10^th annual bazaar to get the next bottle or the next piece of skin? Maybe they do; maybe the conviction is strong enough to where they would rather destroy their own body and life then see the world go on without accepting their idea; their work. It may sound like a genius destroyed by his or her own arrogance; it may even sound childish. It is with this childish attitude, though, that comes the best quality of these, what some might call “intellectuals”. The childish feelings of endless possibility; of inquisitive speculation and of innocence.

            With this they can see in different wave lengths then others; along different paths. This is where they often become accustomed to dwelling; in their own company with only their ideas to comfort them. They do not feel suffering through this like some would expect. Normal measures of society that rule others lives…money, relationships, careers….are not how they measure their lives. It is how they touch society through their ideas that they are measured; they want to make a difference and show the world how they think. Most of the time these intellectuals think they’re right but, this forces a deadly trap.

            Most people don’t mind ignorance; they feel they can teach and grow out of it; arrogance on the other hand is a different beast. It is, most of the time, these intellectuals distinguishing quality and paints them into their most accustomed spot; alone. It is odd that these intellectuals believe they can force their ideas upon a society their not apart of. Occasional society comes to the intellectual; when the knights wander to the forest to see the old, wise wizard…..often depicted as crazy and speaking in riddles. The wizard is out of sight and out of touch with society so much that they look at others as tools; underlings to their mind and puppeteer hands.  A trap that often leads back to where they were before; only they’re now dependent on the vices of society.

            Now, with some of the rambling out of the way, it comes back to the original; was it all worth it for the intellectual to suffer while their idea went unappreciated? To go out like they did; to see the world only through their eyes and to relay only on their ideas; their ideas to make their life worthwhile; to somehow let them fit into society. If most could see the end result; could see the many years down the road when their idea was finally recognized…well…yes, they would say it was worth it. Now, in the present, with the last breath it seems to not be worth it. No one ended up listening; they were left to only dwell in the perceived sunshine of their own self righteousness. 

            But, as is life, a speckle in the universe that is evolving; changing. It is the hope that our speckle can shine the brightest; can change the world in that what we believe is the universe. Is that hope enough; to justify a lost life; a life lived alone; with only ideas?